MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

As the Spirit of God moves in Iran, so too does the enemy …

1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

Mohabat News – “In addition to the increased restrictions against Iranian Christian converts, the Ministry of Intelligence has now ordered the leaders of the central AOG church in Tehran to compile a list of the names and National ID numbers of its members and submit it to the security authorities.

According to Iranian Christian news agency, Mohabat News, reports from Tehran indicate that leaders of the central AOG church of Tehran asked their congregation in Sunday May 6 service to voluntarily present them with a list of their names and National ID numbers so that they submit the list to the officials. This reveals the identity of Christian converts and enables security authorities to record detailed information about the Christians.

It is clear that such a decision by the leaders of the AOG church, is a result of pressures the security authorities have been imposing on them. This seems to be a precautionary move by the security organizations to identify Christians and possibly use the information later to arrest Christian converts and watch the activities of the church even more closely, especially to prevent them from receiving new people. Such orders by security authorities make Christians’ relationship with their church riskier than ever.

This security move by Iranian authorities reveals that even after cancelling the Farsi services in some churches, they have not been successful in reducing the number of Christian converts and the trend by other people to attend the church. In recent months, organizers and operational groups of the Ministry of Intelligence ordered the last two churches in Tehran still holding Farsi services, to cancel these services. However, this has not stopped Christians from attending church services and illustrates the failure of all these repressive plans and threats which were designed to deal with spread of Christianity in Iran.” Read more.

Flashback: Iranian Authorities Arrest Two More Christian Converts, One Family Taunted To ‘Ask Jesus Christ To Come’ And Save Daughter – “A number of plain clothes security officers raided the homes of two Christian converts in Tehran simultaneously and arrested them. The mother of one of the detained Christians asked, ‘Where are you taking my daughter?’ But the authorities ironically replied, ‘Ask Jesus Christ to come and release her’ … The security authorities, among whom were plain clothes agents, entered the homes without showing any warrant and arrested the two Christians without providing any explanation. Both Christians were then transferred to an unknown location immediately following their arrest.” Read more.

Flashback: Fearing ‘The Growth of Christianity Like Never Before’ Iranian Authorities Escalate Crackdown on Christians in Ahwaz, Shiraz, Esfahan and Kermanshah – “The Islamic Republic of Iran has intensified its crackdown on Iranian Christians during recent weeks. This has resulted in the arrest of a number of Christians in Ahwaz, Shiraz, Esfahan and Kermanshah… ‘Today, the regime of Iran crackdowns on Christians, especially Christian converts, for it is observing the growth of Christianity like never before. This fact has made them concerned… What this religious regime tries to demonstrate is that there is only one legitimate religion and all other religions are illegitimate… During past years underground or house churches were the main targets of arrests and pressures. However, gradually the Islamic regime’s authorities also included evangelical churches among their targets.’” Read more.

Matthew 10:22, “And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”

By Raymond Ibrahim, Gatestone Institute – “‘500 Muslims had gathered and were watching in amusement as the extremists chased and harassed the Christians, attempting to murder them all, for about 90 minutes.’

As Easter, one of the highest Christian holidays, comes in April, Christian persecution in Muslim nations—from sheer violence to oppressive laws—was rampant: In Nigeria, where jihadis have expressed their desire to expunge all traces of Christianity, a church was bombed during Easter Sunday, killing some 50 worshippers; in Turkey, a pastor was beaten by Muslims immediately following Easter service and threatened with death unless he converted to Islam; and in Iran, Easter Sunday saw 12 Christians stand trial as ‘apostates.’

The persecution of Christians has come to regions not normally associated with it. As in Nigeria, Muslim militants are now also running amok in Timbuktu, Mali—beheading a Christian leader and threatening other Christians with similar treatment. Sharia law has been imposed, churches are being destroyed, and Christians are fleeing Timbuktu in mass.

Categorized by theme, April’s assemblage of Muslim persecution of Christians around the world includes (but is not limited to) the following accounts, listed in alphabetical order by country, not severity:

Church Attacks

Azerbaijan: A church in the Muslim-majority nation has ‘become the first religious community to be liquidated by a court since the country’s harsh new ‘Religion Law,’ requiring all previously registered religious institutions to re-register, came into force in 2009. Greater Grace Protestant Church in the capital, Baku, ‘was stripped of its registration at a 15-minute hearing on 25 April. The decision, which was made in the absence of any church representatives, makes any activity by the church illegal and subject to punishment.’

By Camelia Pasandaran – “A mob of Islamic hard-liners threw stones and bags of urine at the HKBP Filadelphia congreagation of the Batak Christian Protestant Church in Bekasi, on the outskirts of Jakarta, at an Ascension Day service on Thursday. Police tried to stop the mob of some 300 people, but were also attacked, according to reports.

‘They assaulted the congregation members,’ Rev. Palti Panjaitan told the Jakarta Globe on Thursday. ‘Police tried to talk to them, but the mob passed through police and showered us with urine and dirty water. Others threw stones at us.’

The mob reportedly attacked the congregation as the service started, and also shouted profanity and threats.

‘Even after the service, which lasted one-and-a-half hours, the mob chased after us,’ Rev. Palti said. ‘Thank God the police escorted us to a safe area.’

HKBP Filadelphia submitted an application for a building permit in 2007, but church leaders say that despite meeting all the requirements, including the agreement of their neighbors, a permit was never issued.

On Dec. 31, 2009, the Bekasi district head issued a letter banning the members of the congregation from worshiping on the land, forcing the 560 members to hold services along the side of the road fronting the property.

In July 2011, the Supreme Court overruled the Bekasi administration’s decision, saying the church was eligible for a building permit. The court ordered Bekasi to issue one — but the district government ignored the ruling.

Members of the congregation say that Islamic hard-liners have been intimidating and threatening them at their services since January.” Source – The Jakarta Globe.

Daniel 7:25a, “And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws …”

“Attempts by Malian insurgents to impose Sharia law in the north of the country have sparked protests against rebel control.

Witnesses say Ansar Dine – the Islamic sect that controls much of northern Mali, together with Tuareg separatists the MNLA and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb – fired into the air injuring five people during protests in the northern city of Gao, including one by a stray bullet.

‘We received five wounded, including one by a bullet. They are all civilians,’ a source at the hospital in Gao told the South African Press Association.

The protests come amid reports that rebels were intensifying attempts to impose sharia law in northern Mali, smashing  TV sets claiming they were being used to play video games or watch content considered un-Islamic.

Ansar Dine blocked an aid convoy with tonnes of food and medical supplies for the northern city of Timbuktu on Tuesday, objecting to the presence of women in a reception committee set up for the aid…

Ansar Dine already stand accused of desecrating mausoleums dedicated to local saints in Timbuktu, prompting further fears for the 12th century Unesco world heritage site.

The convoy marked the first aid deployed to Timbuktu since a military coup on March 22 toppled the civilian government in the capital, Bamako, allowing rebels to seize control of urban centres in the vast desert north.

Protests against the rebels come as Amnesty International accused all armed groups in northern Mali of ‘running riot’ and committing human rights violations including arbitrary detention, extrajudicial executions and rape.

‘After two decades of relative stability and peace, Mali is now facing its worst crisis since independence in 1960,’ said Amnesty’s West Africa researcher Gaetan Mootoo…

Tens of thousands of people have fled the region, creating a humanitarian crisis in Mali and in neighbouring countries.”” Read more.

Flashback: Mali: Christian Leader Beheaded as Islamists Terrorize Country, Create List of All Christians They Intend to Execute by Beheading – “A Christian leader has been beheaded and others are being threatened with similar treatment as Islamic militants run amok in Mali, West Africa. Christians have fled the town of Timbuktu in the north of the country where harsh Sharia Law has already been imposed amid reports that churches in Gao, 200 miles to the east, have been completely destroyed… ‘We have escaped in the wake of horrible death threats as the Islamists have a list of all the Christians in Timbuktu whom they intend to execute by beheading.’” Read more.