Eric, a long-term Frontiers field worker, stepped out of his apartment and locked the door behind him. He entered the building’s old wooden elevator and absentmindedly pushed the button for the ground level. Discouragement clouded his thoughts as he descended.
For over two years, he had been telling his Muslim friend Sidi about Jesus. Sidi, an Islamic scholar, worked as an editor at a well-known newspaper. Over countless cups of chai, Eric had poured out his heart to Sidi. He had shared how Christ’s perfect love had transformed his life and his relationships. He had also tried reasoning with his friend about the logical truth of the Gospel.
But Sidi still seemed just as far from the Kingdom as the day Eric met him.
The elevator stopped. Eric pulled open the door, stepped out of the building, and started walking to Sidi’s apartment.
Sidi needed Christ, but Eric couldn’t convince him of this.
He prayed quietly for wisdom along the way and thought about what he would say to Sidi. Eric felt ready to lay it all out on the table. He was going to tell Sidi that there was nothing more he could say and nothing more he could pray. Sidi needed Christ, but Eric couldn’t convince him of this. If Sidi didn’t respond to Jesus today, then Eric wasn’t sure he had the energy to continue having fruitless spiritual conversations.
Arriving at his friend’s door, Eric paused and prepared himself for a disheartening visit. Then he knocked.
Sidi ushered his friend in and sat him down. But before Eric could say anything, Sidi said, “I have been wanting to talk to you. I’m tired of the way I am. I need to be saved.”
The Holy Spirit had taken hold of Sidi.
Eric almost fell out of his chair. Tears welled up in his eyes as he realized the Holy Spirit had taken hold of Sidi and softened his heart toward the Gospel. All the time Eric had been relying on his own words to convince Sidi to follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit had been working through him and had finished the work He had started.
Sidi kept talking, describing the desperate ache to know the love of God—the perfect love available through Christ. Eric listened as his friend shared that he was ready to receive Jesus’ invitation to new life. The two friends talked about what it would look like for Sidi to follow Christ. By the end of their visit, Sidi committed his life to Jesus and declared that he wanted to be baptized.
As a prominent citizen, this new disciple of Jesus has the opportunity to share the hope of the Gospel with many in his Muslim community.
- Praise God for using Eric to draw Sidi to the truth of Christ.
- Pray for Muslim-background believers like Sidi to stand firm in faith and grow in love for Jesus.
- Ask God to use new believers to share the message of salvation with other Muslims so that many will enter the Kingdom.