Hello, friends, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus.
This is Part 3 of our Afghanistan series, and today I'm going to share stories with you that still bring tears to my eyes every time I think about them. Stories that prove beyond any doubt that Jesus is moving powerfully in the Muslim world.
Before I dive in, let me read you a verse that has become so real to me. It's from Joel 2:28:
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions."
Friends, we are living in the days when this prophecy is being fulfilled before our very eyes. God is pouring out His Spirit on all flesh—including Muslims in Afghanistan and across the Islamic world. And He's doing it through dreams and visions.
I had been praying for the 10/40 Window for years. After September 11, 2001, God spoke strongly to my heart to pray specifically for Muslim people. As I prayed and learned, I began reading reports of Muslims having dreams of Jesus. It fascinated and encouraged me so much!
But before 2021, I never thought I would actually know Muslims who had dreams of Jesus. I thought these were amazing stories that happened to other people, through other missionaries. I had no idea that God was about to give me a front-row seat to see it happen myself.
When I started helping Afghans during the evacuation crisis, I told every person I spoke to that I was a follower of Jesus Christ. I explained that it was His love for them that caused me to want to help them, and I told them I would pray for them. And I did pray for them—by name, regularly, fervently.
Each person was kind and thanked me for praying. The praying hands emoji became a frequent part of our online conversations. I wasn't pushy. I simply told them the truth about why I was helping them, loved them with the love of Christ, and let God do the rest.
One of my contacts seemed interested in Jesus, so I began sharing more. But then this person became fearful and asked me to stop. Of course, I respected that and stopped immediately.
But friends, two days later—just two days—I received a message that this Afghan had a dream of Jesus Christ. Two days after asking me to stop talking about Jesus, Jesus Himself showed up in this person's dream.
Over the next couple of years, this Afghan had two more dreams of Jesus. We had conversations, I prayed and shared Biblical truth. And then—praise God—this Afghan became a Christian under Taliban rule, where conversion is punishable by death. But the story gets even better: This Afghan went on to share their new faith with a friend, and soon that friend trusted Jesus as well! One dream led to one salvation, which led to another salvation.
The next year, I had another Afghan contact so desperate for food that he was planning to sell his kidney. But Jesus showed up in his dream. This man had an encounter with Jesus while sleeping, and soon after, he put his faith in Christ. A friend in Pakistan helped disciple him in his new faith. Jesus didn't just save this man's soul—He met him in his moment of greatest desperation.
I've also become friends with a Muslim from the West Bank who had a dream of Jesus at age 10. Years later, after much study of both Sunni and Shia Islam, he encountered the Holy Spirit supernaturally, and put his faith in Jesus Christ. The next day, he heard singing and found a church in Jordan—and they were singing the exact same song he'd heard in his dream as a 10-year-old! That's divine orchestration. That's the fingerprints of God all over a salvation story.
Yet another brother came to Christ through dreams and now helps many Afghan pastors online through the underground church network. Do you see the pattern? Jesus appears in dreams. People come to faith. Then those new believers help others, disciple others, and strengthen the church. One dream at a time.
Why dreams? In many Muslim countries, it's illegal to own a Bible or evangelize. But God can still reach people through dreams—the Taliban can control borders, but not what happens when people sleep. Dreams carry significant weight in Muslim culture. And dreams show God's initiative—He pursues Muslims who've been taught Christianity is false. It demonstrates that salvation is God's work, not ours.
What I've witnessed is part of something much larger across the entire Muslim world. There's a book, one of many on this subject, called "Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World?" by Tom Doyle. From Iran to Afghanistan, from North Africa to Indonesia—Muslims are encountering Jesus in supernatural ways at unprecedented rates.
Despite the Taliban, despite persecution, despite the fact that conversion can mean death—the Afghan church is growing. Ministry leaders estimate it's growing as fast as Iran's explosive underground church movement. It's miraculous. Jesus loves all people, and Muslims are not forgotten by Him.
So what do we do? First, pray for more dreams. Pray for Muslims to encounter Jesus across the Islamic world. Second, be ready. If God is giving Muslims dreams of Jesus, some will seek out Christians to ask questions. Are you ready to share the Gospel clearly? Third, support the underground church risking their lives to disciple new converts. Fourth, tell these stories. Share what God is doing. And fifth, increase your faith. If God can reach Muslims in Afghanistan through dreams, He can work in your life too.
When I started helping Afghans in 2021, I thought I was just doing humanitarian work. But God had so much more in mind. He was connecting me with people who would have dreams of Jesus. I'm just one person who said yes to God. You don't have to be a trained missionary. You just have to be willing to be used.
I want to close with this: Don't lose hope for the Muslim world. Jesus is moving powerfully. The church is growing. Lives are being transformed. The Taliban can't stop it. Persecution can't stop it. Because when Jesus decides to reveal Himself to someone, nothing can stand in His way.
Dearest Lord Jesus, we love You! You move in ways we can't even imagine. Please use each of us to reach others. Whatever You're calling us to do, may we say yes. In Your name, amen.
Friend, your yes might be part of someone else's salvation story. Your prayers might lead to someone's dream. Your obedience might open the door for Jesus to reveal Himself to someone who desperately needs to know Him.
Thank you for joining me for this three-part series on Afghanistan. If these episodes have stirred your heart, don't let that stirring fade away. Do something. Pray. Give. Go. Get involved. Until next time, keep your eyes on the nations, keep praying for the Muslim world, and keep believing that Jesus is building His church in the darkest places.
You can listen to this as a podcast at Spotify podcast
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