‘I Shall Not Die’

Abstract This article explores how West African neo-Pentecostalism redefines death and Christian hope through the performative declaration ‘I shall not die’. It argues that this theology turns mortality into a spiritual anomaly to be conquered through faith declarations, warfare, and prophetic intervention. The study draws on the sermons and writings by Charles Agyinasare, Nicholas Duncan-Williams, and Joshua Selman to show how neo-Pentecostal leaders elevate longevity as the key proof of divine favour while sidelining the historic hope of resurrection. It situates this theology within African fears of untimely death and the prosperity gospel’s emphasis on human control through faith-filled words. The article critiques its theological imbalance and pastoral consequences and proposes a Christocentric alternative grounded in inaugurated eschatology. This alternative affirms African concerns about premature death but redirects hope toward the transforming power of Christ’s cross and resurrection rather than the pursuit of extended biological life.