Monday, 10 August 2015

Asia – Republic of Iran

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Overview
  • Capital – Tehran
  • Leader – Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (1989 till present).
  • Population – 79.5 million, of which 450,000 are Christians.
  • Main and official religion – Islam, which makes the laws of the land to be in line with Islamic law.
  • Government – Islamic Republic
  • According to the World Watch List, Iran happens to be in the 7th position of top countries where it is most difficult to live as a Christian.
  • In Iran, only the Armenians and Assyrians are allowed to be Christians, though they are treated as second class citizens. House churches/Churches are constantly monitored, attacked or assaulted by secret police. 75 Christians were arrested in 2014. Those (Armenian and Assyrian brethren) who tried to witness Jesus to other Muslims were reported, imprisoned or received physical abuse and harassment.
  • In relation to the remaining population (which are Muslims), only the Persian group are seen and defined as Muslim. They are seen as traitors if they decide to leave the Islamic religion. They are termed unclean and also at the risk of death penalty.

 Prophecy of God Concerning Iran – Ezekiel 38 & 39
  • GOD’s divine intervention.
  • Ezekiel 18:32 – “For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!”

Prayers:
  • For GOD’s protection and His wisdom for those who are secretly reaching out to Muslims with the gospel in open disobedience to the laws of the land of Iran;
  • 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4 – Ask GOD for strength and comfort for imprisoned brothers and sisters because of their faith in Jesus. Ask that the love and presence of GOD be felt wherever they are at any Iran prison. Ask GOD to give them courage to defend their faith;
  • Despite the risk at hand in Iran, many Muslim-background believers are still choosing to follow Jesus. Let’s pray that the Holy Spirit will help them to continue to grow in love for Jesus, and in their new found faith, so that through the tribulations they are facing, they might enter into the kingdom of GOD (Acts 14:22);
  • Looking at the population rate of unsaved souls in Iran (79,050,000), indeed “the harvest is plenteous but the labourers are few.” Let’s ask the LORD of the harvest to send out workers indeed into His harvest in Iran (Matthew 9:37-38), labourers who will be able to disciple the new converts with their new found faith in Jesus; also for GOD to provide resources which might be needed for these new believers e.g. Bibles, discipleship materials, finance e.t.c.
  • Thank GOD for the lives of faithful brethren in Iran, such as, Alireza Seyyedian (released six days ago) and Homayoun Shekohi (released 28th of June) after both served 40 months in a prison in Iran because of their faith in Christ Jesus. Let’s pray that GOD will heal them both (and many others who will be released) of the trauma of imprisonment and grant that they will adjust to life quickly, so that they may set in motion the work that the Holy Spirit wants to accomplish through them for the land of Iran;
  • Having heard and read the testimony of this house-church leader, let us pray that many more men and women would come to know Christ through such testimonies of imprisoned Christians. Let's pray that GOD in His mercy will reach out to many interrogators/judges/government and court officials, so that they too can become “evangelists of Jesus” and bear more fruit of souls for GOD;  
  • Pray that the Holy Spirit goes to work in the lives of the unbelieving Muslims, to reveal to them that mercy and true salvation can only be found in Christ  – Acts 4:12;
  • Pray that even these “supreme leaders” in their clerical positions, will encounter the Supremacy of Jesus (who rules in all, works through all and is present in all – Ephesians 4:6) and bow to the Lordship of our Saviour;
  • It is written - “And GOD said, Let there be light: and there was light.” As the sun will always rise and shine in the morning over the living and non-living, so shall the light of the gospel of Jesus, shine into the land of Iran and set every captive free from every stronghold of religion, draw them out and bring them into GOD’s marvellous light;
  • Let Jesus, the Man of Calvary, who was bruised and crucified, who came to destroy the power of sin, grant liberty and mercy to as many souls in the bondage of Islamic religion in Iran;
  • LORD Jesus, we trust You for the release of  imprisoned Christians in Iran (using Behrani Irani as a point of contact), and pray for Your purpose and Your will to be done over them. As it pleases You, grant them the grace to see what You are doing and the glory ahead concerning Iran.

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