Iraqi Christians

We don’t hear about them a lot, but we have many brothers and sisters in the Lord who live in Iraq. I really believe that one of the greatest things that is going to come from this war is that God is going to empower our brothers in Iraq to rise up in power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit! There is only one answer for the problems of the Middle East, and for the world, and that answer is salvation through Jesus Christ! Only through the power of Jesus can we walk in forgiveness, love, hope, and faith! Democracy doesn’t provide these things, look at how many of us in America are hopeless. The thing that allows people to rise to their fullest potential is accepting Jesus as Lord! “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 This is the Truth that will set the people free and the Truth that will bring peace to the Middle East!

The Christians who were assembled together on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem were under fierce attack. Jesus had been killed, and even though He had been raised from the dead and they had seen Him, He had left them alone and ascended into Heaven. Judas had betrayed them, the Chief Priests and the rulers hated and actively rebuked and outlawed what Jesus had done and what He had taught. The hatred for Jesus was fierce, that those who were opposed to Him even wanted to kill Lazarus because Jesus had raised him from the dead. “Much people of the Jews therefore knew that He was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.” John 12:9-11 Does this sound like the Middle East today or what?

But God is bigger than hatred and God wants all men saved! “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4 When things looked bad, God did something about it, He sent His Holy Spirit! “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.” Acts 2:1-11 God sent His Spirit and He spoke through His children so that all of those around could hear the Truth that would set them free! God changes not and He can do the exact same thing today in Iraq!

My prayer today is that God does a mighty work like this through the Christians in Iraq! God can use them miraculously so that the Sunnis will hear, the Shiites will hear, and the Kurds will hear and Christ will be magnified! Over 5000 people were saved in a moment when God moved in Jerusalem some 2000 years ago, and God never changes! In one moment the fear was turned to faith, the hatred was turned to favor and God was glorified! “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the Temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. Praising God, and having favor with the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2:46-47

The world doubts that there can be peace in the Middle East and if they believe that there can be peace, they believe it will take decades, but God is God! When there looked like there was no hope for our forefathers in Jerusalem, God sent His Spirit, and in one day salvation abounded in the very people that had shouted out for Jesus to be crucified. When God moves favor is restored, even in a place where hatred had just recently abounded! The first Christians had favor with all men and they were blessed even in the Temple! The very symbol of the turmoil and hatred against Christ was turned into a place where favor and joy was found! The same thing can happen in Iraq, God is willing and He is able, and God wants all men saved and that includes all Iraqi’s! Mosques can be turned into houses where Jesus is glorified and magnified and that fire can spread throughout the entire Middle East! The Iraqi people can be unified through Christ! The world talks about the divisions in Iraq, through the power of God let’s pray for and talk about the unity He can bring to Iraq!

I ask you to pray with Beth and I that God’s glory and His magnificence is poured out through the people of Iraq and that it becomes a nation of Godly hope and joy that inspires the world to seek out Jesus! Be blessed in the power of His might! Jesus loves us and because of Him we are able to truly love each other!