On his way to and from work, Sabir would walk past a house that had John 14:6 posted on the front door. Naturally curious, one day, Sabir knocked on the door and talked to the homeowner:
“What are these words on your door?” he asked. “Nobody has the power to say this.” The homeowner explained the verse and offered to introduce Sabir to a local pastor who could help him answer further questions.
The next day, Sabir met with the pastor who gave him a Bible. “Can I find truth in this book?” Sabir asked. The pastor answered, “Yes. Read and you will find the truth.”
After reading the Bible for a few days, Sabir brought it to the leader of his mosque. The imam discouraged Sabir from reading it. But Sabir couldn’t put the Word down. He was overwhelmed with the story of Jesus and how he was born of the Holy Spirit. The more he read, the more truth he found, and the more he wanted to keep on reading.
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Eventually, Sabir stopped going to mosque. The imam noticed his absence and showed up at Sabir’s house. “Why have you stopped going to mosque?” the imam asked. Sabir boldly answered, “I found the truth, that salvation has come by the death of Christ. He is alive. The Bible has changed my life.”
The imam immediately left and gathered the community together, describing how Sabir had become an infidel. The imam tried to incite a mob to kill Sabir, but Sabir was well-respected and the community refused—they instead protected him.
Following the incident, Sabir accepted Jesus into his heart and was baptized. He now teaches the Bible in his community and has seen many come to Christ.
Sabir says, “[Our church] is not just a building, but a place for the children to come and get an education. And I will teach them.”
In Philippians 3:14, it says, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Even against adversity and hatred, Sabir continues to press onward and live out the life God has called him to.
We’re inspired by Sabir’s story and are grateful to have another brother in Christ! He has sent forward a few prayer requests. Join us in praying now.
God, we love to hear stories like Sabir’s, where Your truth is discovered and taken to heart. You are still radically changing lives. We ask You bless Sabir and his ministry.
We ask that Sabir’s community will remain tolerant of Christians and the church, that they will partner alongside them and live in harmony with each other.
We pray for Sabir, that his faith will continue to grow each and every day, that he will maintain a boldness in sharing his faith with his neighbors. And we ask You bless Sabir’s church, that You will provide for their needs and that they will be a church that flourishes and adds to their number daily. May Your name be glorified through Sabir’s testimony. Amen.
*Representative name used and photo blurred to preserve security
About the author
Tim Dustin is a writer and editor for Global Christian Relief, where he’s blessed to share the stories of his persecuted brothers and sisters with the worldwide Church. Read the latest Christian persecution stories on our website and learn more at GlobalChristianRelief.org.
