A little about our speaker for Spirit-word conference Dr Chika Emmanuel Okoye
It's My Birthday...(he writes)
So some years ago, I was still a Christian medical student (I'm still a Christian), meditating with an audio message preached by Dr D.K. Olukoya, the founding pastor of MFM. The title was about marriage, and that's the much I can remember, except for a statement he made, which was the take home for me from that message. Something I never forget.
I have learnt a thing or more about prayer from him and his ministry. Thank God for the diversities of ministries and ministry gifts in the Body of Christ. But this post is not about ministries and ministry gifts.
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My dad (a wise man, who knew what it means to make sacrifices for one's family), had told me at the age of 12, in junior secondary school, to start praying for my wife. That God should give me the one He Himself has prepared...
A little background please.
I used to be a very stubborn and troublesome individual while growing up. Chai! I was really rough in all the ramifications of that word! Thank God for Jesus and the work of His Spirit. I was also the only male child of my parents (I have lost that status now, thanks to my son Dominion, who made sure of that. Kikikiki!).
My father would say to me on occasions of my escapades, "I married at the age of 27. You should break my record and marry at most by 25. The way you are going, are you sure you can do that".
Don't ask me if I broke the kind record joor. Important thing now is that Jesus has conquered my soul, and has given me my own family. Lol.
So I started praying for whoever would be my wife from as early as 12 years of age. Thanks to my dad. The seriousness with which he gave me that counsel made it indelible in my young rascal mind. I can even remember the countless times I knelt down by the bedside on my tender knees to ask God for my wife to be. This was among the very first stories I told my wife years later, when we met and became convinced God created us for each other.Yes I prayed her into being!
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I know... I know. About what Pastor Olukoya said? I have not forgotten where this whole gist started from...
So that evening in medical school, meditating with that message in my room, he said (paraphrasing), "As a Christian young man but more especially, as a minister or pastor, call your wife and seat down comfortably with her. Ask her 'honey do you want me to make heaven?'. If she says yes, then rejoice and thank God because you will make heaven. But if she says no, then go and start crying to God for help because you won't".
Boy! It was that serious. Though it may have appeared a little blown out of proportion, I chose not to look for what was wrong with the counsel of a father in the faith and ministry. I went for the wisdom in those words, determined to grab what was right. Really, holy fear and respect for women came upon me after hearing that. They are that powerful biko. Jukwaa ese o (make enquiries o).
At that time, I was courting my wife. I intensified my prayers concerning my wife and my marriage. I even told my wife about it afterwards, and we prayed too. Yes numerous seeds of planning and prayers went ahead of us in this marriage. It is heavily guarded and supernaturally secured in heaven! Glory!
Fast forward to 3 years after marriage but 11 years of a defined Christian relationship... (Yes we courted for that long. Don't blame me. Blame a typical Nigerian med school joor.) Anyway, we took advantage of the long time to give our foundation a tap root system in God. However we don't advice such a long term courtship where it can be avoided. It comes with a lot of temptations. "Lest the devil takes advantage of us", in the words of the apostle.
Okay fast forward to 3 years post marriage, I've got the best wife any man could ever want or need. First she's a God chaser! A godly woman. The list of her dream man had only two items. First, agaga(to be continued)
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