The Gospel Continues To Go Forth In Iran and Turkey

We would like to share some of the testimonies and reports that we have been receiving from our contacts in Iran and Turkey.  We trust that they will be a blessing to you.

“Saman”, an Iranian Muslim came to service with his brother who is a Christian.  The Pastor told us this testimony:

“I had planned to preach on the church and it’s condition, but I was led to preach on the Seed of the Serpent in Genesis 3:16 just prior to the service. I continued on and on into the prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament, and into the New Testament.  I spoke of why Jesus had to come, and why Christians accept His sacrifice for their sins.  It was the longest service I had ever preached, and lasted hours!

After the service Saman came to me and told me “This was amazing and I’ve never heard about this before”.  He invited me to meet him at his brothers’ home the very next day.  When we met, he told me of the dream he had the night after the service.

He had been sleeping when he felt a wind blowing into the room.  He woke up, but all the windows were closed and everyone else was still asleep.  He found himself paralyzed and unable to move.  Then he realised that his arms were opening like a cross, and his feet were drawn together as if he were on a cross.  He cried as a huge pain came over his body, as if he were being crucified.

He told me how he screamed in agony, but no one heard him.  He felt as if he were almost dead, when all the pain was replaced by peace.  Saman saw a man standing in the room who told him “that was the pain I bore for your sins.”  Saman realised that it was Jesus Christ himself.  The next Sunday he shared this testimony with the church, and recieved Jesus as his personal Saviour.  We were able to give him a Bible, and now his wife has become a Christian too.”

This is just one wonderful example of the power of the Holy Spirit currently working in these Middle Eastern Muslim countries.
Iranian Christians are doing evangelistic work in Turkey. In one area there are five Turkish Muslims who are interested in the Gospel. The pastor was able to give them each New Testaments. Please pray for this work. Even though they are interested in the Gospel, they are afraid of the Sharia Law regarding apostasy. Pray that the Holy Spirit and the love of God would overcome this fear.

As a result of the persecution, a pastor from Iran has lost his home.  We ask that you pray for him and his family. This brother epitomizes this scripture, “For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.” Hebrews 10:34

We ask that you pray that God empowers and works through the ministry of the Word in Iran and Turkey. Satan is doing everything he can to stop the message from going forth there. The greatest  persecution is directed at small independent christian groups in Iran.  Many pastors and ministers in house groups have been arrested. Three are in prison and more have been ordered to report to prison.  Pray that the Holy Spirit trains and raises up ministers of the Word of God.