Reverend Peace Phyllis Goodey is a professional Optometrist and former Vice-President, Nigerian Optometric Association. The University of Benin-trained Rev. Peace Goodey practiced as an Optometrist with her office by the American Embassy at the highbrow Walter Carrington Crescent in Victoria Island, Lagos. In this account of her REBIRTH ENCOUNTER interview with Christian Benefits magazine, Rev. Mrs. Goodey; now General Overseer, Christ Believers Assembly, Ajah, Lagos, and Founder, Alabaster Foundation, shares how she quit her successful Optometry career, and also gave out all her worldly luxury and fashion accessories to follow Jesus; a sudden change of life, she alleges made some of her relatives take her to the Aro Psychiatric Hospital for mental examination. Excerpts
I will you like us to introduce you ma?
My name is Reverend Peace Phyllis Goodey, the Founder/General Overseer of Christ Believers Assembly, and also the Founder of Alabaster Foundation
Briefly, share with us your background, including your salvation encounter
I was born, and lived in Ibadan, Oyo state with my parents for 18 years. I had my primary and secondary education there. My father was back then the Assistant Registrar of University of Ibadan. I gave my life to Jesus in 1991 (34 years ago). I was introduced to my Pastor then; Reverend Felix Osiki, the General Overseer of Christ Glorious Church Ojodu Berger, Lagos. He brushed me up and ensured I was grounded in the Word of God. Night vigil was a must in those days. This boosted my growth in the faith. My Pastor noticed this, and first ordained me a deaconess in Christ Glorious Church. Subsequently, he ordained me a pastor in the church,
Aside vigils, what other factors boosted your growth in the Christian faith?
Before I was ordained a Pastor, I was in the evangelism ministry despite my strong prophetic gift as a young believer. I had an interesting encounter in which I heard a voice saying to me “I will reveal myself to you” during my self-imposed fasting & prayer in 1993. I chose three days of fasting & praying in a month with no food and water for six months as my Pastor taught us. I was home alone fasting and praying when I heard that voice. Two weeks after, as my practice was every midnight, I woke up and prayed. While praying, I heard the same voice around 1a.m. say to me: “Place your hand on your back.” That time my back was bent. As I placed my hand on my back, I heard, “woman thou art loosed of thy infirmity” as written in Luke 13:12. Immediately, my bones started stretching and my back started straightening. That I believe was the beginning of my healing Ministry.
How would you describe your kind of lifestyle before you accepted Christ?
If you talk about being worldly, I was totally worldly. I studied Optometry in the University of Benin. I had everything going on well for me. I had my high fashion tastes tastefully satisfied with high quality shoes, bags, clothes and perfumes among other fashion accessories. I knew all the various brand names. I was an upcoming successful practicing Optometrist. My office was by the American Embassy, at Eleke crescent (now Walter Carrington crescent), Victoria Island, Lagos. I traveled overseas like five times a year to restock lenses and frames for eye glasses. That was my lifestyle. I had no focus on Jesus. I never knew Jesus at all as my parents were Catholics who themselves had no personal relationship with him.
Share with how you eventually met and accepted Christ from a Catholic background
Catholics always read from prepared books. There was one small pamphlet that talked about the person of the Holy Spirit. I read it, and it really inspired me. It revealed there is more to life than the way I was living it. This was how my journey of faith started. That pamphlet was small but powerful. Thereafter, one of my friends by providence took me to Reverend Felix Osiki, General Overseer, Christ Glorious Church, Ojodu Berger, Lagos. She told the Reverend that I was looking for the Lord. It was through this encounter I gave my life to Jesus Christ.
How would you describe your joy of salvation that day you accepted Christ?
I knew I had found what I was looking for, but faced many discouragements from friends, relatives and others because they just couldn’t understand why I gave my life to Jesus despite the fact that I was doing great both in my social life and career. I refused to listen to them as I have found Him (JESUS), and there was no going back.
Tell us about your experience of the Baptism in the Holy Ghost following your accepting Jesus.
I had my baptism in the Holy Ghost encounter not quite long after I accepted Christ, but it was initially one syllable of speaking in tongues for a very long time. My Reverend encouraged me not to worry as I was still speaking to the Lord. Over time it started changing from a mono syllable tongue to deep rooted expressions in God till now.
Was there any particular thing like negative habits you struggled with even after accepting Jesus?
One major thing I struggled with was my decision of thinking good thoughts every time. Before I accepted Christ I was a negative thinking person. I always saw the negative in everyone, everything, everyplace and every time. After accepting Christ I decided to deal with this negative mindset to be a positive thinking person. It was a struggle for me changing from a negative mindset to a positive one, but I eventually won. I began teaching and encouraging my children to refrain from negative utterances and declarations.
Who were those you looked up to back then as your role models in the faith?
Pastor Wale Adefarasin, General Overseer, Guiding Light Assembly (GLA), was my role model. I so much desired his calmness and integrity. I am always so happy that I passed through Guiding Light Assembly (GLA) in my Christian and ministerial journey. Pastor Wale really helped in boosting my level of evangelism, especially in the course of GLA crusade outreaches at Awoyaya and Epe back in those days.
As a young believer back then, what were some of your favourite Bible verses, sermons, hymns and Christian books that boosted your growth in the faith?
There are many Bible verses that I loved and kept quoting very often. One is, ” I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. Another is, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5. Also, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1-3. Those are the kinds of scripture verses that helped in inspiring and motivating me, thus moving forward. In addition, I was always watching Benny Hinn’s sermons and reading Kathryn Khulman’s healing messages, which really boosted my healing and deliverance ministry. As a young believer, I was fond of reading healing scriptures and messages and I held onto them. It was a very interesting journey.
What about some Christian or church activities or programmes that you loved attending regularly, which also boosted your steady growth in the faith?
I wanted to attend a Bible School before the year 2000, as desired by my Reverend, but the Holy Spirit warned me that I should be careful; that once l miss it, I would lose it. Knowing quite well where I was coming from, I didn’t want to miss it. I didn’t want to end up jumping from place to place. However, Pastor Wale Adefarasin’s church services and Bishop Francis Wale Oke’s programmes in stadiums caught my attention. These were the programmes I usually attended. If you invite me to others, I wouldn’t attend, because I didn’t want to miss it as I was already warned. Nevertheless, I still attended RCCG Bible School now Redeemed International Leadership Academy (RILA) for my Post Graduate Diploma on Leadership and Theology Studies in the year 2000.The Holy Spirit restrained me from some places. I am a committed PFN member; at some periods, an executive officer in Lagos PFN for years. All I want to see is Jesus Church, not individuals. This has been my focus that helped me to continually stand in God’s kingdom. I had also fought some spiritual battles. This too helped me to be focused and steady in my growing in the faith; never to go back.
In your 34 year of walk with the Lord have you at any point backslidden?
It has never crossed my mind. I have never thought about it because it is something that I have moved away from. Even in the face of the storms in the race it has never crossed my mind to backslide, I consciously listen to God and obey God’s voice.
So, how will you describe your walk with the Lord these past 33 years?
My walk with the Lord over these years has been very steady and progressive. Being called into ministry is different from being born again. In my walk with the Lord in the ministry, I realized that calling is a mandate one must fulfill. I also realized that the vision God gave to me is to create positive impacts in the lives of people. It is dependent on the people I develop and make to stand in Jesus. People are eager for whatever they want, but won’t stay except those who are calm and patient. So, I take time to grow people. Today, to the glory of God, most of the people are standing in the Lord. Some have relocated. Some came as Muslims but are now on fire for Jesus. This is what gives me the joy.
One thing that got me attracted to you is your services and total commitment to the body of Christ on the platform of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). What is your motivation?
When I joined the PFN in the year 2002, I noticed a lot of pastors were not doing as the Lord expects of them. It was all about money. But I never joined the PFN for money. I was not happy seeing many of the happenings in the PFN. So, I dedicated myself to doing things right in the Body of Christ on the PFN platform. Some people asked me, how do you make money? I answered them back that my financial economy is not sustained by human beings. When I gave my life to Jesus, I said, “Lord I can’t leave my practice and end up poor, and he answered me.” I don’t look up to people, or beg anyone for my sustenance. Nobody can say I have come to beg him or her for money.
What are the sacrifices you made to be able to follow Jesus Christ this far?
I let off all my worldly friends. After I gave my life to Christ most of them started calling me pastor, when they realized that I refused to go back to the world. As a new creature in Christ, your worldly friends won’t be your friends again, because you are not doing the same thing with them again. Also, I let off most of my other relations; even in my professional career as an Optometrist. I was once the Vice-President of the Nigerian Optometric Association. I am still on the Women Optometrists Platform. I have received many professional awards. After quitting my practice I often jumped buses because I had no car. People see the glory, but do not know the story behind the glory. I had just one dress left. I had given out all my worldly luxury and accessories. I never wanted anything to return me to the world. I gave out anything standing in my way to growth in the faith. All my relatives totally disowned me thinking I was mad. They took me to Aro Psychiatric Hospital for medical checkup. They couldn’t fathom how one would leave a successful practice to follow Jesus. They took me to another hospital where the doctor said this lady is normal and prescribed some drugs for me. In the midst of this, God woke me up one day, and told me to leave that hospital. Today, all my family members have accepted my standing with Jesus. Most of them have given their lives to Jesus too.
What are those factors that have encouraged your walk with the Lord?
The Lord told me years back that if you don’t read the Word of God you are going back. So, you must regularly read and study the Word of God, otherwise you will go back. Prayer back then was a must. We prayed one hour daily. We prayed without ceasing. It is easy nowadays as we have the technological advantages, yet many so-called believers of this age still complain of not having time to read the Bible. I encourage people to read the word every day, because if you don’t do this you can’t stand.
To what extent is Pastor Wale Adefarasin impactful on your ministry today?
I follow his pattern of integrity. He consistently told us to be people of integrity. I started with GLA under a tent as one of the foundation members. I served in that ministry for three years before launching out with Christ Believers Assembly.
What is the exact mandate of Christ Believers Assembly?
The mandate is healing and deliverance with the prophetic, based on evangelism. I remembered those days I went out for evangelism praying for people to accept Jesus and many falling down under the anointing. We also have a mandate to raise people. I’m always opened to the Father’s leading. I have raised effective people that can stand in the gap in my absence and everything goes smoothly.
What are the Church programmes tailored towards this mandate? We hold Evangelistic Outreaches tailored towards soul winning. I don’t believe in programmes; to just gather people for gathering sake. Believers are already built. So, we need to do more out there on the field to bring the lost souls into the kingdom of God.
