God has ordained certain aspects of his will to be accomplished through our prayers. In his sovereignty he does a lot of things without our participation being required, but in certain areas, our participation is vital. Our prayers create the potential for grace to be dispensed to those being persecuted or as light to the persecutors. E. Stanley Jones writes: “In prayer you align yourselves to the purpose and power of God. He is able to do things through you that He couldn’t do otherwise. For this is an open universe, where some things are left open, contingent upon our doing them. If we do not do them, they will never be done. For God has left certain things open to prayer—things which will never be done except as we pray.” (15).

Each month VOM produces "The Jesus Freaks Minute," a daily radio-PSA that shares the stories of the persecuted church with Christian radio listeners all over the United States and around the world. Here's the script for one of the spots that will air next month, a spot entitled Prepare for Battle:

Throughout 2013, "Anna" has written posts for the PersecutionBlog about friendship, culture, and Kingdom-living from her home in the Middle East. We have re-posted some of these blogs during this Christmas week. In this final post in the Moving Toward Muslims series, Anna challenges us to take what we've learned and put it into action.

Throughout 2013, "Anna" has written posts for the PersecutionBlog about friendship, culture, and Kingdom-living from her home in the Middle East. This Christmas week, as we celebrate a Savior who came to earth to save Muslims (and everyone else), we thought it might be good to review some of the lessons Anna has shared with us throughout the year. Tomorrow we’ll have a brand-new post from Anna, her final post for 2013.

Merry Christmas!

Throughout 2013, "Anna" has written posts for the PersecutionBlog about friendship, culture, and Kingdom-living from her home in the Middle East. This Christmas week, as we celebrate a Savior who came to earth to save Muslims (and everyone else), we thought it might be good to review some of the lessons Anna has shared with us throughout the year. Friday we’ll have a brand-new post from Anna, her final post for 2013.

Throughout 2013, "Anna" has written posts for the PersecutionBlog about friendship, culture, and Kingdom-living from her home in the Middle East. This Christmas week, as we celebrate a Savior who came to earth to save Muslims (and everyone else), we thought it might be good to review some of the lessons Anna has shared with us throughout the year. Friday we’ll have a brand-new post from Anna, her final post for 2013.

This month we celebrate one of the highlights of our faith history: the time God sent his son into the world to be born as fully human and fully God at the same time. We celebrate that God’s plan for the salvation of man began to be realized when Jesus came into the world that night in Bethlehem.

I have a painting hanging in my office that gives me constant perspective. You may have seen it before: it’s called Safely Home and was painted by Ron Dicianni. Working at VOM, I consistently hear amazing testimonies; people are miraculously saved, protected, released from prison and provided for. God answers our prayers. Just last week after 220 days in prison, Pastor Farhad Sabokrouh was released from imprisonment in Ahvaz, Iran. All of the hundreds of letters and prayers were not in vain. I also consistently hear other stories. Also just this week we heard updates of continual attacks on Christians Egypt, homes were destroyed, at least two Christians were confirmed dead and a 15 year old girl was thrown from the second floor window of her home as her punishment for being a Christian, causing her severe injuries.

On Dec. 2, Rasoul Abdollahi, a Christian convert from Islam, was moved to Ward 350 of Evin prison in Iran. While it is unclear whether he was held elsewhere immediately before this or whether he was at home on temporary bail, he is now in Evin serving a three-year sentence for “collusion against the government and evangelism.”