The General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman, who is presently in Johannesburg, South Africa, for the country’s edition of the Restoration Conference 2016, shares his experience, the essence of Mother’s Day celebration, celebrity marriage crashes, and more. Excerpt.
Please, the experiences at your recent conference in Minnesota.
It was indeed awesome. God manifested Himself in many miraculous ways. It is a written pact that God’s works done in God’s way never lack positive supplies. God has always been wonderful. The Minnesota experience tagged Minnesota Restoration Conference 2016 was a three-session explosive deliverance episode that was filled with signs of His glory and power. Many things new did happen in the life of many. Of course, when Jesus calls, the world gathers; listens and profits hugely.
You are always on the move around the world preaching the gospel. Where was the next port of call after Minnesota?
God has sent His servant to America to the world to bring restoration and grace to all who would believe. Right now, the world is experiencing His presence in America, as people from all parts of America yearn anxiously for the great encounter. Over the year, American cities like New York, Texas, Chicago, Georgia, Maryland, Florida and several others have experienced the power of God. It was Minnesota two weeks ago, it will be Philadelphia next. We were also in Serra Leone after the Minnesota great experience. The next visit would be Johannesburg in South Africa on May 24th and 25th, while Philadelphia is next that will take us through June 28th and 29th. And God has promised us these are also going to be fulfilling journeys in the life of the hopeless and the downtrodden. As we move around the world through His special grace, millions of people are being freed from all evil foundations that temporarily hold their glories, finances, health, spiritual life and family success.
Your ministry’s Celebration TV just marked its third anniversary. How has the response been using a faith based television channel to reach homes?
We give all glory to God. We saw this vision passionately spreading beyond Africa and it has come to be. We are determined to keep on this blessed track and ensure souls and lives are redeemed as far as technology can reach. The aim for which the Celebration TV of our great ministry of God was established is fulfilling. One of the core objectives is to reach many homes across the world, wiping out tears and restore people back to their destinies through the revelation of the Word and the manifestation of power and the reality of the Holy Spirit. Celebration TV was established to take the gospel into the homes, schools, offices and businesses of millions across the nations. We are going to continue to use this powerful tool for the gospel and expansion of the Kingdom.
Helping people has become a stable feature with you, even as you heal people. Is that the secret why you have so many followers?
To start with, one lesson is the value of time-tested methods. Yes, using the new media for outreach contributes significantly to attracting people to God. But the fact remains that teaching the Word and having personal relationships by way of sharing are the most effective forms of publicity to growing the church. Like I have always shared with people, I have tasted poverty. I come from a very humble background. This is what fires my passion for sharing with the less endowed. We are not graceful with words of mouth; we are also generous with other things that make life worth living for a man.
God understands the needs of man and He is ever ready to provide those needs if man obeys His Word. We regularly share cars worth several millions of naira, cash gift and more. The latest is a brand new multimillion naira Mercedes car we gave out to a member.
Your ministry marked the recent Mother’s Day. Do you think there are other values of mothers that some don’t know?
There are lots of values in mothers. Firstly, no matter how good you are as man, when you have a bad woman around you, you end up a bad man. That is to tell you how very powerful a mother can be. Women are stronger than men. A man uses energy, woman uses strategy, a man uses affluence, woman uses influence. Ahab was a bad king because he had a bad wife. Mothers are heroine. For instance, a successful ministry is successful as a result of the strong love that exists in the home of the leader. So, it is important that we celebrate the grace in mothers’ lives.
There is the story around about celebrity marriages crashing. What are the divine elements needed to keep a marriage enduring?
The Lord says in Genesis 2:18. “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him. That is a proof that God wants and is happy with man and woman relationship. For a Christian to keep the home, spouses must avoid anger to the point of leading them to commit evil. In marriage, you need to understand the mystery of the third party. It must be fought. In marriage, spouses must always be one another’s friends. If a marriage must succeed, there in spouses, must be spiritual and emotional maturity. One of the keys to a lasting marriage is communication. Lack of communication gives room for suspicion and the devil sets in. spouses must learn to call each other pet names to deepen the mutual affection, even in Christian homes. A woman must learn to take good and proper care of her body. In marriage, love covers multitude of offences. Immorality sets into marriages when men are not sexually free with their wives.
A lady recently came to your church and later alleged that she was asked to pay for miracle. How did you deal with that matter?
That was a ridiculous claim. It was a set up and an attempt to blackmail God because we speak His Word. We late discovered that a Lagos based prophet was behind the blackmail attempt. But be rest assured that we serve a mighty God, so small situations and circumstances would not move us. A man that wants to catch an elephant does not set his trap with maize. The enemy tried to set fear. But in God we have conquered fear. The only thing that helps me is to fear God more than men. So we are saved out of obedience to God. We are praying for the enemy too. Real love has the courage to tell God to help a man who is going astray. We’re all accountable to God to love others.