One of the primary ways God is drawing Muslims to Himself is through simple Bible studies that highlight passages of scripture from Creation through the Resurrection. The Waha app contains many story sets that have been translated into dozens of languages. Throughout the 30 days we will pray through these story sets that reveal Jesus, the Word made flesh.
As you read these familiar passages, prayerfully imagine what it would be like to read them for the first time – to see the wisdom, power, beauty, and authority of God and to be drawn to trust in Christ and yield your allegiance to Him.
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the pigs, and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and were drowned in the sea. The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
Jesus’ authority extends over nature.
This passage teaches us how prone humanity is to respond in fear instead of living in faith. Jesus’ disciples were afraid of the storm. The people of the Gerasenes were afraid of the demoniac, then they were afraid of his healing.
Though it may be contrary to official Islamic doctrine, throughout the Muslim world, many people enter into the spiritual realm to seek blessing, protection, and success from spirits. Sarra had made a pact with one of these spirits to help her succeed in her studies. When she met a Christian and started going to their small home church, the spirit she made a pact with didn’t like it. Eventually, she found that she was failing in school. She decided grades and success in school were of greater worth than Jesus and walked away from Him and from her Christian family. The small house church would continue to pray for her even though she wasn’t in attendance. She sensed their prayers and would call someone in the group and tell them to stop praying for her. A couple of years later, the unrelenting grace of Jesus that wouldn’t give up on her won her heart and she repented and turned back to Him. Pray for many, many more stories of freedom for the people of this land. May there be multitudes who would testify to Jesus’ power and boundless grace.
Right now there are Christians in this land who are facing intense storms in life: threats from family members, the possibility of losing children, financial uncertainty, unemployment, and being thrown in prison because of their faith in Christ. There are also believers facing storms because of the fallen world we live in: cancer, depression, underemployment, strained relationships, and loneliness.
Today we pray Ephesians 6:10-20 for our brothers and sisters among this people — that they would be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. May they put on the whole armor of God that they would be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
May the people of this land take up the whole armor of God, that they would be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. May they stand, therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. And as shoes for their feet, put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
In all circumstances may the people of this land take up the shield of faith with which they can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. Put the helmet of salvation firmly on their heads and the sword of the Spirit in their hands, which is the Word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication.
So Lord, to this end, keep us alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. We pray for our brothers and sisters in this land that words would be given to them to open their mouths boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.