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Palestinian Arabs probably celebrated the victory of Emmanuel Macron in France's presidential election last week.
After all, his opponent, Marine Le Pen, made abundantly clear her frustration with, if not outright disdain for, the Islamic world.
But there was another aspect to the election for Palestinians, who have in recent years tried to get France to take a central role in the Middle East peace process, confident that the liberal European power would be among the first to openly embrace a Palestinian state.
Surely, many thought, Macron's liberal credentials meant he jump at the opportunity to help birth "Palestine."
However, shortly before taking office, Macron made perfectly clear that he would do no such thing.
"Unilateral recognition of Palestine, right now, will undermine stability," said Macron at a political rally, adding that he would not risk France's relationship with Israel to serve the Palestinian agenda.
That's right. France's new liberal president would rather maintain good relations with Israel than recognize "Palestine."
In fact, Macron is even on record equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism, insisting that hatred for the Jewish state "leads directly to antisemitism."
Seems the Palestinians' list of braindead allies is growing thinner.
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The violent, fanatical, and apocalyptic actions and rhetoric of the Iranian regime and the leadership of the Islamic State are causing millions of Muslimsto rethink whether they want to be part of such a religion, and many of them are turning to faith in Jesus Christ.
This is the assessment of Dr. Hormoz Shariat, a former Muslim who came to faith in Christ himself in the early 1980s. Today, Dr. Shariat is one of the the most prominent Iranian Christian pastors and evangelists in the world.
Last month, I had dinner with this dear friend, a man I call the "Billy Graham of Iran"because he is preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to millions upon millions of Iranians through his 24/7 Farsi satellite television network.
We were talking about the trends he's seeing in the Islamic world, and I left the conversation surprised by how encouraged he is. Yes, the Iranian regime and ISIS are engaged in horrific evil. But Hormoz told me he sees unintended consequences of the cruelty of the Iranian and ISIS leaders, that such actions are causing confusion among many Muslims and drawing them to consider the claims of Christ.
I so wish I'd had a notebook that night because what Hormoz was telling me was so fascinating. Instead, when I got home to Israrel, I emailed him and asked him to write up his analysis and send it to me. Graciously, he did just that. The notes he sent me are below. Please read them to the very end, and please share them with others. And let's keep praying that the Lord would continue to pour out His Holy Spirit on the world's 1.6 billion Muslims.
1. A growing number of Muslims are coming to faith in Jesus Christ because of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and ISIS.
The extreme actions and rhetoric of Iran’s government and the ISIS leaders have caused many Muslims in the Middle East to start thinking, asking questions, wondering if Islam could really be true.
This is a major spiritual breakthrough. For a person raised in the West where approaching any issue logically and objectively is the norm, this fact may not be appreciated. “Question Everything” is a cultural virtue in the West. But Muslims living in the Islamic world are not allowed to question their faith at all. Those who do are considered weak in their faith, and sometimes are punished by lashes.
Muslims are oppressed by a spirit of fear. They are afraid to read the Qur’an objectively, or even ask sincere questions about it. Islam is based on total obedience to Allah, without asking any questions.
I have had fascinating conversations over the years with Muslim scientists with PhD’s. We have discussed everything objectively and logically until the subject turned to Islam. I could see a spirit of confusion and fear would overtake them. They could no longer discuss things based on reason. They had stopped thinking.
What has caused Muslims to start questioning their faith? For Shiites, it has been the action of the IRI. For Sunnis, it is what ISIS is doing. I see similarities between the spiritual journey of Iranians for the last 35 years (leaving under the fear and oppression of Khomeini and Khamenei regimes) and a growing number of Sunnis in the last two years, since ISIS became powerful.
Here are the steps of how their thinking changes during their spiritual journey away from Islam and towards Christ:
First, they start thinking the Islamic leaders in the region are not really “True Muslims” – This is often the first reaction of Muslims to the Iranian Government and ISIS. Muslims look at what IRI and ISIS do and say: “Islam is good and perfect; it is these extreme leaders that are the problem. They are giving Islam a bad name. What they do is not true Islam.”
Next, they start wondering, “What is True Islam?” -- Both the Iranian regime leaders and ISIS leaders claim that what they do is based on Qur’an, and examples from the life of Prophet Mohammad. They certainly claim to be true Muslims. They challenge all Muslims by saying “What is it that we do that is outside Islam?” This challenge causes Muslims to take another look at the origin of their faith—that is, the Qur’an and the life of their Prophet Muhammad—in order to disprove IRI/ISIS actions and prove that Islam is true and good.
Then the suddenly realize, “Oh my God! The leaders of Iran and ISIS ARE true Muslims!” – A growing number of Muslims who take up the challenge of disproving the actions of the leaders of Iran and ISIS come to a shocking conclusion: that what those leaders are doing actually IS true Islam. They realize that Iran’s and ISIS’s leaders are not fanatic Muslims, but deeply committed and faithful Muslims.
At this point, they begin to realize that there is something fundamentally wrong with Islam itself – This is the start of their rejection of Islam and becoming open to other ways of thinking and faiths, including Christianity.
So this is encouraging -- millions of Muslims have started to ask questions about their faith. Ironically, currently in the U.S., one is not allowed to ask hard questions about Islamic faith. As a result of political correctness and an apparent government policy of appeasing Islam, many refuse to logically and objectively discuss what Muslims believe or even discuss Quranic verses. Most media personalities dare to even quote verses from the Qur’an.
2. Iran is fast becoming the first Islamic nation that is abandoning Islam and becoming a Christian nation.
Iran will be a Christian nation according to God’s promise for Elam (today’s Iran) in Jeremiah 49:38. This is happening even today before our eyes. It is no longer by faith that I say “Iran will be a Christian nation,” but it is by sight.
Islam is experiencing its greatest defeat in its history in Iran today. Islam is on the offense and is advancing everywhere in the world—except Iran. Iran is the only country in the world where Islam is on the defense and Christianity is on the offense.
Also, Iran will be the first country that fulfills Romans 11:11 in bringing the Jews to jealousy. When the Jews see that citizens of a nation who wanted to “wipe them off the map” increasingly becoming their friends and sincerely love, value, and have good will towards them because so many Iranians have received Jesus as the Messiah and Savior and been transformed by faith in Him, they will wake up to the fact that Jesus truly changes individual lives and even nations.
As the government of Iran continues to threaten Israel with annihilation, the people of Iran are gradually getting rid of their hatred for the Jews. Iranian Muslims who come to Christ and renounce Islam and start reading their Bibles become free from that hatred. They start getting the heart and mind of God for the Jewish people.
Amazingly, a growing number of Muslims are also losing that hatred, or at least the issue of Israel and Jews is becoming a non-issue for them. I see it all the time, and I believe the reason is that there is such a disconnect and distrust between the people of Iran and their government. When the government sponsors rally’s chanting “Death to Israel,” the people of Iran increasingly think, “If our government tell us that we should hate the Jews, it is a good reason that we should not.”
3. Signs, wonders, visions, dreams, and miracles are slowing down in Iran.
The younger generation in Iran (those under 30 years old) are increasingly experiencing fewer supernatural events—even though a growing number of them are coming to faith in Christ. I believe this is because they do not need miracles in order to come to Christ.
The Lord is so gracious. The older generation in Iran needs such miraculous signs because they are more oppressed by the spirit of Islam. They are, initially, very afraid to make a final decision to follow Christ, even when they are totally convinced of the truth of the Gospel. They are captives to the spirit of Islam, which is the spirit of fear. Therefore, the Lord graciously gives them supernatural experiences (visions, dreams, and miracles) to help them make that final decision.
The younger generation, however, do not need such signs and wonders. Most have been raised in a family where Islam was rejected and even ridiculed, or at least it was a non-issue. The majority of youth in Iran are coming to Christ after hearing the Gospel preached and the Word of God taught to them because, as they frequently put it, “I need salvation.” Their faith is deep even without these supernatural experiences.
Coming from a life of desperation and hopelessness, they greatly value the salvation and life-changing forgiveness offered by Jesus Christ. I am so thrilled and inspired when I talk to the young believers in Iran. They are fearless. They are neither afraid of Allah nor the Iranian government. Many say, “So what if they kill me, I was dead anyway.”
One young convert recently told me, “I am not afraid of them (the Iranian regime). They are afraid of me and my Gospel message. It is out of their fear that they want to put me in jail.”
These young generation are ready to live for Jesus and if necessary to die for Him. I believe that as we -- the older generation of Iranian followers of Christ – set the foundation of Iran to become a Christian nation, it is this emerging young leaders who will finish the job of transforming Iran into a Christian nation.
I've been accused of being a prophet, and I cringe every time because (1) I don't like the title, and (2) I'm not comfortable with the way some Christians put prophetic people on pedestals. The gift of prophecy is certainly needed today, but we should never turn prophets into celebrities or follow them like gurus. Nor should we cheapen prophecy by turning it into a Christian form of fortune telling.
True prophecy is the holy proclamation of God's will and purpose in a particular situation. It is possible to discern what God is saying to a specific church or even a nation. And I believe He is saying some very specific things to the United States. I do not claim to know every detail, nor is the list below complete. The Bible says "we prophesy in part" (1 Cor. 13:9)—and that's why other prophets should add what is missing.
I believe God is most definitely saying these things to us today:
1. We shouldn't look to politicians from either party to save us. At this point, unity among conservative Christian voters looks impossible—especially since most black churchgoers and a big percentage of Hispanic Christians will vote for the Democratic ticket. The bigger question is this: Regardless of whether we have Clinton, Rubio, Trump, Cruz, Carson or even Sanders, will the "right" president deliver our country from its problems? We've had both liberals and conservatives in the White House over the past three decades, but neither party has stopped our morals from sinking or our families from disintegrating. Only a sovereign intervention from heaven can help us now. We can vote our consciences, but we must look to God to heal America.
God is saying: "Ask Me for a spiritual awakening, not a political victory."
2. The church must be equipped to heal broken people like never before. The family has been fragmenting at an alarming rate over the past few decades—and the number of young people who grew up with a father and mother in the home has dwindled to a minority. This will have huge implications for the church in the next few years, and if we are not trained to handle the pain, the church will lose the battle. It is time for every church to prepare an army of healers. Christian marriages are in crisis. Sex addiction is rampant. The transgender movement, along with the Supreme Court's decision to redefine marriage, now poses huge new challenges for kids and teens today—and we cannot meet this test without the Holy Spirit's power. The church must train counselors to deal with divorce, abandonment, abuse, domestic violence, gender confusion, sexual perversion and all the other problems associated with family breakdown.
God is saying: "Heal the brokenhearted and give them My compassion!"
3. Aging churches must embrace change—and discard outdated religious baggage. A huge number of Bible-believing churches have already become irrelevant to the culture because they have refused to update their styles and reconfigure their methods. Our gospel is unchangeable, but our methods must adapt to the needs of people. We only have a window of time to make these changes; old wineskins will soon become useless. Denominations must be open to innovative leadership and new ideas—or their lamps will go out. It is a time for drastic measures. Churches that seek God for His new direction will enter into a new season of fruitfulness and growth.
God is saying: "The season of spiritual barrenness is over, if you seek Me. I will break the yoke of dead, dry religion and release a fresh anointing so you can reach your cities."
4. The church must build the bridge of racial reconciliation. God is serious: He wants us to root out racism in the evangelical churches of America. He is not happy that we have dragged our feet on this! Government programs and political speeches don't have the power to heal the problems we saw in 2015 in Ferguson, Baltimore, Charleston or Chicago. The church has been given the "ministry of reconciliation" (see 2 Cor. 5:18), and reconciliation will only work when black, white and Hispanic church leaders engage the enemy together.
God is saying: "A banner has been unfurled over this year, declaring Psalm 133:1: 'Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!'"
5. We must open our hearts to foreigners. Our national discussion about immigration, refugees and Muslims has exposed a spirit of bigotry and hatefulness, even among followers of Jesus. Today the world looks at the United States and wonders if we really are still a nation that believes all people are created equal. Our racism and nationalism have erected more walls than bridges. If we truly want to be Pentecostal in our theology, we must embrace the foreigners who are drawn to Christ by the Holy Spirit. This doesn't mean we throw out immigration policies, or allow terrorists to enter the U.S., but it does require us to make room in our cold hearts for the people God is bringing into our communities.
God is saying: "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations! Open your doors to everyone I am sending to you!"
6. We must focus our prayers on the Islamic world. In the 1980s, Christians prayed for seven years for the collapse of Soviet communism. But when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, most believers were shocked that God answered those prayers. The same doubt exists today; many Christians focus only on the evils of ISIS rather than considering the possibility of a massive move of God among Muslims. We must pray expecting the Islamic Curtain to fall. Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, even Yemen—unbelievable spiritual shifts will take place in these nations in response to the prayers of God's people!
God is saying: "Is anything too hard for Me? My Word will not be chained. I will pull back the veil of Islam and shine My light in the darkest places."
7. We should expect a spiritual awakening to break out among young people.I've never been more convinced that we are going to see a fresh wave of the Holy Spirit's power to hit this country—and I'm looking for it to erupt in our high schools and on our college campuses. It will take a miracle—since God is not exactly welcome in these secular environments. But when one fire starts blazing, others will catch. I fully expect to see America's college students praying, fasting, preaching and worshiping so radically that something akin to the Jesus movement of the 1970s happens again. The music of this next movement will grab the world's attention. The testimonies of transformed lives will end up on the mainstream news. Social media will provide the platform to spread this campus revival quickly.
God is saying: "I will call a new generation to serve Me, and they will boldly proclaim My gospel—even in the strongholds of secularism. I will have radical followers even in the Ivy League schools."
J. Lee Gradyis the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. He is the author of several books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, 10 Lies Men Believe, Fearless Daughters of the Bible and The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale. You can learn more about his ministry, The Mordecai Project, atthemordecaiproject.org.
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