I was reading an article today about the underground church in Kabul, Afghanistan, and what the leader of the church said lit a fire in my heart. The kindling starts when you read about the horrible, disgusting, evil, and straight up wickedness from the devil himself. The evil that takes place up unto this very moment as I take another breath, it's happening even though I may not see it. While you take one with ease, someone across the world is taking their last. Think about the countless other countries where people are experiencing the same penalties for their faith in Jesus. People are being slaughtered for the name of Jesus— I pray this would stir something in your heart to pray for the people who aren’t free like you and me.
I’ll get to what the leader of this church said in a second but I first must say this, while reading it, I felt so helpless. Thinking to myself how can someone die for the name of Jesus while I sit on my couch with my dad next to me sitting in safety. The thought just hurt me to the core. But as I read on, that’s when the flame grew. Pastor X of the underground church said this “For the first 300 years of the church, persecution was an expectation not the exception for every follower of Jesus. Afghanistan didn't suddenly become dangerous for Christians; it's always been dangerous. This crisis, however, has put a global spotlight on what has been the normal Christian experience for believers in Muslim nations. Yet the underground church continues to thrive, though the problems are dire and the outcome seems grim. We carry the unrivaled hope of the Gospel that continues to prove what our enemies intend for evil will always work for our good and God's glory. Where governments, politics, and military efforts have failed, the Kingdom of God will flourish and the Gospel will advance. God does His greatest work in our darkest hour." Let’s read the part again… where governments, politics, and military efforts have failed, the Kingdom of God will flourish and the Gospel will advance. God does His greatest work in our darkest hour.
I don’t need to add anything more to that. Where we are weak God is strong. This is the greater faith of one who looks at death in the eyes everyday and still believes despite what he sees. By the goodness and grace of God you and I rest in safety but I ask you go to war in your prayers— we aren’t helpless, we have the power of prayer and I hope you will ask God to restore our nation and cover our brothers and sisters across the world with his protection. While you may be afraid what others with think about you for sharing the good news of a Jesus, other are thinking about the possibility of death for sharing it. We live in a country where the freedom to share the gospel won't cost us our life, never take that for granted.
If God is for us, who can be against us?
