97: The Blue Book, Part 2, Imam Asar (Refugee)

Hear the heart of a devout Muslim who converted to Christianity. 

Asar recounts his early passion for seeking God and how a mysterious Blue Book pointed him towards Christianity. His path includes moments of prayer, visions, and divine revelations, ultimately leading him to openly declare his faith in Jesus Christ. Despite facing threats, Asar remained steadfast, further deepening his faith through his community.

In part 2, Not only does Asar dedicate his heart to Jesus, but he gets a Holy Spirit baptism. He also is forced to flee more than one country and doesn’t hesitate to witness to guards in his home country consulate.

Helpful links:

Farsi Bible

Islam vs. Christianity

Compare Bible verses in Koran and Bible, side by side, Christian perspective, Dr. Ahmed Joktan

One80 with Mahmoud A, 88 and 89

One80 with Naeem Fazal, 81 and 82

One80 with Shahe Nahler, 58 and 59

One80 with David Sadik, Episode 42

One80 with Sara A., Episode 21

One80 with Dr. Ahmed Joktan, 11 and 12

OneWay Prayercast Love Muslims Testimonies

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Transcript

Speaker 1 0:02

Welcome to 180, transforming testimonies from next door to across the globe. Be amazed at how God works to bring people to himself. Share today's 180 with a friend. It might be the best news they hear today.

Speaker 2 0:18

Welcome to the Blue Book, part 2. Today, learn how Omid comes to the feet of Jesus, is literally filled with the Holy Spirit and shares his faith, even with threats of death. Today, on 180.

The Blue Book Part 2

Finding the Iranian Church

Speaker 3 0:35

So in Turkey was another milestone for me. One of my friends visited me from Iran and two young ladies approached us that day. They said are you Iranian? Yes, we are. And they said, like we do have Iranian church located nearby here, after my friend traveled back to Iran. First time I entered the church I found this place. It's the place I belong to, the energy of the place, the atmosphere, the vibe of church and people. It was the first time I see worshiping in Farsi worship songs and I'm singing with them, praying and joyfully be in the presence of God. And so, after the sermon finished, they asked who is ready to give his or her heart to Jesus Christ. Don't be shy, just come close to the front and we can pray with you.

Speaker 3 1:38

And I was like trying to go and not to go. Like I am Christian I'm not Like. I read this. Many years ago I received this book and should I go or not.

Speaker 3 1:48

And one of the ushers noticed me one brother and came to me and tapped on my shoulder and said do you want to go also? I said yes. So I was looking for it. There should be whole love for God and I was not finding it until reading more and more and receiving these messages. That God is love. It's like pure love and grace that he has towards his children and he's sacrificing, giving the only son to become a sacrifice to receive us. Only son to become a sacrifice to receive us. So I confessed my faith, also in front of church, and that was the time I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. And before that time it was like building up this foundation for years and years and years. I was so, so happy.

Filled with the Holy Spirit

Speaker 3 2:43

I started to be active in church and activities and I was baptized in the same church Another beautiful story that it happened in the same church. Around three months before my water baptism, we had very powerful prayer worship time and I opened my hands and I was praying so hard, asking Holy Spirit, and other peoples were almost getting quieter and quieter and I could feel like I'm standing under waterfall-like lights, like, instead of water, very sharp, tiny needles are coming and pouring on me, but it didn't have any pain. You know, it was so, so nice, like you are standing under this waterfall of pouring lights, different colors, so beautiful presence, and it was coming and passing through my body and I felt like I don't want to come out of this presence and I don't know for how long. My friends in church they were saying you were there around 45 minutes, they were shouting and nearby me and trying to bring down my arms and saying like, are you okay on me? Like what happened to you? And I said I'm praying. And then I don't remember how even I could get back home because I was so drunk, I was so like.

Speaker 3 4:15

I remember one time in Iran, one wedding, they gave me something like drink and after the second glass I became drunk, but this time it was a whole different story. So I was so drunk and it lasted for maybe more than a week this feeling that I had it becoming less and less. But I was rather staying at home and praying, and I pray for each single believer to have this experience. It was so nice that I didn't want to come out of this presence, honestly, like I was ready for whole eternity to stand in that moment of presence of Holy Spirit and this shower of needle-like lights are coming pouring on me. And three months after this time, I was baptized in the same church and after a few months my wife visited our church and we started conversation after meeting. So thank God for that, and it's an honor to me to be a servant of Jesus Christ.

Speaker 2 5:22

Today I can say Muslim background believers we call them MBBs in the mission world always have fascinating testimonies, and and Omid's is no different. There's always a trying part after coming to faith because the cost is so great. We don't see that in our country, but in many countries where Islam is the norm, this is part of the story. So here Omid has to go to the consulate to get some paperwork, and it's very difficult for him.

Confrontation at the Embassy

Speaker 3 5:54

In the meantime, serving at the church, we realized our resident permit is having difficulties to be renewed and it was a very hard situation. We ended up to this decision we should leave Turkey. We moved to one nearby country. We couldn't register our marriage, so for this we moved to a neighboring country and there one of the requirements was bringing a certificate of singleship from your embassy, of singleship from your embassy, from your country. So when I went there to get mine, they said you need to bring a letter from mosque, you and your wife, to register your marriage. I said sorry what? Why from mosque? She's Christian, so she has to change religion and become Muslim. I said I'm Christian too, what you are saying? He said sorry what?

Speaker 1 6:54

You are.

Speaker 3 6:54

Christian. And he looked at my passport your name is Omid. You are not a Christian. You are not Armenian, you are not Christian. I said I remember like at 12, 13 years old, I decided not to be Muslim. When I decided this, it's many years ago.

Speaker 3 7:13

Then they started talking to each other. It was a tense moment there and one of the guys there said we don't give you certificate of singleship because you are traitor to Allah. You became blasphemous. You should return to Islam if you want this. But I said like this is my right, you should give it to me. And then he came down from their class that they were sitting and because I was trying to fight for my right, I became so passionate. He said I'm Muslim, you should be Muslim. I said I'm proudly Christian and Jesus Christ is my savior and my Lord and my king, my God. He said why are you shouting this? I said because you are shouting. Also, you are Muslim, I am Christian too. And he said you know what? You go out of this door and they will kill you with this idea. I said I'm not afraid of being killed. Let's do it now. I'm comfortable when I know who I will be with after this life. I know this and Jesus is in my heart. You cannot change anything and the paper doesn't have a power to change it neither. When I was saying this very with faith and passion. It's up to you. Whatever you want to do, I'm ready here.

Sharing Christ Without Fear

Speaker 3 8:31

And then the security also came, because it was a tense situation. Because he was insisting your father is Muslim, you should be Muslim too. I said my father before pass away. I shared the good news with him on the phone and he changed his prayer and he accepted Jesus Christ. So far I already know in his heart. He gave his heart to Jesus Christ. And the other guy one of the guys there came to me and quietly was asking how a person can give his part to Jesus Christ. He said I come and share with you after outside. Praise God, the time that we had to stay in that country. It was short time, only a little bit more than two weeks. We had a chance to share the good news with 10 people, and four of them they accepted Jesus Christ and they are attending in Sunday services and I'm in touch with them, answering their questions, praying for them and thank God for this fruitful time that I proudly declared that Jesus is Lord. And I said to him that day that you say you read Quran and I said to him you never read it in Farsi and you should read it in Farsi and read Bible. And then you decide which way you want to go in life and you find the truth, and the truth will save you. And we moved now to another country and, thank god, we have the opportunity serving persians here, and so beautiful people. The work it's a lot, but we try to do our part also.

Speaker 3 10:13

Obviously, there are people that they are afraid because, like what they read in Quran, if they go and believe in someone else or something else, they ended up in hell. But what they can say? They had many sins so far in front of their God, allah right, all those sins already could have ended up them to hell. So give another chance for another thought. Don't be afraid.

Speaker 3 10:38

Take this step and get to know Jesus Christ, and this is the only thing that it's definitely worth it for them to give themselves this chance to know him, starting to know him. Don't be afraid to know Jesus Christ and what he's saying. First you need to know this person, and for getting to know Jesus Christ and what he's saying First you need to know this person, and for getting to know Jesus Christ you don't need to be afraid. You just come and getting know him and when you know him you can decide you accept him or not. And Jesus also saying the same like you know, it's not forcefully. You need to accept Jesus Christ, unlike Islam that they say when you are Muslim, there is no other way out. This is a chance. As many books they read, they can read Bible too and they can find the truth.

Speaker 2 11:34

Thanks for listening today. Muslim testimonies of coming to Christ are all so amazing so we've linked other 180 testimonies also from our Love Muslims page. Lots of testimonies on there and if you don't have 180 added to your library and your favorite podcast player, do that, because then you can have access to all the 180s you could possibly listen to.

Speaker 1 12:14

Thank you so much. No-transcript.