Dr. Johnmark Ighosotu is the Senior Pastor of Free Indeed Church International (God’s Delight Gospel Assembly), Udu-Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. He is a dynamic preacher and an Apostle of God sent at this end time to liberate those in one form of spiritual bondage or another.
In this interview with Eunice Adeola, he speaks about how he came to be known as the “Spirit General” — one who commands and it comes to pass, not just a man who speaks or a man of God who talks. He also discusses how he became born again, his journey of fighting back against whatever darkness turns out to be, and his calling as a deliverer, breaking forth for the children of God like in the days of Moses.
He explains that God is everything behind his guidance and that his role model is the Holy Spirit. According to him, anybody can be your role model, but such a person may eventually disappoint you.
EXCERPTS
How can Senior Pastor (Dr.) Johnmark Ighosotu be described?
Well, by the grace of God, I had been described as a “Spirit General.” We have generals in different fields, but people call me “Spirit General” because we speak on television (TV) and somebody got healed by His grace.
I was described like that by one powerful man of God in India who, one day, contacted me from the Assemblies of God and said he would like to put me on the screen with some of his members who were sick. Since then, I was just being called a Pastor, and I am still being called a Pastor till today.
And when I prayed, somebody with an open-leg ulcer was healed, and I gave the person two weeks, and the big leg ulcer dried up. Others got healed, carried their crutches and went home.
And the man said, “Spirit General.” And I said, “Spirit General.” And that is how I came to be known as “Spirit General” — one who commands and it comes to pass. It is not just a man who speaks or a man of God who talks!
So, that is how it came about from a man of God from the Assemblies of God in India and his members, who described me as “Spirit General.” Since then, it became known that people began to call me “Spirit General.”
A man that is kind; a man with an open heart; a man who wants others to be like him; a man who loves people; a man who wants people to succeed; a man who wants other people to grow like him.
How did you become born again?
My born-again experience is a good journey — coming in contact one-on-one with the Holy Spirit and seeking to fight back the battles of darkness in my family’s life, what we normally called witchcraft, bulldozing, attacks and forces.
I was determined to fight back, and I came in contact with the Holy Spirit, who introduced me to Himself, and I had to speak in tongues. I never knew all of that before.
He directed me also to some churches, and I built my foundation there. One of them is Deeper Life Bible Church, then Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), and to where I am today.
The journey was one of fighting back against whatever darkness that turns out to be — a deliverer and breaking forth for the children of God like in the days of Moses.
Then, how did you get into your ministry?
Well, nobody gets into ministry except the ones you see today who come to learn ministry like carpentry work. Ministry is a calling. Nobody gets into ministry; God calls you, and the call is evidence. And that is the fact!
What are some of the values and virtues to which you were exposed early in life, imbibed and which have guided you in all your undertakings thus far?
Well, education is one of the valuable factors that bring exposure to everyone who wants to be great. Education always helps me in enlightenment and books.
I used to read books a lot, and one of the books I read is The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Peale. It teaches how to live positively in what you do, and that brought me into the limelight today!
As a child, when you were growing up, who influenced you the most?
Well, I wouldn’t say anybody influenced me. Some people were raised by their parents, but I wouldn’t say somebody positively influenced me.
God was just everything I think was behind my guidance.
Which particular day in your life do you remember with fondness?
If there is any day I remember in my life, it was when I went out to crusade. I saw people delivered; I saw people saved; I saw people coming out in crowds to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.
That is the day in my life that I would never forget.
Which day in your life do you remember with sadness?
I would remember the day the women were having Mother’s Day in the church. So, when the women were dancing and celebrating, it came back to my mind that I wished my mother were alive. She would have been among these people dancing and celebrating.
I grew up without a mother; she passed away very early in life. It was that day I remembered that I wished my mother were among them.
And I remembered that day as a sad memory for me.
So far, what degree of fulfilment have you achieved since you were ordained as a Pastor or a Prophet of Yahweh, and what are your other desires or aspirations?
My degree of fulfilment is seeing lives saved; people that are genuinely converted to Christ, and not the ones who convert to dupe people in church — riders, runners, criminals in the house of God, not those ones!
But those who truly say, “I give my life to Christ because of you,” and not those who give their lives to Christ because of pockets.
Those are the days of my degree of fulfilment.
Who is your role model in life?
My role model is the Holy Spirit. It is my best teacher.
Anybody can be your role model, and you may end up dissatisfied in the future. But with the Holy Spirit, it is not so. He is your true and best companion in life.
So, I made the Holy Spirit the best of all for modern life.
Then, what do you think should be our durable passport to creativity and intellectual empowerment?
Our durable passport is to have Christ and be intentional and purposeful in life. Be determined to have Christ live in you, and once you have this, you have a future.
Otherwise, you may have a dream and something else may drive you out from that dream.
As a true Nigerian Pastor, what would you say keeps you awake about our country?
Well, what keeps me awake is that if you believe God, He will show us mercy one day. Otherwise, we are not awakened by what the Nigerian government will keep coming to tell us every four years.
For these four years, it is hope; for another four years, it is prosperity; and for another four years, hope has been dashed and it is now “Renewed Hope.”
Now, none of them keep hope alive. They never live up to what they say, and we have all come to terms in Nigeria with not taking their words seriously.
It is just a mere campaign of interest within their own group of people to satisfy themselves and not for the purpose of the country.
They look like people who eat much and drop crumbs, if there is even a crumb to drop. So, we only look to God one day to change Nigeria for us.
Then, how do you see the rising hardship in Nigeria today?
Our present hardship in Nigeria today is terrific and terrible. The eyes of the leadership driving the vehicle should see beyond, but unfortunately, I have come around so many of them; they don’t even know whether people suffer; they don’t even know whether people struggle.
They forget suddenly where they come from.
The hardship you could see has driven Nigerian girls from the shores of this nation to Libya and other various countries of the world. It has also caused a lot of our medical personnel to leave. Good hands have really left this country, all because of hardship.
They are leaving because there is no future when they look back. So, it becomes very hard!
Then, how would you comment on the rate of unemployment in this country?
There is no employment! Who is employing whom in this country?
The youths who are creative are employing themselves in order to sustain themselves, thus making both ends meet. They are employing themselves in Yahoo, businesses and any other means.
If only one talks about employment, what of those who are in the downstream areas, those in the rural areas and all of that?
There is no employment scheme for elevating people. There is really no provision for that.
All my years, I have lived thinking that when you graduate, there is work for you; but it is either you leave for abroad or you remain stagnant.
There is nothing in this country to provide for you and your family. In terms of employment, Nigeria is not ready for that platform, except you know one big man or have one big contact!
Then, what do you think should be the basic component for a sustainable governance structure of a country like Nigeria?
True, Nigeria is big, but that doesn’t mean it is bigger than the United States of America (USA) or some other countries.
But they should give us power — electricity.
If the government is defined by what it has done and it is something that can electrify the spirit of everyone, it would have been very objective and welcome.
Like we saw in the days of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, we have trains moving from Itakpe to Ujevwu in Udu Local Government Council of Delta State.
It would have been very commendable if only a train could move directly from Ujevwu to Abuja.
So, we pray for things to come through. The pressure is very much on them.
And it also depends on what they are bringing before the President to consider and sign into law. Otherwise, you can be overwhelmed by the people and forget your campaign promises.
It is one of the things!
How do you see the institutional challenges and political dynamics that shaped the anti-corruption fight in Nigeria?
Anti-corruption! Well, we commend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
This is because, in a system where we lack employment, we should first be assured that corruption would be the order of the day.
The EFCC Chairman has also tried. He has put in his best not to allow the name Nigeria to go beyond what it is.
That is to an extent!
But for the government, which has leaders who rose without proper accountability, or those who know people, and some of them who are very difficult to question — this is another problem that is not easy.
It is not as if they don’t want to, but their hands are tied!
How does systemic fraud undermine development, and how can it be challenged?
Systemic fraud undermines development and is a major reason for corruption.
There is fraud all over the world. I have seen fraud. I have travelled to places, and fraud is fraud.
It undermines development because if you have a shortcut to getting it, then why go through the process?
So, people are not patient to get it done!
