STORIES
OF THE ARGENTINE REVIVAL
1985
By John C. Miller
1985 YEAR OF REVIVAL IN ARGENTINA
Rejoice...He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month" JOEL 2:23 .
These words of the prophet Joel have literally come to pass this year in our midst in Argentina. Showers have come, and not only have they remained but every day increase in strength. In all the precious years of almost continual blessings of his presence in our midst, I have never seen Gods spirit reach out in such a way to the lost multitudes of this land.
THY YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY
Since the first of the year, it has been non-stop for us. Classes in the quinta Bible school had no sooner finished when we began to put the new roof on our new chapel there. A lot of folks said it couldn’t possibly be finished in that short of a time, we had barely two weeks before the annual childrens camp was to begin, BUT GOD was with us and gave us a string of nice warm, dry days, so that we could meet the dead-line and have a lovely, new chapel for the children when they arrived. Almost a hundred little ones from our local church and area branch churches as well as a few from Cordoba, Tucuman and Mar del Plata were on hand for a week of camp. God sovereignly moved in our midst and touched most of their lives in those intense seven days together. Day after day, His manifested presence was working in lives, breaking hearts in repentance and worship, cleansing and delivering, filling with His Holy Spirit and giving us a joyous time of victory, rejoicing and praise.
THY YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS
No sooner had the children packed up and left, when the young people began to arrive for the youth camp. Young people from our churches from all over Argentina were invited to participate in the two weeks of youth camp. We never imagined that as many young people would be able to come this year, but come they did! During the two weeks, almost every day more young people arrived until more than 200 were crammed into every available space. But no one seemed to mind the discomforts as they met with God in a way they had never experienced before. Right from the beginning, God made known to us that the camp was not organized merely because man had planned it and brought it to pass; rather, He Himself had called us together those days in a Holy convocation, because He desired to reveal Himself in a special way to representatives of this generation. Young people were challanged to ask God to reveal Himself in such a way that they would never again doubt His existence, and having received this revelation they would be faced with the decision of handing over to Him the reins of their lives. Likewise, they were free to go their own way and live the rest of their lives according to their own will,if He didn’t reveal with absolute certainty His existence to their hearts. But God chose to reveal Himself and His power in such a way that no one could possibly doubt His Presence. In the course of the two weeks, God drew near to each open heart. So many fell slain under the power of God, that the last day the floor seemed as a battlefield, some piled 2 to 3 deep while some were taken in the spirit to His world and shown mysteries and revelations of Jesus and His cross. Some prophesied, others received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, one young girl while flat on her back under the power, had her hands straight up in the air for more than half an hour then she began to move a finger as if she were writting in the air. We soon noticed it and drew near but couldn’t understand till we realized she was writting with her finger BACKWARDS first in spanish then in other languages "JESUS IS COMING SOON". All were melted and broken as He revealed His love and His Spirit brought conviction of sin and deliverance from bondages of all kinds. God had done and had spoken so much in those days that we wrote a booklet in spanish relating the events and visions. There were so many young people that wanted to come to the quinta this year, that since we could presently accomodate only 38 students we had to send the rest to the already bursting-at-the-seams Mar Del Plata and Bahia Blanca Bible schools. We need to build new dormitory space this year Lord willing, as the need is so great.
THY YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS
Not only were the children and young people met, but also the rest of the church body. Shortly after the camp, we had two weeks of special meetings every night for the people from our Buenos Aires church. God had done such a mighty work in the lives of the children and the young people, but the older folks had yet to enter into the flow of what God was doing. So two weeks were set aside so that all could prepare their hearts before the Lord for the up-and-coming conference to begin the following week. The Pastors Conference was here in Buenos Aires this year. More than nine hundred representatives from our churches all over Argentina converged upon the city to share those days of blessing.... Again, God was gracious to meet with us and to bring His Word to our hearts. It was a time of real blessings. .
I WILL RESTORE THE YEARS THE LOCUST HATH EATEN
In 1954 thru the preaching of Bro. Hicks multitudes were healed and the country was brought to an awareness of Christs existance. Ever since, God has added to the church daily thru a rather slow prosses. Then in 1968-69 the revival of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit came. That move reached out to the dead, formal churches and they were awakened to the need of the reality of the true Spirit-filled Christian experience. Tho many were converted in that time, the hearts of the multitudes remained cold and indiferent in their sins.
"He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing the precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves with him" Ps 126:6
The time to rejoice has truly come, with a harvest of abundance. Tents have appeared on vacant lots all over the city and thousands literally run forward to give their hearts to the Lord. Hundreds of thousands have heard the message, as they flock the outdoor services, braving the cold, drizzle and rain. The power of the Lord comes upon men, women, and children and they fall by the hundreds, slain by the Spirit - till the place resembles a battlefield. When they arise, many discover they have been healed and delivered, and an inner peace has flowed into their hearts. The outskirts of this great metropolis begins to quiver as the talk of town after town is: "Jesus is real, He has healed me, He has forgiven me! I have peace!"
I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH
The Spirit moves upon the waters which are the multitudes of lost souls. It is not the work of any man, denomination nor campaign effort that is bringing this to pass, for the revival sweeps thru denominational barriers. Very often we receive requests from pastors and churches saying, "Please pray for us; we need revival." People come off the streets who have never heard of Christ or of what is happening in the outskirts of town (remember our main church is in the capital) they walk into the church under the conviccion of the Holy Spirit. Every service must include an altar call, if just an invitation, and people come crying to the altar seeking salvation. They come, with tears in their eyes to the altar and confess publicly and loudly their sins. "Jesus please forgive me I taken drugs" or "I am a whore, dear Lord can you ever forgive me?" as they sob their way to the cleansing flood of Calvary. It would take books and not a newsletter to share all that is happening here at this time. One young girl came forward with tears in her eyes straight off the street saying "I don’t know how I got here, but please help me, I want to become of this religion!" They don’t even know what is happening or why they come to the altar. Some tell me something pushed them up here and made them cry. Sometimes the message is not even evangelistic, so I know they cannot understand, but I feel led to stop, sometimes in the middle of the message, and say; "Repent, leave your sins now and come to Christ and He will forgive you. Come forward now!" and people begin to come. It is truly the work of the Holy spirit as even last year our people had to invite, convince, and practically twist the arm off their friends and neighbors to come reluctantly to church. Last Sunday a middle aged man who came for the first time to church was asked what he thought of the service, and he said "I felt I was being lifted from the earth more and more till I had no defences left, the call was so imperative that to say no would mean going to hell. Why does it seem that this is my first and last oportunity?" The answer was "Friend, the reason is that many people like you were here and heard the call and died before the next week was out" He was referring to something that has happened several times this past year. Once a young girl refused to give her heart to the Lord on her first (and last) visit to our church, tho I was lead to say " there are some here that if you go out those doors without Christ you will never have another chance". Only 4 days later she dashed her motorcicle, and her life, into a truck at 40 m.p.h
FEAR NOT OH LAND
Many times I wondered why all this was happening. Then light started dawning in my heart as to the reason for the ungency of this hour. I remembered the theme song of the conference was, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, the time is short, make haste for the coming of thy King" As is true in all fields, the time for preparing, planting, cultivating and growing is many months, but the harvest is just a few days. I beleive we are in for some very hard and turbulent years ahead in Argentina, if our Lord tarries, unless the whole nation turns from their idolatry and sins and cries out as Nineveh. If what I am feeling more and more each day comes to pass, these might be our last years as missionaries here, for when the storm clouds I see on the horizon are upon us, it will be swift, vicious, and brutally destructive to our land. Meanwhile, we rejoice in the harvest, for there is no time to spare. With the storm clouds gathering which we see thru the corner of our eyes, the Spirit seems to say, "Don’t look to the horizon lest your fears distract you or cause you to sorrow, hurry, thrust your sickle into the wheat, gather the sheaves, fill the barns, rejoice in the abundance of the harvest, let your heart be happy, see the powerfull hand of thy God on thy sickle, just put your hand on his hand and see His marvelous works, but hurry, hurry!" "But Lord" I would say, His answer is, " The time is to short, so I have sent my angels, who are even now helping even the smallest child to harvest". And I realized how true this is, as even the most inexperienced, rebellious, enbittered and half-baked christian, pastor or lay worker in Argentina at this time, be he Baptist or Pentecostal, see miracles signs and wonders wrought thru their hands.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOR THE GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE.
In San Justo, a little city near Buenos Aires, we recently opened a new work just by following up decision cards, visiting those who were touched by a recent evangelistic and healing campaign in that area. It is amazing the hunger in hearts and awakening towards the things of God in people in that area. There were so many, many miracles of healing and deliverance and God has revealed His power in such a way that the whole city has been stirred. Soon this same evangelist (Carlos Anacondia) will be starting a campaign here in the city of Buenos Aires. Doubtless, all the churches will be filled here in the same way that they have been filled in San Justo and vicinity.