Join us Sunday, November 3, for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.
Praise God, two Christians imprisoned for their faith have now been released!
Pastor Anooshavan Avedian was arrested in 2020 for sharing the gospel and later sentenced to ten years in prison. But on September 24, an appeals court acquitted him of all charges.
Mehdi “Yasser” Akbari, a single parent to a disabled son, was arrested in 2019 and sentenced to ten years because of his faith in Christ. His son was sent to a facility, where he died in 2021, but authorities refused to allow Yasser to attend the funeral. In April, Supreme Court officials agreed to hear Yasser’s case and reduced his sentence to four years and five months, which he completed on September 29. There to greet him as he left the prison was Mehdi Rokhparvar, an Iranian believer also arrested for his faith, but released last year.
Iran is nearly 99% Muslim and ranks among the top ten most dangerous countries in the world for Christians due to severe persecution. In recent years, however, it has become known for having the fastest growing underground church. Estimates put the current number of Christians anywhere from 300,000 to one million and climbing.
At least 166 Christians were arrested in Iran last year, some of whom have received sentences of up to five years in prison. Conversion to Christianity is punishable by death.
Praise God that these imprisoned believers have been released from custody! Pray that the court officials will likewise respond impartially when hearing the cases of other innocent Christians who are serving time in various prisons across this Middle Eastern nation. May these presently incarcerated followers of Jesus be safely released as well.
In general, please continue to pray for the ongoing ministry of all our Iranian brothers and sisters in Christ as they courageously reach out to those around them with God’s love – seizing opportunities to speak of the blessed hope and joyous spiritual freedom that are readily available through faith in Jesus.
As the Gospel message goes forth over the airwaves, may the growth of the church continue to multiply despite persecution. Pray that the Iranian government will be open to change, allowing full rights and protection for its non-Muslim citizens as well.
In the meantime, may those who are forced to flee the country find safe refuge and help so they can live in peace and worship the Lord with freedom.
October 3, Voice of the Martyrs
Lord, we praise You for Pastor Anooshavan and Yasser’s release.. Guard them, guide them and sustain them daily with Your grace. Use them to love their enemies and bless those who persecute them. For those who are still in prison, please wrap them in Your arms and let them feel Your presence. Speak to them tenderly and encourage them in the toughest hours. Make the way for their release, and use them as mighty lights for Your glory. Fill them with Your forgiveness and love, empower them with Your message of truth, and use them to draw many others to You. When they and other Christians are brought before the authorities and interrogated, give them the words to say. Shine so brightly through them their persecutors will tremble in fear of the Lord and be drawn to the glory of God reflected in their faces. Sustain every Christian in Iran, Lord. Lift them up to soar over every trial on Your Eagle wings. Be a Shield around them, hiding them from those who wish to do them harm, and give them favor with all their neighbors and those in authority. Bring to them those who are seekers, longing to know the God of Love in the midst of so much hatred and violence their culture has known. Help believers know who is truly seeking You and who is placed there to spy on the church. Hide every underground gathering of believers from those who wish to do them harm, but make those churches easy to find for seekers who truly want to know You. Grow Your church in Iran by the thousands, even millions. Awaken every heart to hunger for You, Lord. May Your Kingdom come to every village, home, people group and heart. Visit the lost in their dreams to tell them who You are. Don’t let even one more person die without hearing the truth about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. May they know once and for all that You alone are the Way, the Truth and the Life. In Your 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:
Don’t Miss a Day of Prayer
Join the army! Pray through the news for God’s purposes to prevail. To get the daily posts delivered to your inbox in time for your morning quiet times, enter your email address in the space below:
For 30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening, Dare to Be a Mighty Warrior, and other books for all ages on praying forth God’s purposes and breaking free from anxiety and other strongholds, visit MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com
When you click on the above links to books I have authored, as a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, I may receive a small commission for certain purchases.
All proceeds this author receives from book sales go to shining Light in dark places of the world.
Thank you for your support! If you’d like to know more about how you can help the Vincents’ ministry, please contact Mikaela.
PRAYER WALL 