” ‘Isa Padeshahe Padeshahan ast’!” (from Robbie Dawkins via Facebook, August 15th):

“I was on the phone past midnight yesterday speaking with some young Afghan believers who I helped train in Evangelism. I listened to their fears, worries, the persecution they’ve received from family and friends who don’t follow Jesus. They began to tell me that they don’t know one person in Afghanistan that wants the Taliban to control the country. Not ONE. The Taliban are only 75,000 in their ranks while the Afghan Military is 350,000.

“So why are the Taliban taking over so quickly?

“Because they ruled in fear and with intimidation and everyone in their path backed away. President Trump was willing to give the Taliban a seat at the table by creating them as a political party that could only be elected into power. The followed Trump’s direction because as President, he had all the government, military, and Afghan police receive their pay from the U.S. Government. This kept everything feeling like they were working for the U.S. Government. Even when Trump was speaking of withdrawing troops, he was staying in a strategic place of control. It was under this leadership the Church exploded (and in Iran) making Afghanistan the 2nd fastest growing church in the world.

“When the current president took office – he withdrew everything. The Afghans felt they had no backbone without some form of U.S. involvement. The current president threw all the peace that Aghanistan had out the window along with all the hard work and blood our military invested to see peace from the Taliban. As I spoke with these young Afghan Christian leaders, fear began to build in their talk. But one of them interjected and confronted that fear by saying, ‘Is Taliban God?’ No! Is this president God? No, he isn’t! The one we serve is Jesus Christ and Isa es Shah he Shahan!’ Translated, ‘Jesus is King of kings!’

“He continued, “No nation’s leader nor powerful army can overcome Him! His kingdom is without end! Afghanistan belongs to Jesus and He is God over Afghanistan!’

“I plead with everyone, pray and declare that the Taliban will bow to Isaw Padeshahe Padeshshan ast! JESUS, KING OF KINGS!”

Robbie Dawkins has been a missionary to Afghanistan for 20 years. He was in Afghanistan in January during the American inauguration. At the time, he was kidnapped and imprisoned by terrorists, and shortly thereafter released through the efforts of a man of peace – a muslim man who had clout. Dawkins commented at the time that with the new transition of power in America, there was a strong sense of an end to righteous fear in the earth. Dawkins foretold of lawlessness increasing across the globe.

Another friend shared this Instagram post yesterday from Christine Caine:

“At the moment we are praying desperately for friends on the ground in the house church movement in Afghanistan where the Taliban are coming after all Christians. Their courage is immense – most expect to meet Jesus face to face in the next two weeks. It is a powerful reminder right now of what matters – and making every opportunity count for eternity.”

As I read this, I thought, “If I were an Afghan Christian, how would I want my sisters and brothers all over the world to pray for me?”

That they would take my burden on as if it were their very own, not lightly for a moment or two and then go back to daily distraction. That they would pray as ones who must give an account to their Redeemer for each moment spent on earth (Romans 14:12, 2 Corinthians 5:10).

The story of Perpetua also came to mind as I wrestled in prayer.

We know that Taiwan is already in the cross-hairs of lawlessness from the Dragon. (The Joshua Project estimates about 761,000 Evangelical Christians live there).

*A closing thought: last night at prayer meeting there were five people. Several folks in our church meet faithfully every morning at 6:30 to intercede for our town, county, state, and nation, and they’ve been doing this for over a year. Our Wednesday evening prayer gathering often brings out roughly 20% of the congregation. But the majority continues to be distracted with other items on the schedule. I constantly fight this myself, along with focus to my daily devotions. It has been on my mind lately that American Christians may have to face hunger, shortages, and perhaps the same fear of arrest that our brothers and sisters around the world are facing before we wake up to eternal realities. Let the fire burn.