Hello, friends, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus. Today I want to talk about something that might make some of you uncomfortable—but it's something we desperately need to hear.
A few episodes ago, I talked about Afghanistan and the incredible things God is doing even in the midst of darkness and persecution. We've seen how God is reaching the unreachable, how He's appearing in dreams and visions, how His Gospel is penetrating the hardest places. But I want to address something that I believe is holding back the Western Church from fully participating in what God is doing in the Muslim world: fear.
[The biblical command - do not fear]
Deuteronomy 1:29 says, "Then I said to you, 'Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them.'" The Bible tells us more than 365 times—one for every day of the year—not to be afraid, do not fear. But friends, do we hear Him? Do we believe God when He says He will be with us and that we should not be afraid?
Because here's the truth: The Muslim world terrifies many Christians. Images of terrorists, burning towers, mobs chanting and lifting weapons—these images seem to have immobilized the progress of the Christian Church into the Muslim world. The statistics speak this truth plainly.
[The sobering statistics - where we're not going]
The greatest concentration of Muslims is in a place called the 10/40 Window, which includes North Africa, the Middle East, and Southern Asia. There are approximately 1.9 billion Muslims in the world today—that's nearly a quarter of the global population. Many countries in the 10/40 Window are predominantly Muslim, with some having populations that are 95-99% Muslim.
Yet according to Jason Mandryk in "State of the Gospel," the Western Church sends only 1 out of every 40 missionaries to this region. Think about that! Only 2.5% of our missionary force is going to reach 25% of the world's population. In many Muslim countries, there are fewer than three missionaries per one million people. In some countries, like Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan, there are virtually no resident missionaries at all.
Why the imbalance? Partly it’s that some of these countries, like Afghanistan, make it virtually impossible for a Western Christian to live there. With that said, I believe a significant part of it is that many in the Western Christian Church fear the Muslims. We've allowed images of extremism to define an entire people group in our minds. We've let fear—not faith—determine our missions strategy.
[God's answer to fear - power, love, and sound mind]
Listen to what 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us: "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Friends, fear doesn't come from God! When we're controlled by fear of Muslims, we're not operating in the Spirit God gave us. We're operating in a spirit that's contrary to who God is and what He's called us to do.
The Church needs to believe in the power of God to overcome the obstacles Satan has placed in the 10/40 Window. Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 that "the gates of Hades will not prevail" against His Church. Gates are defensive structures. Jesus is saying that when we advance, the forces of darkness cannot hold us back! We need to believe this and move out in trust, wisdom, and power.
[Learning about Muslims - breaking down fear through understanding]
So how do we overcome our fear? We start by learning about Muslims. What do they believe? What is their family life like? What makes them happy, sad, concerned? As we learn about them as real people—not just statistics or stereotypes—God can begin to break our hearts for them.
Let me share some things you might not know. Muslims value family highly, often more than Western cultures do. They practice hospitality generously—in many Muslim cultures, a guest is treated with incredible honor and care. They pray five times a day, showing a discipline in spiritual practice that should humble many of us. They fast during Ramadan, denying themselves food and drink from sunrise to sunset for an entire month. Friends, these are people who take their faith seriously! And guess what, they are open to talking about their faith and listening to you talk about yours. In fact, they think it odd that most Western Christians don’t easily talk about what they believe.
But here's what breaks my heart: Despite all their prayers, fasting, and religious devotion, they don't have assurance of salvation. They live in fear of judgment, hoping their good deeds will outweigh their bad. They don't know the love of a Father who sent His Son to pay for their sins. They've never experienced the peace that comes from knowing Jesus.
[What God is doing - the incredible harvest]
And here's what we saw in our Afghanistan series: Muslims are responding to the Gospel in unprecedented numbers! According to missions researchers, more Muslims have come to Christ in the last 30 years than in the previous 1,400 years of Islamic history combined. God is appearing to Muslims in dreams and visions across the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. In Iran alone, it's estimated that hundreds of thousands—possibly over a million—have come to Christ despite intense persecution.
In Afghanistan, as we discussed, there are now thousands of believers where there were virtually none 20 years ago. In Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, there's a growing underground church. In North Africa and Sudan, entire villages are coming to Christ. This is what God is doing! The question is: Will we partner with Him, or will we let fear keep us on the sidelines?
[Real stories - God uses willing servants]
Let me share a powerful story of what happens when someone overcomes fear and goes. In a majority Muslim country, a young American girl, who I have had the privilege of getting to know, is attending college to learn Pashtun. In her home city, many Muslims have immigrated. God put on her heart the desire to learn their language so she could share Christ with them. So, she got on a plane, put on a burka when she arrived and lives among Muslims.
She has had to give up many “freedoms” that American girls take for granted, but she is walking in a faith and courage that I truly admire! And God is using her mightily! She is sharing Jesus with her classmates. She is advocating for better living conditions and treatment of the young women. And after two years of school, she has gained so much respect. Doors are opened and seeds are being planted that I KNOW will bring forth fruit.
[The cost of our fear - who's paying the price?]
But here's what we need to face: Our fear has consequences. While we're staying comfortable and safe in our Western churches, 1.9 billion Muslims are living and dying without ever hearing the name of Jesus. Every day, approximately 160,000 Muslims die—and the vast majority of them have never had a single opportunity to respond to the Gospel.
Romans 10:14 asks, "How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" Friends, they can't! And if we're too afraid to go, too afraid to send, too afraid even to pray for them—their blood is on our hands. That's a sobering thought, but it's biblical truth.
[Practical steps - what we can do today]
So what can we do? Let me give you five practical ways to overcome fear and reach Muslims with God's love. First, pray for them specifically. Get a copy of "30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World" or use the Joshua Project app to find unreached Muslim people groups. Pray for them by name. As you pray, God will replace your fear with love.
Second, learn about Islam. Read books like "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus" by Nabeel Qureshi, “Son of Hamas” by Moses Hassan Yousef or my recent favorite “In the Land of Blue Burqas” by Kate McCord. Understanding what Muslims believe will help you engage them with the Gospel more effectively. Third, befriend Muslims in your community. There are likely Muslim immigrants, refugees, or international students in your city. Invite them for coffee. Show them genuine hospitality. Build real friendships.
Fourth, support missionaries working in Muslim contexts. Give financially and pray regularly for those on the front lines. Organizations like Frontiers, Pioneers, and Arab World Ministries specifically focus on reaching Muslims. And fifth, ask God if He's calling you to go. Maybe short-term, maybe long-term. Maybe to a closed country, maybe to Muslim refugees in Europe or Muslims in your own city. But ask Him! Don't let fear make that decision for you.
[The stakes - eternity hangs in the balance]
Friends, I know this is challenging. I know it's easier to focus on comfortable, safe ministry opportunities. But we need to understand what's at stake. Jesus came to seek and save the lost—all the lost, including Muslims. He died for them just as much as He died for us. And He's commanded us to take the Gospel to all nations, not just the easy ones.
In our Afghanistan series, we saw that difficulty doesn't stop God. Persecution doesn't stop God. Even death doesn't stop the spread of the Gospel when His people are obedient. The question isn't whether God can reach Muslims—He clearly can and is! The question is whether we'll partner with Him in that work or let fear keep us from obedience.
[Closing encouragement and prayer]
Jesus is waiting, friends. But He needs obedient servants. He needs people who will cast aside fear and follow His call into the Muslim world—whether that's across the ocean or across the street. We can begin today by praying for Muslims specifically, learning about them, and then asking God how He would have us reach out.
Let me pray:
Thank you for joining me. This message connects directly to what we've been learning about Afghanistan and God's work in impossible places. Don't let fear rob you of the joy of seeing Muslims come to Christ. They need to hear of Jesus's love, and they need someone willing to tell them.
Until next time, keep your eyes on the nation and remember—do not fear. God has given us power, love, and a sound mind.
