Displaying items by tag: dreams

In Gaza, a significant number of Muslim men have recently converted to Christianity after reportedly seeing visions of Jesus in their dreams, an event described as miraculous by underground Christian communities in the area. This phenomenon was first reported online by Michael Licona, a Christian apologist and professor at Houston Christian University. The report by the underground Christian ministries detailed their efforts to aid hundreds of fathers who had lost their children in the war. These men were moved to safety, fed, clothed, and introduced to the Bible, which led to over 200 of them experiencing visions of Jesus in their dreams. Licona, while expressing his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, highlighted the importance of this event for Christians worldwide. He noted the small Christian population in Gaza, which is less than 1% and potentially as low as 1,000 individuals.

Despite birthing many of the earliest Christian churches, the Middle East and North Africa have endured centuries with little or no access to the Gospel. Today 20% of the world has never heard of Jesus Christ, and between 1% and 10% of missionaries work among Muslims. That’s one missionary for every 1 million Muslims. Nevertheless, recent decades have seen an unprecedented Christian witness. More Muslims have become Christians in the last 25 years than in the previous 1,250 years as Jesus has revealed Himself through visions, dreams, and miracles, and 350 ministries work together to disciple new believers; an amazing movement of the Holy Spirit is taking place. Families and marriages are being healed. A divine Spirit of love and freedom is taking root and bringing redemption and hope for the first time. Hundreds of former sheikhs and imams - now Christ followers - are leading many out of Islam, with multiple cases of entire mosques coming to faith in Jesus.

Kerry worked in a Christian hospital in sub-Saharan Africa as a physiotherapist to bring healing and hope to people largely unreached with the Christian message. Based in north Cameroon, she became part of a multinational (and non-denominational) team offering medical - and sometimes miraculous - solutions to the Fulbe (also known as Fulani) tribe. A gentle, gracious and unhurried people, the Fulbe are mostly Muslim. But many are now following Jesus, and they do not always first hear about him through the missionaries. Extended family groups, even across the border into Chad, have come together after having dreams of Jesus, asking Kerry and her colleagues to teach them more about the faith. A young man called Mohammed, whom Kerry introduced to Jesus four years ago, has since visited several of these groups, feeding their hunger to know more about this wonderful person who appeared to them in their sleep.

Yesterday, I was in a meeting and talking to a friend of mine. He had been prayed for at a global conference and told to go to Big Ben and declare it was time for God to move in our nation. He did this two years ago, soon after he was walloped with a host of issues and challenges. I felt I should ask him whether he needed to go back to the call and see if there was unfinished business. Later in the afternoon, we were concluding the meeting when a colleague suddenly said to my friend, “I think God is telling you to revisit your call to Big Ben”. My friend said “That’s interesting because I am just revisiting the prophetic word on my laptop.”

I believe this is a season to revisit our dreams. We may have lost faith, focus, or belief but God tells us to hold onto that word, one season of prayer may not be enough. We need to have persistent faith to see the fullness of the promise coming through. Waiting is an important spiritual discipline. Abraham had to wait for God’s promise. Joseph had many setbacks as he waited for his dreams to be fulfilled. Moses and Israel had to wait before entering the land of promise. David sets himself to wait patiently for God to fulfil his promise of kingship. In waiting we humble ourselves, we let go of our plans and wait on God’s. We become more aware that only a sovereign work of God can really deliver the fullness of the promise.

In a time of spiritual drought there are few dreams, “In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.” 1 Samuel 3:1. When the spirit falls “Your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions.” Acts 2:17. I believe we are in a time of awakening when God is going to fill many of us with a deep passion to see past promises fulfilled (and is stirring up many new dreams). It may be the return of a prodigal, it may be for a breakthrough, it may be to see the fire of God move in your church.

One thing is at the heart of this. Intimacy with Jesus. He is the author and perfector of our faith. He guides and inspires our prayers. Let us hear His words of preparation to the disciples at the last supper, “I tell you this timeless truth; the person who follows me in faith, believing in me, will do the same mighty miracles that I do – even greater miracles than these because I go to the Father! For I will do whatever you ask me to do when you ask in my name.” (John 14: 12 – 14 – Passion). Intimacy enables us to bring our dreams to Jesus, and to fully align with His purpose. Be open to even greater miracles!

Steve Botham, Director of World Prayer Centre

A was 19 when Jesus spoke to her in a dream. She dreamt that she walked into a Christian’s home and heard a magnificent voice. ‘I have never heard anything like it before or since,’ she said. ‘Later, I was very unwell for two days. I asked my friends to take me to church and there I wrote a prayer request on a piece of paper and asked the pastor to pray for me. All signs of illness disappeared. I knew Jesus was the truth and I committed my life to Him.’ A was forced to leave her family as the Christian faith is ‘Haram’ deserving death. She fled into the woods and prayed, ‘If the men in my family find me now, they will kill me. You know how angry they are at me. You know the community expects them to punish me. Show me the way.’ She was taken in by a pastor’s family and now attends a twice-weekly Bible study.