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WILL SHINE LIKE THE STARS FOREVER

CHAPTER 31

 

REVIVAL IN AMMAN[1]

Many people having heard about Vahram Tatikian's evangelistic tour were praying that the Lord would also bring him to Jordan.  They waited expectantly for God to open the way, and finally the day came.  The brothers and sisters welcomed him as God’s messenger for the hour.

The first meeting was held at the church where Pastor Kirkorian was ministering.  The burden of Vahram's message was: "God says, 'One of us has to change so that we come to an agreement.  Who, then, is it to be?'” Could there be any doubt about the reply to this radical question?  The Holy Spirit started pricking sinners who realised that the answer was that they were the ones to change; they had to repent and trust in Jesus Christ.  In one of the first meetings, Vahram's eyes were drawn to a woman who was silently weeping.  With a handkerchief in her hand she was constantly wiping away her tears until the end of the meeting.  Somehow, she could not compose herself to stand up and say, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, save me!"  Friends explained that she always cried during the meetings without any apparent relief.  Let us read Vahram's own account: "I approached the woman and asked her why she was weeping without finding relief.  She replied, 'I'm a wretched sinner'.  I said, 'Repent and turn to Christ.  He forgives all sins.' Again she began to cry, so I earnestly entreated the Lord asking Him how I might help this woman.  Christ said to me, ‘Go to her house and speak with her there.'

"The next day taking one of her Christian friends with me I visited the woman.  She was very pleased for my visit and immediately began to pour out her heart’s burdens.  She talked without stopping for a whole hour while I listened.  Then I opened the Bible and read from a few passages after which the three of us knelt down and prayed.  The seeking woman finally opened her heart in prayer to the Savior. She acknowledged her sinfulness, and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. She instantaneously received assurance that she had become a child of God.  She started testifying at the meetings and in every meeting she prayed twice.  What a happy outcome!  Hallelujah!

"This incident taught me an important lesson.  Some people do not open their hearts and explain their problems at a meeting.  If we don't encourage them to express their need, they may remain with a sorrowful heart for many years.   Therefore, it is extremely important to ask God what people's problems are, then if possible to visit them at home.  There you can openly talk with them about their sin and the issue of eternity, also listening to what they want to say.  If you do this, the person can be brought to a free, unforced decision.  At every place I visit, the Holy Spirit teaches me valuable lessons such as this."

Although the meetings in Amman were continuing very encouragingly, Vahram wrote: "I said to myself that the time to visit Jerusalem had come.  But a man came to the place where I was staying. He told me it would be helpful if I could come to visit him before going to Jerusalem.  So I went along with the pastor of the church for the visit.  It was a family of eight people who were Palestinian war refugees.  In their cramped quarters they put us up for the night.  The next day was Sunday.  We got up at five.  I had a very useful visit with this family.  God enabled me to encourage and comfort them. From there I walked to church.  I preached in Turkish and my interpreter translated the message into Arabic.  A young man repented and turned to Jesus, immediately giving his testimony.  Some people asked me to hold a second meeting right afterward, which I did.  I learned that this church had long been praying for revival.  God did not leave that prayer unanswered. Night after night the meetings continued.  This meant that my projected trip to Jerusalem has to be postponed again.  God's plan had to take precedence."

While in Amman, one morning Vahram was praying with a family when he had a puzzling vision.  Standing before him was a man dressed in Arab-style garb.  Not knowing how to interpret this, Vahram asked, “My Lord, is this vision from you or is Satan trying to trick me?"  A hand lifted the man's robe and underneath Vahram noticed that his body was bound tightly with a thick rope.  A sweet voice spoke to him, "'Satan, who has his dominion in Amman, is bound."[2] Vahram continued: "Following this, I saw the earth open under the man and swallow him alive."[3]

While Vahram was still in a state of astonishment, the young daughter of the family began to pray very earnestly.  He learned later that this little girl knew how to plead with God.  Her mother and father had taught her from very early on to pray in faith.  God had led her to pray for the city of Amman.  She had prayed continuously for the binding of Satan who was causing people to commit every kind of sin, but whose dominion was already being shaken.  Now God was revealing to Vahram the actualization of her prayers in a striking vision.  "How unsearchable are His judgments!" (Romans 11: 33) 


 

  [1] Amman, capital of Jordan, is one of the New Testament Decapolis towns, once known as Philadelphia.

  [2] cf. Revelation 20:1-3

  [3] cf. Numbers 16:31-33

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