“And He said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” Luke 9:23

This Bible verse is familiar to many, but what does this really look like for the global church? In Indonesia, the cost of following Jesus can look different for each believer, but there is a cost. Here are some examples of the persecution that can happen when an Indonesian becomes a believer:

Community

In communities, most believers see the cost through avoidance and shunning by neighbors. Other kids may be told to avoid the kids that are Christians. Believers may be left out of important neighborhood events. In more animistic societies, they can be the targets of spells and other demonic spiritual attacks. In extremely conservative neighborhoods, the persecution can take the form of violence against a family, their animals, or their house. 

There have also been instances of community leaders confiscating ID cards from new believers. When this happens, life becomes much more difficult for the individual. They often can’t find work or marry.

 As for churches, there may be attacks on the buildings themselves. Two notable instances of this in the 21st century occurred on the island of Lombok and the city of Surabaya. In early 2000, widespread church burning occurred in Lombok, causing believers to escape by boat to other islands and resulting in many churches completely destroyed. In 2018, three separate churches were bombed in the East Java city of Surabaya.

Family

  Family persecution most commonly looks like shunning the new believers. This is especially devastating for a culture where family relationships are a major part of life. Families depend on each other for financial support, caring for children and elderly members, and help in other areas of life. Spells, demonic spiritual attacks, and violence can also be from family members.

Government

  Generally, Indonesia is a country that welcomes its six official religions equally, a fact that is a source of pride for many of its citizens. There are instances of individuals being arrested for violating blasphemy laws. A few years ago, a former governor was arrested on blasphemy charges for speaking against the predominant religion, serving two years in jail. 

Most people don’t realize that an Indonesian citizen’s religion is listed on their identification card. This determines things like who you can marry (you can’t marry across different religions) and where you can send your children to school (they must attend a school of the same religion as listed on their ID card). The process to change the religion listed on an ID card from Muslim to Christian is extremely difficult and frequently stalls in the bureaucratic process for months or years. However, if a Christian wants to change their ID to Muslim, the process is very quick and simple.

Ways to pray for Indonesian believers:

• Pray for courage to follow Jesus in spite of the cost
• For protection from those that disagree with their beliefs
• Pray for the government to protect the rights of all Indonesians

The post The Cost of Following Jesus in Indonesia first appeared on Pray For Indonesia.

Romans Chapter 8 is a treasure trove of spiritual wisdom and assurance. The Apostle Paul provides a profound understanding of the Christian faith, focusing on the victory we have in Christ. There’s a powerful message encapsulated in verse 31: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) 

In this post, we’ll explore the power and assurance that comes from having God on our side, which the Bible says is true of all those who call Jesus Lord. We’ll share some biblical truths that remind us of the ultimate victory we have through Christ’s finished work. With every step, we will uncover the strength and confidence that emerges when we trust in God’s promises.

So, join us as we embark on this journey of exploring the reality that nothing can stand against us when God is for us. Get ready to embrace victory in Christ and discover our Heavenly Father’s unwavering support and love.

On the pavement of this world, we encounter challenges and obstacles that can leave us feeling dejected. The same has been true of every God-follower since just east of Eden. During these times, we must remember that the war has been won and God is the victor. 

Victory, in a spiritual context, goes beyond just overcoming difficulties – it’s about experiencing the power and presence of God in our lives. And it’s about reflecting the God we’ve known to a watching world, even in the face of intense hardship. The Bible teaches that trials and tribulations have the power to refine our character and to transform us into the image of his Son, if we cooperate.

James 1 exhorts us: 

“My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything (James 1:2-4). 

Victory for the Christian, then, is redefined. It doesn’t mean pleasant circumstances all or even much of the time. The Author and Perfecter of the faith promised us,

“In the world you will have trouble and suffering. But take courage – I have conquered the world” (John 16:33).  

But through these troubles we have the opportunity to know him better. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul expressed a desire to know Christ better not only through his resurrection but also through his suffering.  

“My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10). 

When we walk in this newly defined victory, we understand that the battles we face are not ours alone and that they are infused with supernatural purpose. We endeavor to behave like Jesus did when he faced enemies and opposition. The Almighty God fights for us and no doubt foils many attacks aimed at us, but he also provides the strength and guidance we need to reflect his character as we overcome. This assurance allows us to face challenges confidently, knowing that we have an unfailing source of support whether or not God chooses to change our circumstances in the way we hope.

One of the greatest assurances we have for walking in victory is the presence and power of God. Throughout the Bible, we see countless examples of God’s power displayed in the lives of his people, bringing about miraculous victories. From the parting of the Red Sea to the walls of Jericho tumbling down, from the answering of Hannah’s prayer for a child to Elijah’s calling down fire from heaven, these stories remind us that nothing is impossible when God is for us.

The pages of the Bible are filled with stories of victory through God’s intervention. One such example is the story of David and Goliath. Against all odds, a young shepherd boy defeated a giant warrior because he had unwavering faith in God. This story reminds us that it’s not about our strength or abilities but about trusting in the power of God.

Another example is the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness. Despite their doubts and fears, God provided for them every step of the way. He led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, ensuring their safety and guiding them to the promised land. This story teaches us that even in the wilderness seasons of our lives, God is faithful to lead us to victory.

When Jesus walked the earth, he intervened in people’s lives according to their requests and their measure of faith. He cast out demons, healed the sick, and commanded nature several times. The gospel of Mark records this beautiful interaction with a blind man named Bartimaeus:

“They came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road. When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many scolded him to get him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ So they called the blind man and said to him, ‘Have courage! Get up! He is calling you.’ He threw off his cloak, jumped up, and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man replied, ‘Rabbi, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go, your faith has healed you.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the road” (Mark 10:46-52).

God’s promises to be present with us through difficult times are equally encouraging.

Isaiah recorded these hope-filled words straight from the mouth of God:

“When you pass through the waters, I am with you; when you pass through the streams, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your deliverer” (Isaiah 43:2-3).

King David, also, wrote of God’s presence with us through dangerous terrain:

“Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff reassure me. You prepare a feast before me, in plain sight of my enemies.You refresh my head with oil; my cup is completely full (Psalm 23:4-5).

Knowing that God is always with us gives us the confidence to meet any situation. We can find comfort in His promises, knowing that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). When we are in Christ, we can be assured that we are never alone in our battles. Indeed, “he is sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3).

Fear and doubt are common emotions we experience when facing challenges or feeling alone. However, when we are in Christ and know God is for us, we can overcome these potentially paralyzing emotions. The Bible reminds us that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). The Scriptures are replete with admonitions against fear:

“When you lie down you will not be filled with fear; when you lie down your sleep will be pleasant. Do not be afraid of sudden disaster or when destruction overtakes the wicked; for the Lord will be the source of your confidence, and he will guard your foot from being caught in a trap” (Proverbs 3:24-26).

“Even all the hairs on your head are numbered. So do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:30-31).

When we find ourselves doubting, we should be honest with God about our feelings. He already knows them, so there is little use in us pretending faith when we’re faltering. We can, however, ask him to help our unbelief! Consider this honest, desperate man who encountered Jesus on the dusty roads of ancient Israel:

“If you are able to do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Then Jesus said to him, “‘If you are able?’ All things are possible for the one who believes.”  Immediately the father of the boy cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-24).

We can always turn to God’s Word for reassurance as well. The promises he has given us are a source of hope and encouragement. Like the old hymn says: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of his glory and grace.” By meditating on God’s promises and speaking them over our lives, we can replace fear and doubt with faith and confidence.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:10). 

Trusting in God’s plan for our lives is essential to walking in the victory he desires for us. We may not always understand why specific challenges come our way, and we may not always feel like he is for us, but we can trust that God has a purpose for everything. His plans for us are good, and he promises to work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

When we trust in God’s plan, we surrender our desires, agendas, and even our understanding. We acknowledge that His ways are higher than ours, and His thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). This level of surrender allows us to experience true victory as we align ourselves with God’s perfect will for our lives.

Prayer and worship are powerful tools for strengthening our faith and walking in the knowledge that if he is for us, no one can be against us. Through prayer, we communicate with God, pouring out our hearts and seeking His guidance. In these moments of intimacy with Him, we can find peace and clarity.

“Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Worship, on the other hand, allows us to focus on the greatness of God. As we lift our voices in praise, we are reminded of His faithfulness and power. Worship shifts our perspective from our problems to the one who is able to overcome them all. It refreshes our faith and fills us with the confidence we need to walk in victory.

Psalm 103 is a perfect template for praising God by rehearsing who he is and all the wonderful things he’s done.

“Praise the Lord, O my soul. With all that is within me, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul. Do not forget all his kind deeds.

He is the one who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases,

who delivers your life from the Pit, who crowns you with his loyal love and compassion,

who satisfies your life with good things, so your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.

The Lord does what is fair, and executes justice for all the oppressed.

The Lord revealed his faithful acts to Moses,his deeds to the Israelites.

The Lord is compassionate and merciful; he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.

He does not always accuse and does not stay angry.

He does not deal with us as our sins deserve; he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve.

For as the skies are high above the earth, so his loyal love towers over his faithful followers.

As far as the eastern horizon is from the west, so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers.

For he knows what we are made of; he realizes we are made of clay.

A person’s life is like grass. Like a flower in the field it flourishes, but when the hot wind blows, it disappears, and one can no longer even spot the place where it once grew.

But the Lord continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers and is faithful to their descendants, to those who keep his covenant, who are careful to obey his commands.

The Lord has established his throne in heaven; his kingdom extends over everything.

Praise the Lord, you angels of his, you powerful warriors who carry out his decrees and obey his orders.

Praise the Lord, all you warriors of his, you servants of his who carry out his desires.

Praise the Lord, all that he has made,in all the regions of his kingdom.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.”

The abundant life Jesus promised requires obedience and surrender to God’s will. When we obey his commands and follow his guidance, we position ourselves to abundantly receive what it means for God to be for us. Obedience is not always easy, but it is necessary to experience the fullness of victory God has in store.

Jesus himself said,

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and puts them into practice—I will show you what he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built” (Luke 6:46-47).

Surrender is closely linked to obedience. It’s about relinquishing our desires and submitting to God’s plans. When we surrender to Him, we acknowledge He is in control and knows better than we do. These acts of submission come with a promise from the book of James:

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). 

Walking in victory is not meant to be a solitary journey. God created us for community, and the support of others plays a crucial role in our pursuit of victorious living in Christ. Surrounding ourselves with like-minded believers can provide encouragement, accountability, and prayer support.

King Solomon, the person the Bible calls the wisest on earth, said these things about the importance of community:

“As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens his friend” (Proverbs 27:17).

“Although an assailant may overpower one person, two can withstand him. Moreover, a three-stranded cord is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

Through fellowship with the family of God, we can share our struggles and victories, finding strength in knowing that we are not alone. Together we can lift each other up, offering support and speaking truth into one another’s lives. Community helps us navigate life’s challenges and reminds us that we are part of a larger body, united in our pursuit of victory in Christ. Again the Apostle Paul instructs us:

“Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). 

The promise “If God is for us, who can be against us?” is not just a comforting statement but a powerful declaration of faith. It reminds us that no matter what we face, we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us. It is a call to live boldly, secure in the knowledge that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37-39).

Understanding the victory we have in Christ should spur us to live radically for the sake of the gospel. God calls us to make disciples of all nations, proclaim his excellencies, and share his love with those around us no matter the cost. If he is for us, we have nothing to fear in living out his purposes.

We pray these truths will inspire you, deepen your faith, and fortify your resolve to live according to the victory that’s yours!

The post Undefeatable: If God Is For Us Who Can Be Against Us? first appeared on Pray For Indonesia.

Recently, a woman attending a mountain house church was baptized. This Muslim background believer (MBB) has been attending the house church for several months. After she was baptized, she explained, “When I believed, I felt some peace but still felt distracted, but now there is a new more complete peace that I feel.” 

For Muslim-background believers, it is common for the act of baptism to be a bigger deal than a verbal decision to follow Jesus. Why is that? The weight of these decisions is reversed from the Western world for MBBs. In countries like America, the verbal decision of following Jesus is a major decision. It is not something people say if they don’t really mean it. Once the decision is made, usually life changes come with it. At that point, baptism is usually the next logical step, though not as much emphasis is placed on it. A church will typically walk alongside the new believer, discipling them in their new faith and eventually encouraging them to be baptized, the outward sign of obedience to Jesus.

For Muslim-background believers in countries like Indonesia, actions are much weightier than words. It is easier for someone to say they believe. The act of baptism is harder for many new believers. There is a finality to it. It is an outward sign that shows others that they are truly leaving their old ways behind. They are starting a new life following Jesus. It is common to have someone profess faith, but not want to move forward with baptism for a long time. For many in the Muslim world, persecution becomes much worse after baptism. 

Please pray for courage for new believers to take this step of faith. Pray also for protection for those that do.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

The post What Baptism Means for Muslim Background Believers first appeared on Pray For Indonesia.

Recently, they taught at a small village church, where they met a lady named Diah. She was already actively sharing the Good News with her community, but wasn’t sure what to do after sharing. Through the training, she learned the Biblical pattern for planting churches and discipleship, and felt a renewed excitement for the Great Commission. Since that training, she has shared with many people, baptized 20 people, and started three groups that will hopefully become house churches. 

The goal for church planting movements is to see many generations of believers and house churches spread. As someone disciples new believers, they encourage those believers to share and start their own group. Then the new groups can also grow and lead to other groups. Paul and Rachel hope to meet many more people like Diah with a passion for sharing the Good News and multiplying house churches.

Ways to Pray

• Pray that God would lead Paul and Rachel to many more people like Diah who are passionate about multiplication
• That Diah would continue to disciple the new believers and her groups, and that these groups would continue to grow and multiply
• Pray for more church planting movements to take place all over Indonesia

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-15

The post Indonesian Christian Becomes a Disciple Maker first appeared on Pray For Indonesia.

One night, Fatima had a dream. She was walking on the highway when suddenly a man appeared before her. She couldn’t see his face because it shone like the sun, but he was dressed in white and had a long beard. The man gently picked her up and set her down in the grass. Then she immediately woke up. She didn’t think much of the dream and continued on with her life.

Three years later, Fatima had the same dream with the same man in white. When she woke up from the dream, she felt unsettled and couldn’t go back to sleep. Who was this man and why did he come back in her dreams? She knew something seemed different about this man but could not identify what it was.

After pondering the dream for a few days, she couldn’t bear it anymore. While praying during the evening prayer time, she looked upward and said, “God, I don’t know who You are but I believe in You.” Immediately, she felt a heavy burden lift from her heart. When she told her friend Rida about the dream, Rida explained to her that she had dreamed about a man in white too who had told her His name was Isa al Masih (the Arabic name for Jesus).

Fatima went home and told her husband about the dream and her conversation with Rida, and they began attending a local church together. Fatima studied the Bible daily, hungry to know more about Isa and the God of the Bible. Since then, Fatima acknowledges that she has felt a peace like never before. Her family does not speak to her, but she has found a new family in her Christian brothers and sisters.

Jesus is revealing Himself to Muslims in dreams all over the world. Please pray that many more people come to know Jesus through this and the church around the world continues to grow.

The post Muslim Woman Meets Jesus in a Dream first appeared on Pray For Indonesia.

“Ida Sanghyang Yesus”

Noman responded to a Facebook advertisement that our media ministry team launched. The question was “Do you know whether your good deeds are enough to erase your sins?” Noman clicked the “send a message” button and answered “No.”

We started chatting and Noman shared about his financial struggles. He had a large amount of debt to pay and it was due the next day. He had no money left and had used his relative’s assets as collateral and he was afraid of leaving his r­­elatives with more debt. As a result, Noman had suicidal thoughts because he was so desperate.

After he shared about his struggles, I encouraged him to pray and ask God for His help. Noman said that he prayed every single day according to his belief, which was the Hindu religion. I then asked him whether he wanted to know how he can clean his heart from sin and draw closer to God. Noman said yes! This led me to share in detail the Gospel, from the story of Adam and Eve, Jesus’ birth, His life on earth, Jesus becoming the sacrifice for the sins of humanity, and His resurrection. Noman, after hearing the whole gospel, decided he wanted to believe in “Ida Sangyang Yesus,” which is how Hindus refer to The Lord Jesus.

Later, towards the end of our conversation, I led Noman through the salvation prayer and asked him how he felt after praying. Noman said that he felt relieved and that he chooses to surrender his life to Christ. I connected Noman to my friend, Neil, who lives near Noman. They met up one day and Neil shared the Gospel once more. Praise God Noman decided to give his life to Jesus and was baptized by Neil a few weeks later! Praise God!

Social media has so much evil in it these days. What the enemy intended for evil, God uses for His glory. Our media ministry team is working to saturate social media with the Gospel.

Here’s how you can pray:

• Pray that more unreached peoples hear the Gospel.
• That we as a team are reminded to surrender our best ideas to the Lord, and that we follow His plans.
• Pray that we can grow our media ministry team because of the high demand of spiritual conversations online!
• That every word we share on social media leads others closer to Him.

The post From Suicidal To Surrendered to Jesus first appeared on Pray For Indonesia.

Guilt From Murder

When Ronnie was younger, he went to another island in Indonesia, about 3 days boat ride to the west. He wanted to find a new opportunity there. He found a job as a security guy in a palm oil tree plantation in the deep woods. Ronnie worked there for several years. The environment where he worked at was very tough. He had to face people with harsh character and also people who tried to steal the crops.

In one of his working shifts, he got into a fight with someone who tried to rob him in the woods. He killed the guy. Though he was trying to defend himself, this situation had really traumatized him and made him feel guilty. Knowing that the gang of the person he killed was looking for him, he went back to the island where he was from and hoped to be able to start a new life.

Years had gone by. While he was able to find another new job and get married, he was still haunted by the fact that he had killed someone. He lived with his trauma and guilt and tried do good and practice religious rituals but he never felt peace.

A Christian Shares about Hope

In late 2019, while Ronnie was resting on the side of the road, he was visited by a Christian. This Christian person was a local taxi driver who was also a ministry worker doing outreach. The two later introduced themselves. This started a new friendship for Ronnie and this Christian. Few follow up meetings later, Ronnie shared the spiritual burden and the guilt that had been bothering him for years.

This new Christian friend then shared the truth about redemption in Christ. He told Ronnie that because of sin we will never be able to “made right” again before God unless we accept Christ and believe in Him as our God and Savior. Through His sacrifice on the cross, He has made us clean. The truth that Ronnie had just heard gave him a new hope. On that same day he gave his life to Jesus. He was forgiven of all his sin and found freedom in Christ.

Since that day, Ronnie has slowly felt better and experienced peace that he had never felt before. He was baptized in the river near his house, and also shared this good news to his wife. She also became a new believer!

Becoming a Fisher of Men

Now Ronnie has just celebrated his third Christmas as a follower of Christ. He has become a fisher of men, and actively partners with a group of Christian field workers in the area to bring Gospel to the lost. The area where Ronnie lives has less than 1% Christian with a population of 2.3 million people. The majority population in this area have come from another island where it is known to be a hard people group to reach and the mission has been engaged for almost 180 years with very minimal fruit.

Pray for Ronnie to continue to grow in his love for Jesus and be used by God to reach many Muslims in this area. Pray for the gospel to spread forth among this people of 2.3 million!

“Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.” Romans 3:24-26

The post Muslim Man Burdened with Guilt Finds Freedom in Christ first appeared on Pray For Indonesia.

1. Seeking Allah Finding Jesus – Nabeel Qureshi

Nabeel Qureshi gives his own testimony of how he went from devout Muslim to a follower of Jesus. Through his college friend, David, Nabeel began to search truth and critically evaluate Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. He then looked at Islam and the Qur’an with the same critical eye and discovered truths about Muhammad and the Qur’an that he never knew about. After asking God to reveal truth to Him through dreams, God gave him three dreams that clearly pointed to Jesus. He suffered persecution from his family through his decision to leave Islam and follow Jesus. Seeking Allah Finding Jesus is an incredible book that will strengthen your own faith and help you learn more about Islam so you can share with your Muslim friends.

2. Women Who Risk – Secret Agents for Jesus in the Muslim World

Despite enormous risks to themselves and their families, former Muslim women are now influencing their husbands and their children and bringing others to faith in Jesus Christ. No matter where they live, these women are the God-ordained spiritual gatekeepers of their families. Even though the level of oppression that women face under Islam is unfathomable to many in non-Muslim nations, these brave women stop at nothing to share their faith.

The Doyles believe that women are a major reason why more Muslims than ever are coming to faith in Christ. Over the years they have discovered that once God sets a Muslim woman free, she becomes an unstoppable force for God. Women Who Risk takes readers into Muslim homes in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, and other hot spots to see the power of Christ at work.

3. From Cairo to Christ – How One Muslim’s Faith Journey Shows the Way for Others

If I were to become a Christian, it would mean not only changing my religion but changing my whole identity and bringing shame upon my family. My whole family is Muslim, and my society and culture were Muslim. . . . Changing from Islam to Christianity would mess up my life forever.

So writes Abu Atallah, who grew up in Cairo as an ordinary Egyptian Muslim. He was deeply embedded in his family, religion, and country. For a time he was part of the Muslim Brotherhood. But as he came of age, he began to encounter people who followed a different way, who called themselves Christians. And a radically new life became possible at great cost and risk, yet with great joy. From Cairo to Christ is the remarkable story of how one Muslim man was drawn to the Christian faith, and how he later became an ambassador for Christ with a ministry in the Muslim world. Atallah has personally helped hundreds of Muslims come to Christ.

The post 3 Book Testimonies From Muslim Background Believers first appeared on Pray For Indonesia.

Nina began to read the Bible on her own and actually read most of it! She came back to her friend and said “Okay I read it and I believe it! What do I do now?”

Her friend discipled Nina for a season and taught her how to have a relationship with Jesus. She experienced a lot of persecution from her family when she told them her decision.

God’s Provision in Hong Kong

Nina then had an opportunity to move to Hong Kong to work as a house helper. (Many Indonesians work as house helpers in other countries to get a better paying salary).

God obviously provided for Nina in Hong Kong because she started to work for a Christian family. The husband was the pastor of a church in Hong Kong.

Nina continued to grow in her faith as she lived with and worked for this family. She began serving in the church and her love for Jesus deepened each day.

After years of living in Hong Kong, the church sent Nina back to Indonesia so she could go to seminary school there. When she finished, she could not return to Hong Kong because of Covid19. She got involved in a church in Indonesia and decided to stay and serve at that church. The church in Hong Kong blessed her decision.

Making Christ Known in Indonesia

Nina was offered a position at the church to be head of the Missions Department that is over multiple church plants. She has a huge burden for Muslims in Indonesia to know Christ.

In her new job, she joined a training for Indonesians to learn how to share the gospel with Muslims. After the training, she reached out to the team and asked if she could continue to learn from them and also go out sharing with them as they met Muslims.

She told them how God worked this out so perfectly and she invited her friend to learn as well. Nina then asked the team to come train her church and the church plants. She wanted more Christians to learn how to share their faith with Muslims.

Nina helped lead some trainings and put into practice what she was learning. She often went out to meet people and share the gospel with them. She also shared with many of her friends who were Muslim.

Although Nina’s family still won’t talk to her, she has remained steadfast in her faith and knows the surpassing worth of living life with Christ. She desires her fellow Indonesians to find a relationship with the Lord as she did. She spends her days sharing about Him and encouraging Christians to be bold in their faith. Continue to pray for Nina and the Indonesians that she has impacted through her ministry.

The post Muslim Woman Becomes an Evangelist for Jesus first appeared on Pray For Indonesia.

Many Indonesian Christians do not know how to share their faith, especially with Muslims. They are very fearful of how people will respond. Some have a desire to share with Muslims but have no idea where to start. This team comes alongside believers and helps them take those first steps.

In May, the team did a 4 Fields training with a group of believers they had connections with. Then in August they did a follow up training for those who wanted to continue to learn.

Training a Pastor to Share the Gospel

One of the trainers invited his friend, Pak R, who is a pastor of a church in the city. At the beginning everybody in the training went around and shared why they joined the training. Most said they joined because they wanted to learn how to share with Muslims. Pak R just said he came because his friend invited him.

During the break time, the leader of the training had a conversation with him. Pak R expressed his concerns about sharing the gospel with random people. He did not think it was okay to meet Muslims and talk about Jesus with them in the first conversation.

When the training finished, they all went out to try to meet people and share with them. This helps the trainees put into practice what they just learned. Pak R raised his hand and said “We can’t do this, there’s no way you can meet someone and share with them in an hour.”

After his awkward comment, everybody went out and walked around in the surrounding neighborhood and park. Pak R and his wife got in their car and drove off. The team thought for sure they would not come back.

A Change of Heart

An hour passed when the trainees returned to share their experience of trying to meet people and share. To everyone’s surprise Pak R and his wife came back as well! And they said they shared the gospel with someone! 

The team was so encouraged to see Pak R try to meet someone even though he thought that strategy would not work. He even got to share the full gospel with a Muslim and saw how God was working in that conversation. The Spirit moved in his heart to share and he witnessed first hand that you can talk about Jesus with a Muslim you just met!

When the training was over Pak R wanted the team to come do the training at his church. He caught the vision and wanted others to learn how to take part in the Great Commission. At the training at his church, Pak R even helped to teach the trainees and shared his experience!

Praises and Prayers

• Praise God for how He is moving in the heart’s of Indonesian Christians
• Pray for the team to continue to train Indonesians to share their faith
• Ask God to raise up more Indonesian laborers to proclaim the gospel in their country

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