By Francis Ogbuagu
For Pastor Justin Epih,the presiding Bishop of Overcomer’s Gospel Church of Christ Mission, Upper Sakponba Road,Benin City,Edo State;the encounter that made him leave the comfort of the United States for Nigeria was a life turning one. He narrated how he left his job to answer the call of God to start a ministry in Nigeria, while other Nigerians are doing everything to relocate to the United States.
He narrated the encounter which started as an eighteen years old boy in Benin City, during the 2022 Annual Thanksgiving and 2nd anniversary of the church in Benin
According to him, “my encounter with God started at the age of eighteen years. It was God that helped me to the US ,but even after settling down with my family,God asked me to return to Nigeria,to start a ministry.
“I feel so great,I feel so excited, because the promises of God are real,that is my excitement. When God told me I have to come back to Nigeria,it wasn’t so easy,it wasn’t an exciting moment,but I had no option,but to obey,I told God I am not going to walk down to Nigeria,he told me not to worry, within two years he changed everything, and I saw that I was making money and I realized that I have to go back to Nigeria that I had no choice. That is why I am here now,and I feel happy obeying God, I feel good,I now understandthat the call is from him not man made.”
On the challenges he has faced, he said
“The challenges has been how to make people believe,how to bring people together to buy into the vision. I was initially frustrated,I wanted to go back,but because it is an obligation that I should be here. He said come sit down in the church that he is going to meet me. My advice to up coming ministers is to be patient with God, because as a minister,you must have had an encounter with God once and if you believe that that encounter was with God,why now do you doubt him. When God says a word he doesn’t go back from it. So you should go back and start doing what he asked you to do, if you have been doing it your way ,your way is not going to be right,the reason is that the evil one will fight you,but if you are in his will,he will protect you. Just take a step in his direction,when you take one,two,then he will help you take the third step. Just take doubt away,but you should know that the devil’s purpose is to give you doubt,but if God has done something for you before,why doubt him now.”
