Kyran, a farmer and a Muslim background believer, is used to persecution. His Muslim neighbors rejected him when he started following Christ. The neighborhood mullah, or Islamic religious teacher, speaks openly against them. Occasionally, zealous Muslim men are sent to try to bully Kyran into coming to pray at the mosque.

Other times, young men come to his home in the middle of the night. They bang on his gate, demanding money and threatening his family. On occasion, Kyran has given them produce from his farm to leave him alone. He has been beaten up multiple times.

But what others mean for evil, God uses for good (Genesis 50:20).

Jason, the Frontiers worker who is discipling Kyran, has seen how persecution gives believers opportunities to share the Gospel with others—even with their enemies.

One evening, Kyran heard something hard strike the metal gate outside his home.

“Christian!” he heard from the street. “I’m going to kill you!”

Kyran recognized the voice. It came from Damir, a young neighbor who sometimes got drunk and harassed him. Peering out the window, he saw Damir standing in the middle of the road and throwing stones at the gate. He checked the lock on the door and prayed for God’s protection over his home and family.

Another time, Damir came to Kyran’s home and harassed a customer who was purchasing garden fertilizer from him. The next day, Kyran visited Damir’s family to try talking to them about their son’s behavior. But before he could get to it, the family started accusing Kyran of beating Damir up the night before, and they called the police.

When the officers arrived, Kyran told them about Damir’s drunken behavior. “He threatens me because I am Christian,” Kyran said. “But I wouldn’t ever seek vengeance or try to beat him up. That’s not the way of Jesus.”

The police believed him and reprimanded Damir and his family. After that, Damir’s attitude toward Kyran began to soften until the persecution stopped. They now have a friendly relationship and Kyran has even shared the Gospel with him.

Other neighbors are also opening up to the Good News, despite the mullah’s efforts to blacklist Kyran from the community. Two new families are now following Christ, and another neighbor is interested in hearing more about Jesus.

Persecution is never easy. In fact, many believers living in Muslim communities consider finding an easier route and running away from those who persecute them. Even Kyran has thought about fleeing.

“But what Kyran really wants is to persevere in Christ where God has put him,” Jason says.

• Pray for Kyran and his family to endure through persecution and remain steadfast in prayer and giving thanks (Colossians 4:2).
• Ask God to give believers like Kyran more opportunities to exalt the name of Christ and proclaim the Gospel with wisdom and grace (Colossians 4:5-6).
• Ask the Lord to cause the hearts of Muslims who persecute Christians to repent and call upon the Savior.

**This account comes from a long-term worker. Names and places have been changed for security.**

Original article: https://www.frontiersusa.org/blog/article/staying-in-persecution