Love is not a fickle feeling. Once you’ve decided to go all in, you move from feelings to commitment. The decision to stick with your spouse is not based on emotion; it’s based on a commitment you made to your spouse and the Lord. In the inspiring world of the First Family at the Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson and Dr. Lizzy Suleman, ‘love, by its very nature, is not a fairy tale feeling but a commitment. Love is simply a story with no ending.’ In this interview, the clergy couples share the secrets of their 19 years courtship which developed into a successful marriage, still waxing strong 13 years after. Excerpts…

Apostle Suleman:

If the founder has a successful marriage, what impacts could it have on his ministry?

Marital successes are parts of life stimulators and rest of mind enhancers. When a pastor marries a satanic daughter, his father-in-law (Satan) would definitely come for a visit. And one thing with satanic visit is that it’s very embarrassing and deadly. The impacts the church founder’s healthy marriage could have on his ministry are very many as marriage is the oldest institution on earth. The breakdown of marriage is a breakdown of society; it’s a breakdown of governmental structures. Marital breakdown produces hooliganism and anarchy. So, when a pastor’s marriage is faulty or collapsed, there is no way he can lead the congregation well. Many congregation members would pattern their lives after their p divorce, marital disharmony, failure etc. On the other hand, when a pastor’s marriage is working, the grace and the power that make his marriage to work will make the congregation’s marriages work also.

Dr. Lizzy Suleman:

How does it feel like being married to a man whose job is completely spiritual and public?

One thing we should understand in life is that God made us according to the assignments which He prepared for us from the foundation of the world. Being married to a man whose job is completely spiritual and public is a privilege and it’s a thing to always thank God for.

Apostle Suleman:

Pastor-idolizing is common in the ministry. While some say it is in order, others believe that such practice puts those in the vocational ministry (the founder, other top pastors and their families) in an isolated position. What is your say on this?

We need to get the right context of the word ‘idolizing’. If the word idolizing is used within the framework of honour, respect or love for the pastor, it is not bad at all because men of God should be honoured and celebrated. But putting pastor in the place of God is deadly and it’s a very serious evil in the sight of God. As a matter of fact, idolizing a pastor or his family from the second perspective is a way of saying his congregational members are pushing him very early into his or her grave. This is so because it’s the easiest way of comparing a man of God with God of man which has no basis at all. My counsel to every man of God and their families is that they should not allow themselves to be killed early.  Jeremiah 9:23-24 says: 23 Thus saith the Lord, ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man gloryin his riches’. 24 says; ‘But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercises loving, kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord. Therefore, men of God should not be idolized to the detriment of their calling.

Dr. Lizzy Suleman:

Being a pastor’s wife, have you ever had any course to fear about your husband’s ability and spirituality on the pulpit?

Not at all. But that does not mean that l don’t pray for him before and while ministering. I know he has God, he knows God and God will always guide him by His Spirit. That, as pastor’s wife, allays all forms of fear within.

Apostle Suleman:

You’ve been married for how long, and what was the attraction to Dr. Lizzy?

I have known her for 19 years but we have been married for 13 years. The attraction was the fear of God and her prayer life. Also, she is the most humble woman I have ever seen. She doesn’t give me trouble and has never talked back at me.

Dr. Lizzy Suleman:

It is said that the Bible does not provide a specific job description for a pastor’s wife. What are the qualities needed of a pastor’s wife to attract development in the church, love and harmony among congregants?

The duties of pastor are the duties of pastors wives if they have congregations they are ministering to. However, when a pastor’s wife is with her husband in the same congregation, she has separate roles that will enhance the work of the husband. This will bring synergy in successes and achievements. There are basic qualities a pastor’s wife should have in order to achieve the above described successes. Some of them are to be prayerful, show love without sentiments, humility, sincerity, self control etc.

Apostle Suleman:

The Scripture’s position on same-sex marriage is very clear, yet sections of the Church still do not condemn the practice. How does this affect the society?

Same sex marriage from the biblical and natural point of views are very wrong, it is an abomination. That some sections in the church still romance and refuse to condemn it does not make it right. All these are happening because we are in the end time where people go for what they want and not what God wants. And it’s happening also as a result of lack of knowledge of the word of God. This affects the society in adverse ways. The church should be a place to mould the society but if the society gets rotten because of the evil lifestyle and practices of the church leaders then the so called same sex lovers are not worthy to be in the church authorities. This people have directly joined Satan to work against God no matter the title they bear.

Dr. Lizzy Suleman:

As a leader in the Church, how should a Christian woman handle controversy surrounding her marriage since the man is believed to be the stronger sex?

There is one thing every woman or man of God who wishes to succeed in life must have; it is divine wisdom which money cannot buy. A Christian woman should handle controversies surrounding her marriage with wisdom by not making it an issue to the public. Also both couples should agree to make things work.

Apostle Suleman:

How should a man of God handle temptations since it is believed to be a test that would come in the mission?

Yes, temptations are part of life, even if you don’t like them or want them, they must come. Temptations are life-assessment score sheet for promotions and enduring next level. There are two ways to handle temptations from the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 6:13; “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” One, pray that you should not be led into temptations because temptations itself are a suggestion to do evil or anything against the love and the will of God. Two, if you are already inside temptations, pray to be delivered from the evil so that it will not swallow you.

Dr. Lizzy Suleman:

When you hear of divorce happening in high places, especially in clerics’ homes, what strikes you as the possible reasons; and why do you think it shouldn’t happen in the Church?

There are several reasons that lead to divorce both in the world and in the cleric homes, though divorce itself is not the will of God or the last results to marital crisis. Honestly speaking, every marital crisis can be resolved if the proper steps are taken. Some of the factors that bring divorce are: incompatibility in marriage; imagine a male pastor married to a female politician or a female model, how would the pastor cope? Then, bad friends or evil counselors, family third party, impatience on the part of the couples, foundational curses and demonic attacks, insincerity and more. As for the reason why it should not happen in the church; it is very simple. Like I said in the beginning, God hates divorce.

Apostle Suleman:

Every union has its primary challenges, what are the mechanisms that you apply to ensure the home is calm at all times considering the multitude that look up to your  leadership?

It’s all about unfeigned love, patent, having marital understanding and wisdom application. It’s wisdom to pray in marriage, it’s wisdom to apologize to each other when things go wrong, it’s wisdom to be patient with your partner and it’s wisdom to believe in yourselves. You cannot have all these and there will not be calmness in your home.

Dr. Lizzy Suleman:

Would you like to share some testimonies concerning peace and the love in your union?

We know that marital success is a function of an agreement between husband and wife. It is not solely the woman’s responsibility or the man’s making. Several testimonies abound in our marriage. We have peace of mind, there are no unresolved issues. No third party coming in to settle issues. The love for one another is on the daily increase. Parents are not on one side and children on the other side. There is unity. Praise God.

Apostle Suleman:

You had barely released the 2017 prophecies than some were beginning to happen. Do you think people are not doing enough in terms of praying to avert certain events from happening?

There are two ways to this issue. Number one, most people don’t take prophecies serious, as a result of that they don’t pray to avert the evils. Some of them don’t pray for the mercy of God and for divine intervention. The other way to it is that there are issues in the calendar of God that prayers would not change, because they have been designed to happen. These are the two major issues that make negative prophecies or warning to still happen but majority of them are tied to inability to seek the face of God as and when due.

Dr. Lizzy Suleman:

Please, would you like to share with us those programmes that you administer in the church and how the Lord has been taking glory regarding their success?

To the glory of God we have several programmes where I have ministered and Jesus’ name is glorified. The sick healed all manners of afflictions gone. The lame walks, the blind sees etc. These happened in our women programme, Nation Conventions, Fire Nights, and other special progammes.

The Couple:

Do you have pet names for each other that promotes your union the more?

Yes, we call each other ‘Honey’ (laughter).

Apostle Suleman:

From the Biblical perspective, do we consider remarriage as adultery?

Not really, depending on the conditions underlying the remarriage. If a man or a woman remarries as a result of the death of the partner, it is not an adultery case. There are other genuine cases before men to qualify one for remarriage but in the sight of God they are seen as a case of adultery. God always wants us to have peace and reconcile disputes. The basic way to qualify for remarriage is to follow the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ on the subject matter in the Gospel and in the epistles.

Dr. Lizzy Suleman:

How would you advice young girls who would like to become pastors’ wives?

Well, being a pastor or a Pastor’s wife is a calling that only God can initiate. If or when they are called for that, it’s a laudable assignment. For me as mother, it is good if they are pastors because Working with God and for God is the best profession on earth as God has made us to witness that.

Apostle Suleman:

What would you say on pastors who would force their wives to attend theological school so they could run the church together, in a case where the husband alone was called to serve?

Knowledge is a weapon that saves men from captivity. Pastors calling their wives to join them in theology seminaries are not taking wrong decisions. Going to seminaries does not make you a called person, it could be for knowledge acquisition and encounter with God. A pastor’s wife could be doing secular job while her husband is a full time pastor. She needs to know what the man knows in order to be properly carried along in the race of life.