My Muslim friend Jalil and I had been meeting for several months to study the Bible and pray together. Through many of our conversations, Jalil grappled with the truths of the Gospel as we talked about what it means to follow Christ.
Sometimes he seemed close to the Kingdom and ready to walk into life with Jesus. Other times, he seemed so far away. Nevertheless, I’d begun challenging him to consider following the commands he was encountering in the Word.
One evening, I gently addressed a way in which Jalil was not yet living according to the Scriptures we had studied. He became angry and left. But I was confident he wouldn’t stay mad for long. I knew he was far enough into his discovery of truth that he would think about the words I had shared with him—and hopefully accept them.
A couple of nights later, Jalil called me, sounding distressed. “I need to come over right away so you can pray for me,” he said. I invited him over then texted my teammate Alan to ask him to join us.
After all my efforts, after feeling like a failure, I was now witnessing Jalil walk from death.
Jalil was breathing heavily and sweating profusely when he arrived. “I don’t know what’s happened, but I need Jesus right now!” he exclaimed. “I think I’m going to die!”
It was as if some dark spiritual thing were attacking him, and Alan and I began praying. Then, in the midst of his hyperventilation, Jalil cried out, “Jesus, I will follow You as my Lord!” And immediately, he became calm. The three of us sat silently, marveling at Jalil’s sudden transformation and composure.
After a moment, I said to my friend, “You’ve read about how those who follow Jesus are baptized. Do you also want to be baptized now?”
“Yes!” he declared. I hugged Jalil, then we started filling the bathtub with water. Between the leaky drain and the low water pressure, it would have taken forever to fill. So, we used plastic buckets to haul water from the kitchen sink to the bathtub.
When the tub was full enough, Jalil hopped in. He affirmed his desire to follow Jesus forever, and I baptized him.
Alan helped our new brother out of the tub.
As for me, all I could do was cry.
Jalil was sweating profusely and nearly hyperventilating.
I cried because of all the effort I had put into learning Arabic, all the time I had spent feeling like a failure, all my investment in dear Muslims who, in the end, were resistant to the Gospel. After all that, God was now allowing me to witness Jalil walk from death to life in the Savior. The joy of seeing him trust Christ with his whole life overwhelmed me.
It’s because of the prayer and support of many that Jalil was set free to love and follow Jesus. Your sacrificial gifts are helping Frontiers workers invite many more Muslims to follow Christ. Imagine meeting Jalil and many other new believers face to face in Heaven, where they’ll thank you for the part you played in bringing them into the Kingdom!
- Pray that Jalil, our new brother, will grow in love for Jesus and understanding of the Word.
- Ask God to equip him to be a bold witness for Christ among his family and friends.
- Pray for new Frontiers workers to be trained and sent to that many more Muslims will hear the Good News and embrace the Savior.
This account comes from a long-term worker. Names and places have been changed for security.