Violent militants disarmed by prayer

I just received this by e-mail today. It's an excellent example how the power of the gospel can disarm even the most violent militants.

From Avery Willis by way of Dave Fischer, Missions Pastor at Christ Memorial Church. This is news I expect you will never hear on the wire services. Our Father deserves a huge chorus of thanks and praise on this one (Ps 49:6):


Last year Loren Cunningham, founder of YWAM, invited me (Avery Willis) to go to Port Harcort, Nigeria to do a Call2All type emphasis with him in October. I was not able to go. Yesterday I heard his report and it was truly amazing. As they prepared to go into the country the militants in that area were planning a big terrorist attack. These 3000 militants were former university students who started out protesting corruption in government but after they took over large oil fields they became corrupt. They were able to get all kinds of munitions with the money from the oil and were a danger to the government.

Twenty-six Youth With A Mission Nigerians (18-24 years of age) in a prayer meeting for the militants heard God tell them to go serve the militants and share the gospel. The militants accepted them because they were willing to do anything--wash dishes, clean toilets, etc--to serve them. The youth said that they would work for 2 1/2 hours and then wanted to share with the militants who even listened to their proclamation of the Gospel. One day a militant who was possessed by a demon ran at the youth with a knife because he said he could only be free if he killed someone. Even the militants told the youth to run.

Alex, a 20 year old who had been a believer only a year, stood his ground and advanced on the man. Even the possessed man told him to run because he had to kill someone. Alex said, "Not today. Because Jesus is going to set you free!" At the last moment the man threw down knife and the demon left him. Three hundred of the militants came to faith when the youth proclaimed the gospel. The youth took the bombs and munitions to the police over very bumpy roads without incident.

Just as Loren was arriving the government said they would grant amnesty to the 300 if YWAM would "rehabilitate" the militants. As YWAM was scrambling how to disciple them, another 600 militants came to faith and in a few days all 3,000 laid down their arms to follow Christ. Their spokesman gave a testimony to the Call2All group, "I have not been rehabilitated; I have been transformed."

A whole guerilla movement was dismantled and disarmed by the power of God.

The government then asked YWAM (who has three bases in the whole country) to open three bases in each of the 36 states in Nigeria!