Life as an Evangelist

This article is based on a true testimony that I heard from one of the Evangelist. I received his consent to share the story. This testimony is based on a Q&A model. This testimony also reminds me of God’s faithfulness & the deliverance/miracles that still takes place through the Holy Spirit

  1. When & how did you make the decision to serve the Lord

It happened in the month of September 1997 at my age of 28. Although born in a traditional Marthoma family, I was not much into faith and practice.

After completing diploma in engineering, I joined a factory as a supervisor. One day in the mid-1997, I got some free time and casually read a page from Richard Wurmbrand’s daily devotion book which was there all the time, for which I did not show interest before. That day’s devotion was from St. John chapter 17, the verse was related to Jesus praying to his Father for us. I got curious about it and started to read the previous days devotions. My heart prompted me to read the devotions regularly and I also carried a Bible to the office to read along with the passages. Whatever little I understood from the scripture, I started to reflect that in my life. I looked back to my life events and started understanding how God has worked wonders in my life, though I did not acknowledge it. I travelled through some rough times during my college days and ruined my studies. I realized that God saved me from all of them and helped me to come out of my past. I continued reading the bible and prayed. At that time, I got a chance to attend a worship/musical night hosted by heart beats. I attended the meeting and bought some cassettes and books. One of the books was, Finding God’s will. After reading the books & hearing the songs, I confessed to Jesus for my past & found peace that I have not experienced before. Then I asked myself, what God wants from me. Even though I have not studied well, I was successful at my work. I was promoted to the role of a manager. I thought about it, I asked God why? What do you want from me? I prayed for so many days. I attended church regularly. Then he talked to me, I need you. This made me remember what my mother used to tell me “One day God will catch you”. Since then, I decided to follow him.

  1. What were some of the challenges that you faced initially while making this decision & how did you overcome that?

Initially, when I decided to follow Jesus my siblings opposed it, because they knew my lifestyle and they were not comfortable.  Being the younger one, they tried to advise me and asked me to apply for a passport so that they can arrange a job for me abroad. They got me a passport but till now it is not used or renewed. My parents supported me for this decision which was my strength.

  1. Based on your mission field experience, could you please share some of your unforgettable experiences.

There were multiple cases of miracles, healings & casting out of the evil spirits.

For one such healing, there was a lady (when led by the evil spirits) used to talk in a male voice & claimed that it was her grand uncle who lived two generations back. We learned that the intention of the evil spirit was to kill that lady’s baby & she even tried to throw her baby in a well. We started praying for her & the evil spirit left her, she was completely healed. They are currently part of our church.

In another incident, we prayed for a lady for some time, but the evil spirit did not leave her. Then I took a walk around her small mud house and saw a small bundle wrapped in cloth and hung from the roof. I snatched that thing from the roof and simultaneously I heard a loud cry from that lady. She was screaming and cursing us. I burned that bundle and after prayer she was free from the evil spirit.

Many people visited us after hearing the testimony of the healed. They invited us to their villages, and we prayed for them. This gave us opportunities to visit new villages.

 

 

Virtually Interviewed By

Sujith Oommen

                                                                                       

About Vivek Cheriyan

Member of San Francisco Mar Thoma Yuvajana Sakhyam & Young Family Fellowship