The ‘light of a thousand suns’ shines on Oman!

An entire Arab Muslim family—a widow and her five grown children, all plagued for years with severe psoriasis—found healing and salvation thanks to the evangelistic initiatives of an underground Bibles for Mideast church meeting regularly not far from where they live in Oman. We first reported on that church and some of its newest members several years ago (Salvation and healing in the Sultanate of Oman).

Let us now tell you how God continues to work His wonders through His people there! Abbasia*, Mohsina* and others of the family we featured in our earlier story had been faithful Muslims before their dramatic conversions to Christianity.

Living in predominantly Islamic Oman, they knew well that the nearby mosque’s Friday prayers would have held special significance this past Friday—it being the second Friday in Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month. So the Christians, being brave and triumphant in their new faith in Christ, figured: ‘what better time to share the gospel with friends and neighbors?’

The oldest independent state in the Arab world, Oman borders the Gulf of Oman to the north, the Arabian Sea to the southeast, and Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen to the west. India lies across the Arabian Sea from Oman.

After seven days of prayer and fasting in their own homes, they felt confidently led by the Holy Spirit for their mission. As Islamic Friday prayers went on (within mosques throughout Oman and around the world), this particular mosque soon found itself surrounded by a small army of Christians wielding nothing but bibles and fervent prayers for opened minds and hearts.

The fasting and extra praying had them well-prepared spiritually, but they soon felt physically beaten down by the heat of the noonday sun [temps this time of year can reach 100 ºF—Ed.]. Then, quite miraculously, a cloud appeared out of nowhere, between them and the sun! The welcome respite from the heat comforted, strengthened and encouraged them even more for what they knew to be a holy assignment.

Abbasia* (the older brother in the family from our earlier story) and the Christian believers with him began sharing the gospel even as Friday prayers and preaching went on within the mosque. The Islamic believers became aware of the commotion outside, only barely able to make out the what the Christians were saying. But slowly, as the Holy Spirit began to move among them, the words came into sharper focus.

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save every human being!” they heard as clearly as the sun shone brightly above.

“This Jesus, this perfect man who had no sin in His life, carried each individual’s sin with him to the cross of Calvary. By His crucifixion, He took away our sins and opened the gates of heaven and gave us salvation. He rose from the dead on the third day and entered into Glory. He now sits at the right side of the Heavenly Father and intercedes for each of us! He will return on the clouds soon to take us to heaven. Believe Him and you will be saved! Without Jesus no one can go to heaven!”

As all heard the message and began finding themselves strangely stirred, the enraged imam (mosque leader) angrily redirected the roused emotions of his flock, demanding they ‘put an end’ to those speaking about Jesus.

He rushed out and towards the Christians, brandishing a sword, while others grabbed sticks from around the mosque’s grounds and charged.

“Allahu Akbar!” [Arabic for ‘Allah is greater’ or ‘Allah is (the) greatest’—Ed.] they shouted, aiming now to kill the evangelists.

Abbasia and the team with him stood their ground. Certain they were about to be martyred, they prayed for those heading directly at them, so close now they could see the hatred in their eyes.

Suddenly, only a few meters away, the mob stopped. Their hatred abruptly turned to fear, with some stepping back and running away. What had happened? What had they seen?

It was as if ‘Someone’ had turned a switch, brightening the light of the sun above to that of a million suns now aimed directly at the attackers and seeming to come closer and closer. The imam and his flock thought surely they would be swallowed up by the powerful light. They dropped their weapons and fled.

Abbasia and the team could barely stop praising and thanking the Lord for His mighty protection! They also found themselves praying, “Lord, save them! Make them Your children and help them become witnesses to Your Truth!”

Please join us in praying for all these new and not-yet believers, their local church, and the ministry of Bibles for Mideast across the entire region.

IMPORTANT UPDATE
We have learned that the imam and many who had been at the Friday service at the mosque—and afterwards witnessed the ‘bright, blinding light’—developed severe fevers. Not able to even speak about what they had experienced, concerned neighbors brought them all to hospital. Please pray for COMPLETE HEALING for all affected. We have to know and trust God is up to something beyond interesting.

_______________
* Names changed for safety reasons