Around the globe, people from Muslim backgrounds are coming to faith in Christ. Although the lives and cultures of these individuals may vary, a common thread we see woven through many of their testimonies is the significant role that dreams and visions play in their conversion experience.
It’s worth mentioning that Muhammad, the man revered by Muslims as the final prophet, began his mission when he believed he received a God-sent vision through the angel Gabriel commissioning him as “the messenger of God.” The ongoing visions Muhammad received throughout his lifetime laid the foundation for the religion of Islam. How beautiful and fitting that God is combatting Satan’s counterfeit by drawing the hearts of Muslims to himself through genuine visions and dreams of “the man in white.”
One such Muslim man from an East African tribe dreamt that he was standing in front of an intersection of two roads. Suddenly, a man wearing a white robe appeared at the dusty crossroads saying, “I am the Way.” After waking from his sleep, the Muslim man couldn’t shake the feeling that his dream was significant. But who would be able to interpret the meaning?
Meanwhile, an indigenous East African missionary had been praying and fasting for five days in preparation to take the gospel to an unreached tribal community. Unbeknownst to him, God was sending him to give the answer to the Muslim man’s eternal questions. Upon arrival in the village, the Muslim man approached him and began explaining his dream. What a thrill it was for the missionary to introduce him to Jesus—the way, the truth and the life! Through a God-given dream, and a believer who was willing to become a sent-one, a Muslim was drawn from darkness into light.
We see this pattern of God sending a person to give the answer to a dream in the conversion of the apostle Paul (Acts 9). As Saul traveled to Damascus to imprison followers of the Way, he was knocked off his horse and blinded by a vision of the resurrected Christ. For three days, Saul sat in in Damascus in utter darkness, left to contemplate his blinding supernatural encounter, while he waited for further instruction from the Lord.
Behind the scenes, God was preparing “a disciple in Damascus named Ananias” (Acts 9:10) to bring the answer. We know very little about Ananias, but we do know that when the Lord summoned him to minister to Saul-the-persecutor, Ananias responded with the life-altering words that every difference-maker must be prepared to say: “Here I am, Lord.”
As you search the pages of Scripture, you’ll discover that nearly every time God desires to do something significant, He sends a person. Will you allow him to work through your life, sending you to give the answer to those who don’t yet know Jesus?
As you listen to the latest episode of the AIMS.ORG Podcast, may your heart cry out, “Send me to give the answer!”
AIMS.ORG is a ministry dedicated to getting the message of Jesus to ethnic groups who have no access through training and sending native missionaries who establish church planting movements among them. Discover how your life can impact nations by visiting aims.org. {eoa}
Bevin Bold serves alongside her husband at AIMS.ORG, a missions organization targeting unreached people groups with the gospel. She is known for her creativity and passion for God’s word. Since graduating Texas Bible Institute in 2000, Bevin has served in local church and overseas ministry. In 2008, she and her husband moved to northern Iraq as missionaries where they planted a house church, baptized former Muslims and opened a cafe. Bevin now spends her days using her gifts of writing and design to advocate for those who have no access to the message of Jesus. A loving wife and mom to Haven and Honor, she enjoys a good cappuccino, spending time with her family in nature and making jewelry.
