God’s Story in Iran and My Life’s Function

By Lana Silk

For every of us, God ties our story in with the larger Kingdom story. It’s by way of God’s design – utilizing particular occasions in historical past – that I see how my heritage and coronary heart for Iran is a part of one thing greater.

My household left Iran once I was round 10 years outdated, in obedience to a direct phrase of God, confirmed in a supernatural dream. Even then, as a younger woman adapting to a brand new life in Europe, I might by no means shake Iran. And to at the present time, it’s the similar. Iran has by no means left me. I nonetheless deeply love this nation and the dear folks in it, advocating for his or her cries to be heard from beneath the thumb of an completely abusive regime.

It began proper at delivery. The day I used to be born might be essentially the most notorious day within the Islamic revolution: September 8, 1978, identified in historical past as “Black Friday,” the day with the best fatalities because the folks fought the regime to make Iran an Islamic nation. My mother tells the story properly; she was going to the hospital to offer delivery to her first youngster, and there was a civil conflict actually occurring round her. I’ve by no means been in a position to shake the importance of that.

My delivery occurred on a day that was important in Iran’s story. Much more so, I need my life to be important to Iran’s story.

We grew up in a Christian dwelling in Iran, and I selected to observe Christ on the age of seven. I’ve at all times been motivated by fact and justice. I nonetheless bear in mind my mom swiftly pulling me into our dwelling at age eight as a result of I used to be actively proselytizing from our home balcony. She informed me that we might – and should– share the gospel, simply not on this approach.

Rising up with that dichotomy, between what I knew to be true in God’s Phrase and the propaganda being pushed down my throat at college, felt deeply unsettling. You see, every day at college, I used to be pressured to chant “Loss of life to Israel” and “Loss of life to America” alongside my friends – all of us, young children. You could possibly say I didn’t imply it or that it didn’t matter, nevertheless it mattered to me. I felt at odds with myself, convicted by the Spirit of God inside me; even then, I didn’t need these phrases to come back out of my mouth.

After I was 9, God spoke supernaturally to my mother and father about leaving Iran. It was not one thing that they had wished to do, however God confirmed it in a dream to our pastor, an exquisite man I knew as “Uncle.” Consequently, we ended up leaving Iran very abruptly. My mother and father demonstrated immense religion to me on this second of our household’s historical past, appearing in obedience with out seeing the entire image – one thing that has led me to do the identical over the course of my very own life many instances. Similar to Abraham acted by religion, when he didn’t have the entire image from God, my mother and father stepped into the center floor to ultimately be led into one thing larger. They shortly left our homeland in certain hope in and obedience to the Lord. After this step of obedience, He referred to as them into a robust ministry that may find yourself shaping the underground church in Iran.

All through my life, my religion has held a weightiness, a value. The day I obtained baptized, we acquired the information that the very pastor who urged us to depart Iran, our expensive household good friend, was stabbed and died as a martyr for Christ. I vividly recall having simply been baptized when my cousin ran as much as me weeping with the information that he had been killed. In that second, my dedication to Jesus was solidified, for I used to be stricken with the belief that my religion meant one thing. The Holy Spirit spoke to me, relaying, “That factor you’ve simply finished, that is what it’s about. I’m asking you to an all-or-nothing type of life with me.”

I could by no means be martyred for my religion. However due to all this, it’s extremely essential to me that I dwell a lifetime of full give up and sacrifice. No matter He might ever ask of me, I’ll gladly give it up for Him. For now, I do know my service is to the folks of Iran. I need the world to know what God is doing in Iran. I need them to be inspired by the miracles, to be strengthened of their religion and to wish for the folks of Iran. For a lot of right here within the West, it’s so a lot simpler to jot down off this nation as a misplaced trigger – to shut the door on caring about these beloved folks and justify that God both doesn’t care about them or that they’re out of His attain.

But, I’ve seen God transfer radically within the hearts of the Iranian folks, hungry for hope, freedom and justice.

This actuality ought to stand as each a problem and encouragement to us all. If Jesus can rework Iran, what can He do in our hearts and private lives? Higher but, what can God do by way of us to make a distinction within the grand Kingdom image?

Iran is altering, and consequently, so will the larger Center East. Our prayers matter, and our hope is everlasting. As I witness God shifting within the underground church of Iran, in addition to within the hearts of Iranians who’ve but to know Him, I’m stuffed with hope in God’s sovereignty. Jesus goes to vary Iran’s story. Because the Iranian individuals are rising up in opposition to their authorities with growing braveness and boldness, prepared to sacrifice all the pieces for freedom and a voice, God is stepping in for his or her rescue.

It’s by way of Christian ministries and the underground church that these Iranians are met with the reply for which they’ve been desperately looking out: hope in Christ Jesus. As people are being remodeled by God’s Phrase day by day, so are households and full communities. For instance, there was a Muslim girl who acquired a Bible in her coronary heart language simply final yr. She gave her life to Jesus and has now led greater than 80 different folks to the Lord. It’s fairly unbelievable, and he or she is merely one instance amongst many!

On the flip facet, these persecuted Christians serve for instance to the West.

As we take into account the price of salvation, would possibly we additionally study the fruit of our lives. What can we study from these Iranians about the price of following Jesus?

Likewise, are we lavishing others fervently with the gospel message?

If you wish to be challenged in your religion, get knowledgeable and are available alongside a ministry that’s supporting the underground church in a persecuted nation like Iran. God is ready to do greater than we ask or think about in conditions and hearts that appear unattainable to vary. Our brothers and sisters across the globe want us to wish and advocate for them; it’s our Christian name to motion. God has positioned us in our fast locality for a purpose, nevertheless it doesn’t finish there. Allow us to look past ourselves to your entire world, to a grander story in Jesus that can definitely rework us, too – if we’re prepared to step into all that God has referred to as us into because the unified physique of Christ.

Lana Silk is the Chief Govt Officer – USA of Rework Iran, a nonprofit group which seeks to rework Iran right into a nation that bears the picture of Christ. Silk was born and raised in Iran earlier than emigrating to the UK the place she accomplished her training at Imperial Faculty, London. With over 20 years of selling expertise throughout all media, Lana considers it her life calling to symbolize and advocate for the folks of Iran within the West.