Extremist Meets Jesus in a Vision

Over the past few weeks, we’ve shared story after story of persecuted and martyred Christians, usually at the hands of Muslim extremists. Converts from Islam and those who help them to faith are in the greatest danger, especially in Africa, where more than 90% of the world’s Christian martyrs last year took their last earthly breath.

We often pray here at the Prayer Wall for persecutors to experience Christ in powerful, life-transforming ways, much like Paul did on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). Today, I want to share with you just such a story, told by “Negash” himself in an interview by Tim Dustin with Global Christian Relief.

A Muslim extremist in East Africa who persecuted Christians and used his influence to rally others to his cause, Negash stayed up late one night writing in opposition to Christianity. “At around three in the morning, I saw a very tall person,” he explained. The mysterious man dressed in white said to him, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Except through Me, no one comes to the Father. I am the Alpha and Omega. I am Jesus.” And then He was gone.

“It was in the middle of the night—a vision. I had never heard ‘Alpha and Omega,'” Negash said. “I was afraid, and at the same time, I wanted to see Him again.”

Not long before that encounter, someone had left a Bible as collateral for payment at Negash’s shop. He had never held one before, and didn’t know what to do with it. He had even tried to use a couple of pages to pack sugar, but they were too thin.

After his encounter with Jesus, however, he now picked it up again, this time to read, and his eyes fell on John 14:6, the exact words from the vision!

That’s when the persecutor of Christians gave his life to Christ.

Filled with the joy of new life, he told his family and others what had happened to him, “Jesus saves and is everlasting life.” News spread fast that the former Muslim sheik was now an “infidel.” They beat him violently and left him for dead. But God rescued him and he continued to share the Good News. He even planted 13 new churches!

At the first church he planted, as he and other Christians gathered one evening, angry Muslims poured gasoline around the building and set it on fire from three sides. Everything burned, including their clothes. But Negash and the others with him were unharmed.

“The people who burned the church came back. They looked around and they saw nothing (left after the fire). They asked, ‘Why were you not burned?’ And we told them, ‘Jesus saves.'”

“I always cry for them,” Negash says of those who persecute him. “We cannot say to the blind, ‘Why can’t you see?'”

The pastor has since endured yet more violent attacks and threats on his life. But he continues to share the truth about Jesus. “I am not afraid of death,” he proclaimed. “I believe I will not die until God has finished His mission with me,”

(Read the full story at GlobalChristianRelief.org, an organization praying for and serving our persecuted brothers and sisters throughout the world.)

Lord, thank You for the way You saved Negash and gave him new life. Thank You for using him to lead many more to faith. Thank You for these new churches and for his faithfulness to share Your Good News even in the face of terrible opposition. And thank You for Your protection and the way You saved his life several times over. Please continue to be his Shield. Guard him, his family, his churches and others he serves from persecution and harm. Warn them before evil plans are made or carried out. Get them to safety early and rescue them from the hand of the enemy. Their lives are in Your hands, O God.

Spread Your wings over all of Africa and cover Your children. Shield them from abduction, abuse, forced marriages, death threats, violent attacks, prison, torture, death. Surround them with Your angels, and make those angels visible to the Muslims who come against them. May they see the hand of the Lord coming down from Heaven to smash the enemy. Isaiah 30:29-32. As they watch the way You so miraculously protect Your precious ones, bring them to their knees trembling in fear of the Lord. Open their ears to hear Your Good News and their hearts to surrender to Your love and salvation. Meet them in dreams and visions like You did with Negash. Speak clearly to them, flooding them with remorse for their evil acts and drawing them to repentance with Your kindness. Romans 2:4.

Grow every Christian strong in faith and faithful in love. Give them understanding of Your Word, so they will boldly and easily share it with others. Raise up preachers and evangelists and missionaries who will cross over every barrier to take Your Good News to the lost of every tribe and language all throughout Africa. Use them to share Your love in such powerful ways persecutors will lay down their weapons and surrender to You. Plant thousands of churches all throughout East Africa and beyond, filled with former Muslims who now choose Love over fear and violence. Give every follower of Islam such a hunger for Truth they will seek You with all their hearts and find You.

Awaken Africa to Your goodness, O Lord. Show them Your glory. Extend to them Your everlasting love. And save them. In Jesus’ glorious name. Amen.

Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through a donation, or by shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, click the buttons below:

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