By Daniela Tascarella

The year 1973 opened as many others had before it: with a sense of excitement, expectancy, and anxiety.

But two events ushered in 1973, signaling a new wave of darkness across the country.

Roe v. Wade was decided on January 22nd, heralding the dawn of a legislated disregard for human life.

On January 27th, President Nixon signed the Paris Peace Accords, bringing American troops home from a long, unresolved conflict with the atheistic communist regime in Vietnam.

A spirit of ungodly change sought to take root in the United States.

But as always, there was light in the darkness. Other events of 1973 were catalysts to bring glory to God.

Following its victory in the Six-Day War of 1967, Israel was enjoying an extended period of peace and security that it hadn’t known since its rebirth.

The Jesus People Movement was at its peak, as lost, free-loving hippies and druggies were leaving their bondage to find true love in Christ. In the small town of Prescott, Arizona, Pastor Wayman Mitchell saw an opportunity to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.

There was a need for a pastor to take over a small, growing bible study in Kearney, Arizona, so Pastor Mitchell launched his first missionary experiment by sending a young couple.

This couple, none other than Pastor Harold and Mona Warner, hadn’t been saved many years and were newlyweds. Pastor Warner wasn’t much older than a soldier in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) when he went to scope out Kearney with his friend, Ron Jones, in April of 1973.

They joined a local parade and did what any on-fire new converts would have done. They got on a bullhorn and started preaching the Gospel. The man who requested a pastor shot them a we don’t do that here look across the town square and later asked them to leave.

As Warner often says, he was the first to be sent out from Prescott and the first sent back.

On April 30, as they headed home in disappointment, a hard rain poured down. Things went from bad to worse. The car hydroplaned and flipped, pinning Warner inside, while Jones managed to get out and call for help.

The diagnosis was grim. Warner’s back was broken. He would no longer walk. His missionary endeavor was over.

Across the blue waters, there was a strained lull in Israel. Its borders were secure and defensible after much territory was gained following the Six Day War, and Jerusalem was reunited as the Jewish capital for the first time in 2,000 years.

Israel had become a superpower, having destroyed the Egyptian Royal Air Force, and seemingly no Arab army would dare attack. The Arabs, however, would not negotiate for peace or recognize the Jewish State.

Egypt and Israel attempted a ceasefire after the Six Day War, but it wouldn’t last. Egypt still wanted its land back. Israel would not return to its pre-’67 borders. Negotiations failed.

In July of 1972, President Anwar Sadat expelled the Soviet Army from Egypt that had kept him at bay. Sadat later asked the Soviets for arms to fight against Israel, and in early 1973, the Soviets reluctantly agreed.

However, it was April of 1973 when Sadat officially decided for war. Israel never saw it coming… or at least, it didn’t want to.

Back in Prescott, Pastor Mitchell learned the terrible news about Warner. Instead of cowering away and giving up on the idea of planting churches, Mitchell challenged the church to take the Warners’ place on the battlefield.

Thirteen couples stood up and volunteered. Thirteen baby churches would now be launched instead of one. What the devil meant for evil, God was already turning around for good, even while Warner was still in the hospital.

As prayers went up and Warner gained strength over the next few months, Israel continued to ignore the signs of a looming war.

While Israel comforted herself with the thought that the Arabs would never agree to unite against her, Egypt and Syria joined forces and planned ruses to keep the brewing war machine from Israel’s notice. An oil refinery was built to cover their increasing military exercises.

Israeli and American intelligence continually picked up information about a war. As late as October 3rd, information came in that Syria and Egypt were camped on Israel’s borders, but Israel’s Chief of Staff still did not believe that the Arabs were genuine about war. Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir decided not to launch a preemptive attack as Israel had done in the past.

On October 6, 1973, Egypt and Syria attacked Israel on Yom Kippur: the Day of Atonement and the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. The nation was fasting. Religious and secular individuals alike were praying in synagogues across the country. Israel was not ready.

The first two and half weeks of the war were disastrous. Like Warner’s accident that seemed to end his pastoral career, the country that God had made into a nation in a day (May 14, 1948, per Isaiah 66:8) seemed on the verge of destruction, suffering loss after loss.

In desperation, Golda Meir called President Nixon and he sent the necessary supplies for Israel to prevail.

The Israeli army came within 100 km outside of Cairo, a city with a population 100% greater than Israel at the time. The IDF could have taken Cairo, but decided not to.

The Yom Kippur War is considered an Israeli loss today, due to failed intelligence and a high death toll.

But technically, Israel won the war. The God of miracles stepped in to show His glory to the nations.

He proved once again that no matter how far back His people are beaten, He will bring them forth to victory. In 1979, Israel signed a peace accord with Egypt.

Today, Israel continues to be the blessing to the nations that God said it would be. Israel is the first to respond when other countries face a disaster. The Jewish State is number three in the world behind the United States and China in the number of startup companies it has. These startups range from inventions in medicine (e.g., new breast cancer treatments and artificial hearts), to agriculture (e.g., cherry tomatoes and drip irrigation), to technology (e.g., text messaging and jump drives).

The nation that once was not a nation – the nation that was ready to be cut off yet again in 1973 – still stands as the light that God called it to be because of Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner/Miracle).

The same God of Miracles also did wonders in Warner in ’73.

Realizing that confinement to a wheelchair didn’t disqualify him from the calling of God, he began a radio broadcast while still in recovery at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Another opportunity arose in Tucson, Arizona, and Harold and Mona Warner answered the call once more in December, 1973.They didn’t know what God was going to do, but they were ready in faith.

That work that the Warners started with five people on the rough side of town is now a local congregation of about 1,000 attendees 47 years later.

As of this writing, The Door Church has also planted roughly 550 churches worldwide.

As those churches have planted churches that have planted churches, the entire fellowship (streaming from Prescott) has grown to encompass more than 2,000 churches in numerous nations around the world.

It is an abiding truth that what the devil means for evil the God of Miracles can use to bring about blessing and impact for many people.

As God moved His mighty hand, what appeared on the surface as a life-stopping event became a blessed couple and a worldwide fellowship in Christ that brings glory to God.

The God of Miracles proved Himself strong despite how broken and defeated the situation appeared.

God did it in the year 1973 and He’ll do it again in 2020.