I will never forget my first encounter with a Muslim convert who had accepted Jesus and was tortured for it. He accused us Christians of being cowards. I felt very uncomfortable about this attack until I saw the marks of torture on his body. He went on to say, "How is it that you have the Truth, light and salvation and then keep it to yourselves while a lot of people still live in darkness?"
I immediately remembered the disciples when they were imprisoned and surrounded by threats from the Jewish leaders. Their prayer was: "And now, Lord, see their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with full boldness." (Acts 4:29) It is amazing that they did not pray to stop the threats or persecution, but to give them boldness to face it.
Even today, Christians are challenged both physically and mentally by various means and ways until Jesus comes again. We must learn to face these challenges with boldness, but in the meantime, we must not forget to support our persecuted sisters and brothers by all means.
We should not only be inspired by them. They need us to pray for them daily and remind the world of the struggle they are in. We can help with money to meet their basic needs and accompany them in their struggle to be Christians.
In Danmark we pray for revival, but what we need most is the great boldness that our persecuted friends can inspire us with.
By Wessam Youssef, cross-cultural worker in Inner Mission
