Armenian Pastor Arman's War Testimony

 

Hello Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus our Lord

My name is Arman. I was born in Yerevan, capital city of Armenia. I am 41 years old.

I am a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ already about 27 years. I have had Water Baptism in 1995, in the Armenian Baptist Church of Yerevan.

I am married already over 17 years and we have a son of 12 and a daughter of 10.

I want to share how God has saved my life and lives of those with me.

As some of you already are informed, on 27^th of September, 2020, Azerbaijan (in the help of Turkey) started a War against Armenians, it attacked on Artsakh-Nagorno Karabakh Republic (de facto Independent Armenian Country). Azerbaijan involved in this War military advisers. They had weapons and armored vehicles from Turkey. Special Islamist terroristic groups- mercenaries from Syria were brought to fight against Armenians from Syria. They used much more Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) (bought from Israel) also. It was really a terrible war, where Armenians were fighting against terrorism also.

In this terrible situation, we Armenians were eager to protect ourselves. There was a military recruitment in Armenia and Artsakh. I also was called for military service.  Even though I am a church pastor, and as a Christian I am not for the wars. But this was really a War, when Azerbaijanis and Turkish had one desire -to do another Genocide and delete Armenians. I had to go to the battlefield and protect my nation.

When I was in the bus on the way to Artsakh, together with many boys, I started to talk in my heart with the Lord Jesus Christ, I was praying. Even though I realized where I was going, but it was amazing that God filled my heart with His peace.

When we came to the battlefield, we really realized how terrible was the situation, that Armenians were fighting alone against this huge armies. We all realized that to come back from the war, it was just a dream. We were not sure if we would survive and be alive. Then I started to come closer to the Lord in these situations. I so wanted to understand the will of God for that situation.

Once when we were already several days in the battlefield, when we spent sleepless days, when we had attacks all the time, we were hiding from those dangerous UAVs, when we had attacks from different caliber artillery shells flying at us with different diameters, we realized that we would not stay alive the next day. At that time, I felt anxious in my heart, wondering why I should die there. From the very beginning I hoped that I would come back home, but now when I experienced those terrible situations, when I noticed that our officer was afraid very much and he tried not to cry in tears, I started to think that it was our last day and we never would see our families.

When suddenly  the bombing stopped a short time, I found a convenient time, I tried to be alone with God outside. I opened my heart in front of God. I was just speaking with Him, saying,

“Oh My Lord Jesus, You Have Been With Me During These 27 Years Of My Christian Life. In My Terrible Situations, When I Had No Hope, You Were My Only Hope. You Proved So Many Times, That You Were With Me, That You Have Heard My Prayers. You Called Me And You Made Me As Your Child, And So Many Times You Protected Me. You Guided Me, When I Was A Soldier, You Guided Me In My Marriage. You Gave Me Joy, Peace, That I Never Experienced. You Helped And Guided Me In My Christian Ministries, In My Pastoral Ministries. Oh Lord Jesus, As I Remember, You Always Have Helped Me. Then Please Tell Me, Why You Allowed Me To Come Here, Why Did You Give Me Your Peace, When I Was Praying Here? Why? Why Did You Give Me Your Peace, If You Have No Plan To Save My Life? Oh, My Lord Jesus, Please Help Me And Give Me Your Answer”. Amen

Immediately after that prayer, the anxiety was gone from my heart, I felt heavenly peace, I realized again that God is with me. I was sure that God was with me.

I thank God for His mercy, I asked forgiveness for my lack of faith and then I came in, where in 10m2 place we were 35 soldiers and volunteers, who were afraid, who were hopeless, who were in anxious. Honestly, I did not know how to talk with guys. I was thinking just how to start a conversation, when someone from nearby soldiers told that he had very fearful dreams when he slept, at that time another soldier who was not a believer and all the time we heard only bad words from his mouth, just advised him to say Lord’s Prayer before sleep. He even said that Lord’s Prayer helped him. Can you imagine? A none believer person advised to pray. I realized that God Himself prepared their hearts for God’s word.

I noticed that God Himself prepared their hearts and I understood that it was a chance to share the Gospel. Then I started to talk with them. I told them that I am a pastor of the church. When they heard this, they had enthusiasm. I shared the Gospel as much as it was possible at that time. I was amazed seeing that all the guys asked me to pray for them. Then I explained them what is prayer. And I encouraged them to pray they themselves also. They all heard the Gospel with hungry hearts and they were so open. Then they also prayed the Lord, asking His help.

God really guided me to talk with guys, to encourage them all. I gave them my testimony how I came to Jesus, then I shared my experiences, how God gave His peace to my heart and I told them that I was very sure that God will help all, of us and that we all will go back our homes safely and I assured them that God will protect us. My speech brought great joy and enthusiasm in them; I could see hope in their eyes. I could see how God helped them. Then all of us started to pray and I said Lord’s Prayer loudly and they all repeated after me. I had several more chances to share the Gospel with guys, just because we had so many hopeless moments and God’s word encouraged them. It was so amazing and really it was a great blessing.

We had terrible days, when we experienced that the death was very near.  

I remember, when it was just beginning days, and I had an opportunity to speak with Asatur, he just told me this, “Arman, my brother, our Lord Jesus Christ will save not only you, but also all those guys who are with you. Never give up and always put your hope on Him”.

God always reminded me these words. I also said to Jesus, “Oh Lord, it is written in Your Word, that You told Paul, that You will save the others, who were in the ship with Paul. But now I have no exact revelation from my situations. Please help me”. But it was amazing that God showed me the same. I felt that God will save me and the guys also.

After that when we were in a trench for two days (that trench was really very bad) and really it was very safeless, almost for nothing, and if a shell felt in our trench, it would kill so many of us.

So 14 of us were in that trench and the UAV was seeing us and they sent on us all kind of shells to kill us. The enemy used all its weapons to destroy and to kill us. They were firing at us from tank cannons and  machine guns, then the planes dropped about 200 bombs on us, all on our trenches, everything was falling on our trench, the UAV was aiming at us, but it was really very amazing that all of them were missing, all the bullets were falling either to the right or to the left, but nothing fell on us. And that was amazing.

That was a miracle dear brothers and sisters.

What happened? It was just because God Himself protected all of us.

And this is a fact. As it is written in Psalm 91:7, “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not  come near you”

Our Lord God promised and He kept His promise. Praise the Lord!

When all this bombing process was finished, we all realize that really God Himself saved and protected us and we all were saved. One of our guys said “Oh my God, it was not possible, but we all are alive, how is it possible? This is really a miracle from God”.

And when I heard this from an unbeliever, I immediately understood, that God is going to save the lives of all our men. I accepted it as a sign from God that He as Asatur had actually prophesied is going to save us all.

I understood that even none believer people saw that miracle and it was really very important that I saw how God saved and protected  the other guys with me-His child. We all were 65 people and all of us were saved and are home now. Hallelujah!

Can you imagine how powerful is our Lord? God is real, God is the same, God is doing miracles today also. Praise Him.

Today when the war is finished and when I have opportunity to meet those guys, they always remember how God protected us. They do not forget what did our Almighty Lord in their lives. I try to keep the contacts with them as much as it is possible. But I believe that God’s Spirit will grow in their hearts the seeds of His Word.

May God bless you dear brothers and sisters and I want you also to believe that God is a powerful God and He can make miracles in your lives also during terrible times in your lives.

You should just trust Him in every situation and you should remember that God is the same.

At the end, I would like to thank all those people who prayed for Armenians, and for these terrible situations of the War.

Remember; I’m alive because you have prayed for me.

I would like to ask you to pray for Armenia so that we as a Christian nation would be a light to the surrounding world.

Pray for the Baptist church in Sevan, so that we will be able to grow and prosper next year and that many people be saved here in Sevan, Armenia.

Pray for my family, our health and the need to buy a home here in Sevan.

God Bless you!

Arman 

Pastor Arman is a mission partner with First Baptist Church of Asheboro, NC.  Your offerings to the FBC On Mission Offering in December support Arman in church planting efforts in Armenia.