On the Highway, a testimony from ‘Awake Assyria 2020’
Awake Assyria is annual worship and prayer conference held in Iraqi Kurdistan over the course of 5 days which draws together believers from around the Middle East, literally from Egypt to Assyria and the Highway. Hosted by partners from our ATC/Derech Avraham network, for many around the region its one of the high points of our year. Because of the global pandemic only one person from our team here in Israel was able to travel this year to the event. Below his testimony from his time in Iraq.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
First of all I would like to thank those of you who were covering me with your prayers during my time in Iraq. Your support, your love and your prayers, made all the difference, especially during these challenging times we are living in.
During this time in Iraq, the Lord moved powerfully in many ways, and some of them I believe will have a long-term impact. A lot of people were blessed, many lives were impacted and certainly I was blessed, honored and humbled for the privilege I have to serve Him as an emissary on the Highway.
The journey to Iraq was not an easy one. What usually takes around 4 -5 hours took nearly 24 hours. But what I found is that there is a blessing in the going.
It is always challenging to try to convey in words the amazing work the Lord does when his children get together in his presence, but I will try my best.
Following the atrocities of Islamic State in from 2015-2017, there is now great disillusionment with Islam throughout the region, especially among the young people in the Middle East. These young people have been left with a thirst for righteousness and for the true God, who is able to bring life, light and love in their lives.
There are so many testimonies I could share, but that would fill up many pages. In short, many young people are being visited in dreams and visions by the Lord, who is calling them by name, personally taking them out of darkness and into the light.
I was able to pray and see people being set free from the bondage of Islam. I prayed for a young man that God called from Baghdad, the son of a radical Islamic leader, after his father found out that his son believes in Jesus, he made a public announcement saying you can kill my son and nothing will happen to you. He even threatened to kill his 12 years old brother, (his younger son) if he wouldn’t return home in 24 hours. Eventually, together with his mother and the little brother, they were able to escape miraculously. Now he is filled with the Holy Spirit and every day he is writing new songs for the Lord, which I was told by the local believers: the words, which are so beautiful, cannot even be translated into English.
I had the privilege to pray for many young people like this, some who have been completely transformed by the Holy Spirit, in love with Jesus, even able to embrace whole heartedly their Jewish brother from Israel.
The Holy Spirit is bringing a new wave of healing in the Middle East that will lead to a great revival. We had brothers and sisters from Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Iran and myself from Israel, praying together with so much love and unity, for God to transform our nations. I have no doubt the prayers of the saints are having a real impact even on a government level. God’s presence was so sovereign.
True unity brings us into a priestly and kingly anointing, as described in Psalms 133, it is this anointing that will break the walls of separation, bringing together the one new man.
The land and people of Iraq have an ancient, profound and deep connection with Israel and the Jewish people, we have to redeem that connection to be together a blessing in the region. I was able to visit Iraqi families and share meals in their homes, pray for entire families, which created such a strong and profound bound, not only as individuals but also between the countries and the people we represent, in this case Israel and Iraq.
We now have a great expectation for the Middle East and we believe that we are already touching the first waters of a great revival. There is also a great price to pay, but it comes with a tremendous promise of a harvest in the Middle East. It demands however, our whole life offered on the altar, as a living sacrifice.
Across the Middle East God is raising up a new generation that understands this price very well. My heart and my desire is to bring unity among this vanguard in God’s army, in their humility they are His generals in the making.
There is a special anointing when Jews and Arabs get together in His name. It holds a special key that is opening ancient doors of blessings, promised to Abraham’s children. We are called to be a blessing among the earth, Isaiah 19.24 says: “In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land”. It takes obedience, a humble and a broken heart to see true unity and God’s blessings over its people.
Thank you for standing with us; we are giving our lives to see His Glory in Israel and across the Highway. There is much work to be done, the harvest is ready, and there is an incredible and an amazing window of opportunity for the Gospel in the Middle East, a moment with no precedents. Lord send workers, for the harvest is ready!
Much love and blessings
Y. from Israel.