You will never enjoy freedom unless you demand for it in the Place of Prayer - Pastor Bulu Jeremiah Odunayo

In today's interview, we host Pastor Bulu Odunayo of the Spirit of Glory Apostolic Ministries as he shares practical tips to ensure a victorious prayer life for believers. 

Can we meet you? Kindly tell us about yourself.

Guest: My name is Pst Odunayo Jeremiah- Bulu, the Lead Pastor of Spirit of Glory Apostolic Ministries, Owo, Ondo State.

What was your journey into Christ like? Kindly share your salvation story.

Guest: I got born again when I was in secondary school. Although prior to that time, I had been going to Church but Christ was not real to me then.

I stayed with my grandmother in a place called Igbotu in Ondo State. She was a devout Orthodox member who served God till her old age. She always took us to church and even forced me to become one of the choir members back then. Grandma always took us to early morning prayer and made us to do early morning devotions, but with all these, I was not really born again. All my going to church was based on religious activities.

Christ became real to me when I was in secondary school, SSS One class precisely. It was then that I joined the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM). I didn't know that a church like that existed before.

The Lord personally led me to MFM. I left my house one day after school and I said within myself that I was going to look for a church that I would be attending. As I was going, I saw a Church. I didn't even know the name but I entered, and from there I became a serious member. This happened in Irele, Ondo State. That was where I gave my life to Christ. I was also baptized in the Holy Ghost with evidence in speaking in tongues.

I recall that when I wanted to join the work force, they said I needed to go through weekend deliverance with a three days dry fast. I almost fainted when I did it because I had never done something like that in my life.

The fasting brought transformation into my life. I was baptized in the Holy Ghost and also prophesied. I became a serious worker in the Church. Everyone in our house and environment saw the transformation.

It was a glorious experience. It is something I can never forget.

Kindly tell us about your journey into Ministry.

Guest: I discovered the calling of God upon my life when I was in secondary school. I remember praying one night and I had an open vision in which the heavens opened and the Lord revealed many things to me about my ministry. From that time, I knew that I couldn't escape the work of ministry.

Before I left for the university, I was fully involved in ministerial work as a young minister in the church. So, when I got into the University I was fully involved in campus ministry.

When I was in the university, God also revealed different details to me about ministry. But I knew then that God was still preparing me.

By the grace of God, I had been doing exploits in the Kingdom even before I entered into ministry fully. I was fully involved in ministry on campus. I remembered one time when a student asked me if I was studying theology in the University because he always saw me with ministerial and revival books. That was my life.

When I left the university, I was posted to Kano for NYSC. To the glory of God, I was part of NCCF in Kano but I later relocated from Kano because I sensed that there was something that God wanted to use me for then which I couldn't do in Kano.

By God's special intervention, I found myself back in Ondo State. They posted me to Ugbe Akoko and I was working with a Nursery/Pry School owned by Pastor Oludase.

It remained like 2 months for me to round off the NYSC program when I started having different revelations and visions from God that I should stay back in Akoko for ministerial work.

I wept and cried because I didn't plan things that way, but at the end of the day, I obeyed God and I started working with Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, South West 20 Region as a Regional Deliverance Pastor under Daddy Olusola Adegoke. He was the one who took me as a son and started training in the art of ministry, this was in 2016.

So, after like 2 years of working as a Deliverance Pastor with MFM SW20, Ikare Akoko, the vision of my current ministerial work, *Spirit of Glory Apostolic Ministries* came.

I didn't understand what God was saying initially, so this drove me to serious prayers until the vision became clear.

To the glory of God, our present ministry, *Spirit of Glory Apostolic Ministries* started January, 2022 in the city of Owo, Ondo State.

You recently authored a book, "Judgmental Prayers Against Demonic Battles". What inspired you to write this book?

Guest: My experiences in the field of deliverance and prayer are what led me to write this book titled, Judgmental Prayer Against Demonic Battles. You see, wickedness is real, but more real is our victory in Christ Jesus for the believers who are ready to make use of the weapon of prayer. The truth of the matter is that many people will never enjoy freedom unless they are ready to demand for it in the place of prayer.

During my years of being a deliverance Pastor, I have witnessed different cases that are very terrible. I remember the case of one woman who came to me after ministration in Enugu. The woman had a dream where someone poured something on her that looked like acid in the dream. She woke up from the dream feeling uncomfortable. Her body started itching her and the colour of her skin changed. All this started as a result of the dream. She was later diagnosed of cancer as her pastor later related to me. This attack came as a result of that singular attack in the dream.

Beloved,  spiritual attacks are real. Many people are going through spiritual challenges that they cannot explain. So these stubborn enemies need to be silenced through Judgmental Prayers. I so much believe that if some people are ready to pray the kind of prayers their destinies need, they will be free from some demonic challenges. This is what led me to write this book.

My passion people being free from demonic oppression and afflictions is what led me to write this book.

It is true that many ministries have different doctrines. How scriptural is the ministry of deliverance?

Guest: You see, deliverance was one of the major aspects of Jesus' ministry while He was here on earth. Jesus’ ministry could be divided into three major aspects:

• To save - that is salvation
• To heal- that is healing
• To deliver- that is deliverance.

Jesus came to set the captives free. The Bible is not complete without the doctrine and ministry of deliverance. Jesus also said He came to preach deliverance to captives. In Luke 4:18 (KJV), the Bible says "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised".

Biblical deliverance is done in the name of Jesus. Any deliverance that is not carried out in the name of Jesus, is not from God. Jesus said in His name, we would cast out demons (Mark16:17). Many destinies will continue to suffer without the ministry of deliverance. Deliverance must be embraced in the body of Christ because it is biblical.

As a Pastor, how do you handle issues and cases brought before you? I know some stories can be really touching, but how do you manage them properly?

Guest: Yea, some cases that are brought to us are very touching. That is ministry for you. Some cases are very scary and for some, you must be secretive about them, handling them without telling anyone because it is between you and the person that shared with you. One thing I have learnt is that Pastors must be secretive with people's information. When people confide in you, they share their problems with you so that you can help them in prayer and counseling. There is really no problem beyond the reach of God's power, no matter how touching it is.

You wrote your book in different sections. What personal experience led you to do this? Did you battle any issue addressed in the book? If yes, how did you overcome?

Guest: Yes, the book, Judgmental Prayer Against Demonic Battles was written in sections. My experience  in deliverance led me to write it that way. The cases that were addressed in the book are the major afflictions that people are through. Also, I have experienced some of the cases addressed in my book and to the glory of God, the Lord set me free when I cried to Him in prayer.

In our world today, what do you think is the hope for the future considering the many evils in our society?

Guest: It is true that there is a lot of wickedness in our world today. Our only hope is Christ. You must understand that humans are wicked by a satanic nature. The Bible affirms that *the heart of man is desperately evil, so Christ in us is what makes the difference. I believe so much that if the Gospel of Christ is preached more and more, many souls would be converted.

The Gospel is the only weapon that God had provided to translate and transform man from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light.

We need to devote ourselves more to the preaching of the Gospel. We must go out to evangelize the world for Jesus. It is every believer's responsibility because Christ is the only hope for the world.

With your position in ministry, what do you think is lacking in the body of Christ today?

Guest: One thing I discovered that is lacking in the body is *unity. The body of Christ is greatly disunited. Disunity has done more harms to the body of Christ than witchcraft.

God nominated us but we had denominated ourselves. Even unbelievers are now aware that we are not united. Many believers are more conscious of their denomination than being in Christ. The Church must be united. We need unity to move the Kingdom of God forward. We must allow love to lead us. We are one. Christ didn't die for any denomination; he died for the body of Christ. I pray that God will restore unity among us.

Have you ever prayed and got no answers? Why do you think peoples' prayers are not answered?

Guest: Yes. I think one major reason many people don't receive answers to their prayer is *sin*. Many people who pray to God are still living in sin.

The truth of the matter is, God wants to answer prayers but He wants us to do away with our sins. Sin hinders answers to prayer.

Isaiah 59:1-2 (KJV)  *Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:*

*But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear*.

God is not deaf. His hands are not too short to save. The problem is our sin. As we pray to God to set us free from any problem, we must flee from sin.

Nothing aggravates affliction like sin. many other things like lack of faith, lack persistence in prayer can hinder answer to prayer as well but sin is the worst.

Sin and prayer can never work together.

E.M Rounds of blessed memory said and I quote *"a sinning man will stop praying and a praying man will stop sinning*".

Sin hinders the potency of our prayer.  Even as we press in prayer, let us endeavor we avoid sin. I pray that God grants us the grace to remain pure and holy.

As a pastor, what does it mean to hear God, especially as regards starting something in line with purpose? Please share your experience of hearing God before you went into ministry.

Guest: God is still speaking to those who are ready to hear and hearken to His voice.

Isaiah 30:21 (KJV)  *And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left*.

Every child of God that must do exploit for Him must be ready to hear His voice.

Divine purpose is a product of divine discovery.

I discovered purpose since I was in the secondary school.This really helped me to be focused. I wanted to actually study Law when I was in secondary school. I just liked it then. When I gave my life to Christ, one message I heard constantly in Church was discovering of purpose, so I decided to pray for like three days one day to ascertain whether it was the will of God for me to study Law or not.

After the three days prayer, in summary, I discovered that studying Law was not actually God's plan for me.

I discovered that the call of God was upon my life. Since then, I devoted more time to serve God and to know Him more. God revealed my ministerial assignment to me since.Although I didn't understand it fully. You see, sometimes God revelation about us is progressively.

When I was in the University, I devoted my times to serve God very well. My university days were like ministerial training to me.

It remained like two months for me to round off my NYSC  program when the Lord spoke to me about going into ministry. I started working with Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, South West 20 Ikare Akoko, Ondo State as a Full Time Pastor.

After about six years of serving under Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries as a deliverance pastor, the vision and divine direction for our independent ministry came. With prayer and planning, we moved to kick off the Spirit of Glory Apostolic Ministries. In a nutshell, God still speaks. When it comes to your divine purpose, you must hear God. He must speak to you. Whatever God commands, He will be committed to it. His commandment sponsors His commitment.

9. As the author of a book with about 1600 prayer points, What's your advice for Christians who feel their prayers are unanswered?

Guest: My sincere advice for believers who feel their prayers are not being answered are as follow:

• They should be more persistent in prayer. You see, some mountains will not bow until our prayers are persistent. Many believers are not persistent in prayer. The Bible in Luke18:1 enjoins us to pray without ceasing. What prayer can not do, more prayers will do it.
• Have Faith in God. You need to believe God that He can turn your situations around for good. Without faith, we can not please God.
• Believers should live a righteous life. The Bible says *the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much*...James 5:16. Righteous living empowers prayers. Simply add righteousness to your prayers.

10. What is your advice for the body of Christ in Nigeria today?

Guest: My sincere advice to the body of Christ in Nigeria is that we should love ourselves more and be more united. You see, if we are united in this country as believers, our country will experience the power of God. We should come together with one voice.Let us make prayer to God in unity for this country. I pray that God will help us!