Praying For The Persecuted Church: Iran

2016 is the year about thinking beyond myself. As I look back, i've recognized how selfish I used to be, especially when it came to world news or even social issues. I remember as a child thinking that as long as it didn't directly affect me, I didn't care about whatever was happening in the world.

As I mentioned earlier this month, this year I am dedicating each month to a different nation on the World Watch List and for this past month of January, i've been wearing a red, green and white bracelet everyday as a reminder to be praying for this nation. Throughout the month, i've been trying to read up on what's been going on there and checking in for any updates on refugees or those in faith.

As a quick side note, I must say, let us rejoice because prayer is such a simple yet powerful thing we can do. I feel like so many times, prayer is seen as little, insignificant, and weak, but no - prayer is powerful, and God hears our prayers! Our prayers can move the sovereign hand of God, do you truly believe that? Let us not belittle the power of prayer. How blessed are we that we can so freely call out to an Almighty God, our Creator and that He would lend His ear to us and answer.

Iran is #7 on the World Watch List, and is led by President Hassan Rouhani. In the 79.4 millions people in the dominantly Islamic country, there is an estimated 450 000 Christians among them. During President Rouhani's run for office in 2013, he had promised that all ethnicities and religions must feel justice but clearly there is still persecution against Christians and arrests being made. In 2014, it was found that at least 75 Christians were arrested and the number only continues to climb. All Christian activity is pretty much illegal in Iran.

I've read up on several stories of authorities entering homes, confiscating items including the Bible, and physically harming people before taking them to prison. Some have shared that they've received over 70 lashes in jail for their faith. The persecution has led many people to fleeing to other nations such as Germany to seek refuge - but even within the asylums, they have had a hard time getting in and even when accepted were harassed by others.

With this being said, it is so important that we not only pray for the persecuted, but also the persecutors. At the end of the day, we are all people made in God's image, valuable to Him, and are also broken and sinful people that have fallen short of God's glory. God's grace and love can cover all sin, including those who are causing harm and pain - God can break them down and use them for His glory (just think about the story of Saul becoming Paul!). Pray that their hearts would be softened and that they would repent from their ways. Knowing this, we also pray knowing that God will bring justice in his own time and that one day the world will be restored when Christ returns.

At the same time, there are beautiful stories of how God has been at work within the nation. I was most encouraged by one in an article where two individuals decided to follow Christ, began attending an underground house church and said that their urge to share their faith publicly was too tempting. Too tempting? When have you ever heard that being said? Oh how I pray that we would be able to say the same with our faith when it comes to sharing the gospel in our communities and neighbourhoods, where there is no law or restriction on freely expressing our faith.

One of the most amazing highlights from praying for Iran this past month was one Saturday morning. I was lifting up the nation before God and asking Him to continue the spreading of His good truth, that people would turn to Him, and that people would be set free from prison, and within hours - Pastor Saeed Abedini was released from prison! By no means am I attributing my one prayer to this, but it was incredibly cool to see God answer prayer so powerfully. He DOES listen to the sound of our cries, and He DOES answer! Praise the LORD Almighty!

Iran continually needs our prayers - our brothers and sisters, especially those in God's global family that are experiencing persecution and suffering. Here are some requests we can be regularly praying for;

1) that Christians who are still held captive in prison will be released this year
2) that the leaders will loosen their grip on the Christian faith
3) that more and more people will come to faith through the giving and sharing of God's Holy word, and through satellite television as well

I encourage you to join me in praying for the persecuted church. In February I will be praying for North Korea, who for the 13th year in a row have found themselves on the top of the World Watch List.

References

• http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/16/middleeast/iran-jason-rezaian-prisoners-freed/
• http://www.theguardian.com/world/iran-blog/2014/may/12/iran-converted-christians-sanctuary-germany-muslim
• http://www.christianpost.com/news/iran-christian-converts-still-being-persecuted-under-rouhanis-administration-154221/