Nasir wanted to learn about Jesus.
Just one month earlier, he had been stopped at the airport as he tried to leave to join militant fighters in Syria.
Feeling vulnerable and destabilized by the experience, Nasir briefly declared himself an atheist. But he couldn’t deny God’s existence. Hungry for the truth, he started searching online for information about the true way to peace with God.
Then Nasir came across a Facebook page that seeks to introduce Muslims to the Gospel. He exchanged several messages with the page’s administrators, who then connected him to Brian, a Frontiers worker.
Nasir had been stopped as he tried to leave to join militant fighters in Syria.
In their first meeting, Nasir received the Bible Brian gave him and said he was excited to discover Jesus’ message of hope.
“This is what I want,” Nasir said. “I want Jesus. I’m serious about this.”
But the next time Brian met with him, Nasir had turned the other way. “I want nothing to do with this Jesus,” he said. “I feel like I’m simply exchanging one form of extremism for another.”
When Brian told this to his teammates, one woman on the team refused to take Nasir’s statements as final. “I’m going to fast and get others to join me, and we’re going to pray for Nasir to become a follower of Jesus.”
For three weeks, Brian and his teammates prayed and fasted for Nasir.
Brian, however, had little hope that he’d ever hear from Nasir again.
But no sooner had the three weeks ended than Nasir called him. “Brian, I need to talk to you,” he said.
Brian invited Hamid, a local Muslim-background believer, to come and meet with him and Nasir. He hoped that meeting Hamid would show Nasir that people from his own culture can—and do—become followers of Christ.
“I feel like I’m simply exchanging one form of extremism for another.”
During their meeting, Nasir listened as Hamid shared the Gospel. Brian had already shared this message with Nasir—almost word for word. But as Hamid spoke, it touched Nasir’s heart deeply.
“Is this what you were trying to tell me?” Nasir asked Brian.
“Yes,” Brian said. “It’s exactly what I’ve been telling you.”
“Man, why didn’t you just say that?” Nasir said. “This is so clear now!”
Brian admits that he didn’t think Nasir was going to turn around and start seeking Jesus again. “But God just took hold of him as my teammates rallied in prayer and fasting for him,” he says.
“For Nasir, sitting down and hearing the Gospel from one of his fellow countrymen was a big turning point,” Brian says. Now Nasir is studying the Word with Brian and Hamid and growing in love for Jesus.
- Praise God for turning Nasir’s heart to Christ and for the many people involved, from Facebook page administrators to people praying.
- In countries where there are national believers, pray for fruitful partnerships with Frontiers teams and local fellowships.
- Pray that Nasir will help others in his country understand the Gospel—just as Hamid explained it to him.
- Ask the Lord to send laborers to places where there are still no workers, no believers, and no churches.
Halil believed he had no choice but to kill a Frontiers field worker who was teaching his family about Jesus. But before he could follow through, the Gospel began to change his heart.
This account comes from a long-term worker. Names have been changed for security.