A SELF-styled prophet who claimed to bring a man back from the dead in a viral video stunt is being sued by a group of funeral directors in South Africa.

Footage shows Pastor Alph Lukau shouting "rise up" to a man in a coffin who then jerks upright to cheers from worshippers.

The supposedly dead man was earlier seen lying perfectly still in the open coffin with his mouth wide open.

In the video Lukau can be heard saying the man had been dead since Friday and had been in the mortuary.

The pastor then placed his hands on the man's side and gave him a little shove before the 'deceased' suddenly sat bolt upright.

“Can you see what happened? This is a sign that no matter what the devil has done, it is over," Lukau said as onlookers fainted and cried.

"Devil, I told you wherever I find you I will kick you."

SPECTACLE 'STAGED FOR MONEY'

After the resurrection stunt was ridiculed and condemned online, three funeral companies have said they were manipulated into being involved.

They claim Lukau staged the spectacle to pressure locals into donating to his church near Johannesburg.

"There are no such things as miracles," the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities said.

"They are made up to try to get money from the hopelessness of our people."

The funeral companies say their reputations have been damaged by the stunt after they hired out a hearse that was reportedly used by Lukau's church, Alleluia Ministries International.