Many of you might recall that Iranian Baptist Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani was arrested more than three years ago after voicing concern that his son was forced to participate in a class about the teachings of Islam. The pastor has been held in prison for nearly three years. He was first convicted on charges that Tehran has described in conflicting terms, first as apostasy and other faith-based crimes such as having a church in his home and preaching to children, and then trumped up charges of rape and extortion.
Nadarkhani was offered the chance to recant his Christian faith and return to Islam, but he refused. He was then sentenced to death and has been held in captivity awaiting execution ever since.
I assume millions of Christians around the world have been praying for this man; I know that I have. I read yesterday that Iran is now denying that he has been sentenced to death even though the high court recently issued the edict in writing. This announcement is in response to an international uproar that has evolved from nations all over the world about his circumstance and their hue and cry has pressured Iran and opened the door to hope that he will be spared.
Is this a direct answer to a prayer in the making? No doubt about it…
Hmmm…I’m ashamed and sad to admit that even though I have prayed fervently for this man on many occasions, after the high court confirmed his death sentence, I doubted in my heart of hearts that he would be spared. The Bible teaches that this is not the right way to pray. We should go to God in faith.
The Bible recounts an incident whereby the disciples tried to drive a demon from a youngster that had possessed the child all of its life. In spite of the fact that they had been empowered to accomplish such acts, they failed miserably and were unsuccessful in their attempt. They turned to Jesus who drove the demon from the child.
Later the disciples came to Him and asked why they had failed and Jesus responded: “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Faith as in, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”? One would think that with all of the miracles I’ve experienced in my own life I would have more faith when I pray.
Sigh…
I ready Matthew Henry’s commentary on this set of verses this morning and he made some valid points that we should all think about, “The extraordinary power of Satan must not discourage our faith, but quicken us to more earnestness in praying to God for the increase of it. Do we wonder to see Satan’s bodily possession of this young man from a child, when we see his spiritual possession of every son of Adam from the fall?”
We all inherited sin directly from Adam and Eve; I suppose it’s somewhere hiding within our DNA, but some have unusually large doses of it. Iran is definitely an evil regime and a satanic stronghold led by what I believe to be possessed leaders. They are responsible for death and terror all over the world and it is obvious that they take pleasure in their brutal accomplishments. Their hands are dripping with blood and evil permeates their souls.
The entire world fears what would happen if they are successful in their quest to build a nuclear weapon, because by their own words we know that they will use it against Israel in a direct attack, and it’s no stretch to imagine that they’ll use it via their extensive terrorist network against western targets all over the world to include the United States.
I have prayed that Obama would wake up and see the danger and the folly of more negotiations and talk, talk, talk, and if he cannot muster the political will to do it himself that he will just go ahead and give Israel the munitions and support they need to take out their nuke facilities.
Frankly as I pray I doubt that he will do anything more than blow hot air around the room and keep pontificating as he has done for the previous three years until it’s too late and they get the bomb. Okay I know in my heart that my attitude is wrong. Jesus said that pure faith can move mountains. It is no stretch that faith and prayer can even penetrate the granite filled blockheads of Washington D.C. and move them to action before it’s too late.
My problem is lack of faith. Matthew Henry urges us to pray for more faith. I have done so this morning. If you, like me, are pessimistic about our situation this morning, I urge you to do likewise.
Remember Yousef in your prayers too. Prayer always works. Albeit sometimes the answer is no, we should keep the faith and all we need to do is look at the countless examples in the Bible where God was moved by earnest prayer of petitioners to grant requests of the faithful, (even when contrary to His earlier stated plans). Hope springs eternal when God is involved, particularly when the situation appears to be very dim.
Matt. 21:21
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.