Iranian awakening.
26 Feb 2021 Editorial. Prophecy Today.
They murdered his brother; he responded by sharing the gospel
As British citizens are given a ‘roadmap to freedom’ from the restrictions of the Covid pandemic, a vast army of Iranians are tasting the delights of a different kind of liberty.
In spite of the severe ‘lockdown’ on religious observation imposed by the ayatollahs, there are now thought to be as many as several million Christians in the country.
This is in spite of an extremely harsh clampdown on dissenters. Conversion from Islam is forbidden, as are satellite dishes. But such is the hunger for outside information that many are prepared to run the gauntlet of state sanctions and have thus found freedom in Christ through a satellite TV network headed up by Dr Hormoz Shariat, known as the Billy Graham of Iran.
As a result, huge numbers are now risking their lives practising their Christian faith, which includes loving people they have been taught to hate – most notably the Jews.
From hatred to love
This is all the more remarkable in the light of Purim, the feast being celebrated by worldwide Jewry today as they rejoice over their rescue through Queen Esther from a plot to destroy them some 2,500 years ago. (See also this article on Purim.)
That conspiracy emanated from ancient Persia (modern Iran) where similar threats to wipe out Israel have been a recurring mantra of its Muslim leaders since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
But thanks be to God, who has raised up a mighty force of Iranian believers praying for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).
A life changed
A Shia Muslim convert to Christianity, Dr Shariat is founder of Iran Alive Ministries and a satellite TV network broadcasting the gospel into Iran and the Farsi-speaking world. He is also author of the recently published Iran’s Great Awakening: How God is using a Muslim convert to spark revival.
Interviewed by Jerusalem-based Joel C Rosenberg for All Israel News, Dr Shariat said: “I was on the streets of Iran in 1979 shouting ‘Death to America!’”
Interviewed by Jerusalem-based Joel C Rosenberg for All Israel News, Dr Shariat said: “I was on the streets of Iran in 1979 shouting ‘Death to America!’”
Speaking from Dallas, Texas, he explained something of the phenomenon that began when he read the Bible and the Quran “and realised they did not match”.
“I realised Jesus is the way. And when my life was changed so dramatically, I knew I mustn’t keep it to myself. So I shared with other Iranian Muslims and their lives were also changed. That’s how the ministry started.”
He told how the regime had murdered his brother. But he did not take revenge. “I felt God saying, ‘Don’t hate these people who killed your brother. The best thing you can do is to share the gospel with Muslims’.
“God has opened the hearts and minds of Iranians. They are questioning Islam and finding out it has not done anything for their lives, their marriages and even for their country.”
He adds: “They’re very open to anything except Islam. Christianity is very attractive because it talks about love and forgiveness.”
In addition, their hearts toward Israel change. “Both the Old and New Testament talk about loving God with all your heart, and loving your neighbour. Jesus calls us to love all people. So they start questioning why they should hate the Jews.”
Rosenberg explains further: “He believes that Iranian Christians who are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit cannot help but grow to love Israel because the God of the Bible loves Israel so much and has such an exciting plan for Israel in biblical prophecy.”
