I have found it to be an inspiring account of God working to protect His people even in the most dangerous of circumstances as we seek to reach out and glorify His name. I hope you find it the same!
A Tape for Al Jazeera
In Chapter One, Article 2 of the Constitution of Afghanistan it states, "Followers of other religions are free to exercise their faith and perform their religious rites within the limits of the provisions of law."
But for people like "Farid," that promise of religious freedom rings a bit hollow.
It was just before dawn, about 5 a.m., when Farid and five other Muslim background believers gathered in his home for praise and prayer. Their small house gathering was typical of most secret Christian meetings in Afghanistan today. As they worshiped, sitting in a circle on the floor, a knock on the door interrupted them. Six men armed with Kalashnikov automatic rifles and a knife stormed in.
Pointing rifles at the group, the men forced Farid to the floor. Using a strap, they tied his hands behind his back.
"When they put the knife to my neck I thought God had appointed this time for me to die," Farid told our VOM workers. "And then I prayed, 'God if this is the time for me to die, these people who want to kill me, I forgive them.'
"I didn't want my blood to be on their hands. I wanted God to forgive them and I wanted them to come to Christ as a result of my death."
Farid said he heard God's voice instructing him to stand up and leave the room.
When he stood up he noticed his hands were no longer tied. The straps had fallen to the floor. As he walked toward the door, two armed men stood in the way and told him he could not leave.
"One of them men shot at me with his Kalashnikov, but his gun jammed - it didn't fire. It jammed twice, then fired after I left the room."
Farid escaped while bullets whizzed in his direction. he remained unharmed. The leader of the terrorists, however, was shot in the confusion. The terrorists fled the scene and when the police arrived they made an amazing discovery.
"They went to the room where we were praying and found a bag there. When they opened the bag they found an Al-Quaeda flag, two swords and a video camera inside the bag," explained Farid. "The police told me the terrorists were going to behead us Christians, videotape it and show it on Al Jazeera."
The terrorists knew Farid was winning Afghan Muslims to Christ. They intended to broadcast the video throughout the Middle East to warn missionaries, evangelists and former Muslims they would be killed if they converted or attempted to convert Afghans to Christianity.
"This is a Muslim country and it's been for more than 25 years that they've been fighting for Islam and they don't like non-Muslim people people coming in to preach. In the Quran it is written that if somebody rejects Islam, you must kill them."
Farid remains steadfast despite this violent threat. His desire is to see Muslims in every corner of Afghanistan surrender their hearts to Christ. One way we help evangelists like Farid spread the gospel is by providing Bibles translated into Dari and other indigenous languages.
What an amazing story of God's grace, provision and protection! I hope you find this as encouraging as I do and can rest in the knowledge that God is in control of any and every situation; if it is His will for us to remain alive and spread the Word, nothing in this world (or in the next) can stop us!
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2
For Further Study - Read Acts 7:54-60
- Unlike Farid we read about today, Stephen the Martyr was not miraculously delivered from death. Why do you think this was so?
- God, obviously, did not intervene. But He did provide Stephen the strength and encouragement that he needed to cope with going through his own execution. How did God do this? (vs. 55, 56)
- How can we be encouraged to go through our own struggles when we, like Stephen, look to heaven and focus our eyes on Jesus Christ? (Hebrews 12:1)
- How might Stephen's death have impacted the heart of the man (Saul) who would later go on to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles and ultimately pen much of our modern day New Testament?
- Notice how God used Stephen's death, a terrible occurrence, to bring about His purposes. How can this give us hope when bad things happen to us? (Genesis 50:20)
Blessings in Christ,
Andrew
