Background
My name is Dr. Bala Success Abraham. I'm the General Overseer of Holy Ghost Fire Ministries International and also Apostolic Triumphant Church International. I live in the U.S, but I cover the cChurches all over the world. Growing up was actually a little bit hard for me because of my background. I came from a Muslim background, but that is not the issue. The issue is that I'm a victim of a broken home. My parents separated when I was two years old and I was brought to Lagos to live with a foster parent. You know it cannot be like when you are with your parents.
It was tough and harsh. I was like a rejected child, serving like a slave. At the age of nine, I was hawking bottles of groundnut oil in the streets. Sometimes, I had to beg to eat. But glory be to God, His hand has been on me. He strengthened me and raised me up.
My Christainity and Muslim background
It wasn't easy. A lot of persecution. Apart from the physical, you have what is called the inner persecution. It is not something you can see. Not like somebody trying to hack you down. Inner persecution in the sense that there are certain things you can't do with your family members because of your faith. This really hurts especially at the level that God has brought me now. But then, I'm in touch with my family members though we cannot do certain things together.
Going into the Ministry
It was a call, because I remember when I was doing my youth service, I had a previlege of seeing Jesus Christ physically. That is why when I preach, I preach about Him with all my might because I know what I'm talking about. I was in a town called Iseyin in Oyo State . I was in the room in the cool evening around 4:35pm, and I was just lying down and the Lord Jesus Christ walked into my room. The door was closed, but He walked in. The whole of my physical senses were numb. I couldn't speak but was just looking at Him. When He came to me, the major thing that was so striking, was the appearance. His hair was like a wool but golden wool hair.
But I couldn't see the eyes since it was like the sun. The feet wasn't touching the ground and it was like fire. He came to me, I didn't need to ask who He was, because I knew He was Christ. He placed His fingers on me and He said; I have given you the five-fold ministry, though I didn't know what that meant. And He mentioned specifically; I'm going to send you a pegasus that will be with you wherever you go. I didn't understand because though I was born again, I didn't understand the prophetic or visions. So, I didn't do anything about it. Ten years latter, precisely around 1992, then I was already in the Army and was proceeding on presidential assignment to Enugu .
On board the presidential jet, an air hostess introduced me to Zoe Ministries , where I met Pastor Anwuzia. There I was built up in the prophetic, heavenly realm and how to pray. That was how I began to get revelation of what God told me in 1982, when I was a youth corper, and what the five-fold ministry is all about.
Most especially, when I got to the U.S. I was connected with an apostolic minister, who now lectured and tutored me on the apostolic. The five fold ministry, is for people that are sent. People can be preaching, but you may not be sent. Every Christian is entitled to proclaim, but there are those that are appointed and sent. They have specific assignment to carry out. So, if you are in the five-fold, I believe you are sent.
Regrets
I do not know what I would have done in my life, if I'm not preaching the word of God. I was a teacher, teaching Mathematics. I left the university to be in the military and later to the bank. But I wasn't fulfilled. There was no inner joy in me. There are trials in ministry, but as long as God gives you that joy, He will see you through in trials. I feel fulfilled in my spirit everytime. If I were to enter my mother's womb for her to give birth to me again, I wouldn't like to be the President of the nation, but a minister of God, because I love what I'm doing today. Saving souls is my assignment.
Why some G.Os leave their wife in Nigeria to stay abroad
For me, everything I do, I always like to stay under judgement. Most people I think take decision based on what they see on ground. Most G.Os wives have good careers. Because your husband is a G.O. doesn't mean you have to leave your career. But at the same time, you have to look at it from another angle. That it's not good for the man to be alone. So, I want to also say that the wife should be able to look at it and make a choice. That's the sacrifice. So, if the woman looks at it and says I have a career, she should know that the husband has a calling. I'm not the type of man that likes to lord decision over the women. I like things to happen naturally. When you take the decision yourself, it will help you, it will help the man.
Marriage is an institution, a ministry especially for the wife. God gave the man to the woman to cater for him, that is their ministry. The way the man eats, his clothings and protection that's supposed to be the duty of the woman. They have to protect the image of the man. That's the hallmark of a virtuous woman. When your wife is with you, people will respect you more. But sometimes, it's not always like that. Sometimes it could be the enemy's attack. Sometimes it could be overambition on the part of the woman. It is the man that will say, this is what God asked me to do but I've also called you to be by my side. God didn't call the women, you called her. So, I believe she should be able to respect your authority and respect what God called you into because if the wife is not there, the man will be tempted to look for somebody else. You can't protect yourself.
Are Nigerians receptive to Christianity?
When we talk about reception to Christianity, we try to hinge it on the culture. You know Christianity is still growing in Nigeria . We have a very strong culture in Nigeria which to me is having a very strong effect on the growth of Christianity. In America , Christianity thrives on love. Everything we preach is centered on love. Anybody laying hands on you is doing that because of love. We are still growing in Nigeria , we've not understood love and until people understand what love is, then Christianity will not have a sound meaning.
Most messages that people hear are messages that condemn them. But in the states, you talk about hell, but you make the people understand that they have a right not to go to hell. We find it difficult to express love here in Nigeria .
