Why Are Persecuted Christians So Thankful?

You have probably read stories of persecuted Christians who have said with all sincerity that they were “honored to be tortured for Christ.” How is it that the persecuted church can be so thankful in the face of such horror, even death?

Persecuted Christians can indeed inspire and challenge us to be thankful no matter what circumstances we are in. But how do they do it? What motivates them to have that attitude of thankfulness? Here are some reasons that they are thankful even in hard situations. Maybe we can learn something from them.

1. They have first-hand experience of the transforming power of Jesus.

You see, when you come from darkness, you appreciate the light even more.

In America and the West, we often don’t realize how many Christian values have become an expected part of the culture. Yes, Western society has many problems, but we still value kindness, mercy, love, and human dignity as a part of our framework. We notice and are even outraged when these points of spiritual light are missing because we are used to them and take them for granted.

“You see, when you come from darkness, you appreciate the light even more.”

In Islamic countries, there is such spiritual darkness. People live with cruelty, judgment, and death as expected norms. In Islam, individual lives do not have much value. This kind of dark environment creates such hopelessness in people that Muslims who become Christians experience major change and joy.

From hatred to love, from hopelessness to hope, from darkness to light, from bondage to freedom—many Muslim-background Christians experience change in an extreme way.

This extreme change from darkness to light creates a great appreciation—thankfulness—for the One who brought about that change. And so these believers are willing and ready to suffer for Christ and not deny him, no matter how harsh the persecution.

2. They realize their desperate need for walking with Jesus.

Persecuted Christians easily realize that Jesus is all they need, so he is all they want. Walking daily with Jesus is not an option for them but a desperate need. Being willing to suffer for Christ is tied directly to thankfulness.

For many of us in the West, we know what Jesus did for us, but we do not see our desperate need to walk with him daily. If we do not read the Bible daily, pray regularly, or go to church weekly, we often don’t notice an immediate, negative impact in any kind of major or tangible way. For us, a vibrant, deep spiritual walk with the Holy Spirit seems optional. Therefore, for us in the West, we have to be intentional about remembering what Jesus has done for us. When we do that, we will be more thankful—and as a result, make a decision to walk with him daily.

3. They see suffering as a way to say “Thank You” to Jesus.

When persecuted Christians suffer for Christ, what they are doing is actively saying “Thank You” to Jesus in the best way they can. They are replying to his sacrifice with sacrifice of their own. And they are honored to do it!

Many persecuted Christians are even willing to give their lives for Jesus. Of course, Jesus does not ask such martyrdom from every believer. But we can still welcome suffering for him out of our thankfulness. The giving of time and finances is a sacrifice that the Lord recognizes and appreciates—especially when it is a result of our thankfulness for what he has done for us. It truly blesses him! Can you imagine the joy it is to know that Jesus feels blessed by something you do? The thanks you give him by willingly choosing to sacrifice your time, talents, and treasure for him?

In this season of thanksgiving, I want to encourage you to give your time and finances—not because you should, not because of obligation—but out of thankfulness.

Consider the darkness Jesus has delivered you from with his sacrifice. If you are thankful for the light, then reply with sacrificial thanks giving.

“We have to be intentional about remembering what Jesus has done for us. When we do that, we will be more thankful.”

Tuesday, November 28 is #GivingTuesday, a global thanksgiving movement that is helping to spread light throughout the world. If you are thankful for Jesus, would you partner with us and give sacrificially to what he is doing for Muslims and persecuted Christians in Iran?

Imagine the joy of Jesus when you say to him, “Thanks, it is an honor to serve you.”

To receive stories about persecuted Christians in Iran and learn more about how to support them and reach other Muslims hungry for the gospel, text “Iran” to 74784.

Seymore, Julia A. “Christianity Thrives in Iran Despite Severe Persecution.” ChristianHeadlines.com, April 4, 2016.

Lessons from the Persecuted Church: Do You Take Jesus for Granted?

Urgent Prayer Request for Earthquake Victims

November 16, 2017November 16, 2017 Hormoz Shariat Current Events Prayer Request, 2017 iran-iraq earthquake, reasons to reject islam

Please pray for all those affected by Sunday’s earthquake in Iran and Iraq.

As you might know, on Sunday, November 12, 2017, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck the border between Iran and Iraq. Most of the casualties occurred in Iran, with over 540 dead and at least 8,000 injured.

What a great privilege that I was able to go on the air soon after the earthquake to minister to the hurting and bring hope to Iranians during this difficult time. All through this week, we have had special live programs ministering to those who have lost loved ones in this earthquake.

The Scandal That Made the Disaster Worse

There is a scandal in the midst of this disaster, causing more grief and making people even more mad at their Islamic government and its corruption.

Many of the dead were residents of government housing projects. The government built new apartment buildings, which they sold to low-income and middle-class people. It is now clear that the government cheated people by using cheap materials to save money.

Pray That Iranians Will Find Hope in Christ

The people blame the government for corruption and the death of the victims. Now they are even more bitter against the current regime.

Once again, whatever the Islamic government does, the people assign it to Islam itself. So the loss of human life in this earthquake and its grief give people another reason to reject not just the Islamic government but Islam itself.

Nearly 70,000 people are homeless. Would you join us in ministering the love of Christ to those in need? We have trusted leaders inside the country who can help the victims in the name of Christ. We are now gathering funds to help victims and share the hope of Christ with them.

Please watch my message below and consider giving sacrificially.

How to Help

To donate to Earthquake Victim Relief, go to the donation page at IranAliveMinistries.org and be sure to note that your special gift today is for the earthquake victims.

Together, we are showing the Love of Christ to the people in the Middle East. Together, we are making a difference.

Islamic Terrorism: If We Don’t Go, They Will Come

November 3, 2017November 3, 2017 Hormoz Shariat Current Events, Battling Terrorism great commission, terrorism in the US, sharing the gospel with muslims, Islamic terrorists, spirit of islam

Last week I mentioned that the expulsion of ISIS from their self-styled capital in Raqqa, Syria would lead to an increase in lone wolf attacks in the West. I had hoped the next event would not occur so soon. But it did.

So on behalf of all those affected by Tuesday’s attack in lower Manhattan, I tell you this: if we don’t go to Muslims with the good news of the gospel, they will come to us with the bad news of Islamic jihad.

If We Don’t Go, They Will Come

We see this principle in the Old Testament where God wanted His people to reach out to other nations and be a witness to them. But they (the Israelites) did not do it. He even sent Jonah by force to show His love for the nations. But then because Israel did not go to the Assyrians and Babylonians, those nations came, attacked them, killed them, and took them to captivity.

This same consequence is what is happening today to America and much of the Western world. For centuries the Church has ignored the Middle East and Muslims. Only 3 percent of the Church’s mission budget is spent to reach out to 1.6 billion Muslims. Because we did not go to them with the love of Christ, they are coming to us with the hatred of Allah.

Terrorists coming with the hatred of Allah is exactly what happened on 9/11, and it is what is happening now. So the same OT principle is still valid: If we don’t go, they will come—and it will not be pretty. If we continue to disregard reaching out to Muslims of the Middle East, they will continue to come to us with violence and acts of terrorism.

Love or hate

It Is Impossible to Monitor All Terrorist Threats

Government officials feel helpless to stop it. Representative Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) said yesterday that stopping terrorism in the USA is impossible. Terrorism is impossible to stop completely because an act of terrorism easily could happen on any street corner, any movie theater, any stadium, any concert, or in any shopping mall in the US.

A few months ago, after my presentation at a conference about reaching out to Muslims with the love of Christ, I talked to a top homeland security officer. He said, “We are on the defensive in America, and that is a weak position. It is impossible to monitor all potential terrorists and stop them before they do their acts of terrorism.” He then continued, “There are many threats that Homeland Security thwarts before they happen, but unfortunately it takes only one person that we miss to bring terrorism to the US.”

Moving to the Offensive

Being on the defensive is a weak position. Jesus commands us to go (Matthew 28:19). We must be on the offensive with the gospel and love of Christ towards Muslims. We must go. The gospel is powerful but only if it is shared (Romans 1:16). Perfect love casts out the Islamic spirit of fear only if it is expressed (1 John 4:18).

Living on the defensive, in constant fear, or in search of ways to protect ourselves against inevitable attacks is not the answer to Islam. Neither is it the answerto return violence with violence. The only response with long-term impact is to aggressively love Muslims and share the gospel with them.

The good news is that God has done His part by opening the hearts of millions of Muslims towards the gospel already. The bad news is that the Church is pretty much asleep and is not doing its job. And yet the worst news is that, as a result, terrorism will increase in the USA. The news we get in the future will be based on the choices we make and the actions we take now.

We can be fearful of Islam.

We can be indifferent to Islam.

Or we can proactively obey Christ
and go share the gospel with Muslims.

Please join me in going on the offensive.

Henney, Megan. “New York, Terrorist Attacks ‘impossible to Stop’: Rep. Collins.” FOXBusiness, October 31, 2017.

Shariat, Hormoz. “Defeating ISIS—Quenching the Flames of Jihad.”

Hormoz Shariat

A servant of Christ – called to transform Iran and the Middle East with the gospel.