Volume 6 Issue 42

Warfare prayer of the soldiers of the Army of Jesus to bind and destroy the works of the devil

Let us bind and destroy the works of the devil in the name of Jesus Christ who has conquered sin, satan, curse and death on the cross

Pr 14:30. The spirit of envy which is rottenness to the bones

What to do during rest, during war?

In our life there is a time of peace, and times of troubles. 

“…a time for war, and a time for peace.” Ecc 3:8 

For Solomon, son of King David, it was time of peace. There was no foreign enemy or domestic crisis. Everything was under his perfect control.

For us believers in India, this is the time of war. After 2020, the Lord has promised us rest.

God accused His priests through prophet Ezekiel that they did not protect the children of Israel during war.

 “You didn't go up to repair the breaches in the walls and you didn't build the walls so Israel's house would be able to endure battle on the Day of the LORD”. Eze 13:5 

What happens if you do not indulge yourself in war when you are supposed to?

During the time of war, David sent all his Army for war but he himself remained in the palace. The enemy tempted him in such a way that his whole life after that, ended up in misery. (2 Sam 11:1-7)

His life of warfare within the family started after that.  But David was given a promise by the Lord.

1 Ch 22:9 but look! A son born to you will live comfortably, because I will give him rest from all his enemies that surround him on every side, since his name will be "Solomon"—I will give peace and quiet for Israel during his lifetime. 

 Solomon lived in a time of peace.

What should we do during the time of Peace?

Deu 8:11-20 Be careful! Otherwise, you will forget the LORD your God by failing to keep his commands, ordinances, and statutes that I'm commanding you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you have built beautiful houses and lived in them, when your cattle and oxen multiply, when your silver and gold increase,  then you will become arrogant. You'll neglect the LORD your God…, to humble and test you so that things go well with you later. "You may say to yourselves, 'I have become wealthy by my own strength and by my own ability.'  But remember the LORD your God, because he is the one who gives you the ability to produce wealth …Just like the nations whom the LORD destroyed before you, so will you be destroyed, because you did not listen to the voice of the LORD

When we have enough and plenty, when we eat and are satisfied, we should not forget the Lord our God to praise and thank Him counting each blessing we received from Him and humble ourselves.

 Deu 8:10 ”When you have eaten and are satisfied, bless the LORD your God for the good land that he has given you. 

Matthew: 24: 12  Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.

As per the above verse Love in the society has grown cold and wickedness has increased. With growing wickedness and without love among the people, the society will destroy itself. To transform this state the Lord has revealed to his children through Sr Angelica to start a social movement to proclaim love of Jesus, hence Transformation India Project was started in the year 2017.

The first meeting was held in Trust conference hall Nungambakkam on 06-04-2017 and the project was launched in a National meet held at Padapai on 16-06-2017. Transform India Project is a social reformation project which is based on the greatest commandment of God that is Love.

John: 13:35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Only by loving others we will prove ourselves to be disciples of Jesus, hence it was made mandatory for Troop Church members to spend two hours per week in social work. This news of love was taken across India and TIP program was held across many states.

Medical camps, training institutes, tuition centers, skill development training, natural farming, gardening, water conservation, old age home, waste management, counseling centers, tailoring and similar social activities were conducted. Believers were encouraged to take these social activities among the less fortunate and needy. New entrepreneurs were encouraged with plans based on these social activities and Love.

On 11, 12 August 2018 TIP skill development program on Natural Farming was held in Dr Charles Elders Community, Chennai. Fifty people attended the program and gained knowledge and developed interest in Natural Farming. Mr Sunil John from Nagpur came down to Chennai to teach the principles and biblical basis of natural farming. Theory and practical training was given to the participants on natural farming.

These are the ten steps of natural farming

1)         Dedicating the land to the Lord

2)         Land preparation

3)         Planning

4)         Seed and seedling preparation

5)         Care and maintenance of the garden

6)         Using and preparing organic fertilizer

7)         Pest control using natural method

8)         Proper harvesting

9)         Seed procurement and preservation

10)       Thanks giving to the Lord

Acts 20: 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have ministered to my own needs and those of my companions. 35In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”…

Mr Sunil John is a disciple from the state of Kerala who went towards the northern part of India to do the Lord Ministry. During the persecution period in Madhya Pradesh he decided to work with his own hands to support the ministry hence he worked on natural farming and formed Faith garden. With this initiative he supported his own family and ministry without depending on others. From Faith garden Mr Sunil John produced traditional plants with high yield without using chemicals and insecticide. This principle of natural farming was taken across India and many benefitted.

He also encourages people doing full time ministry to support their lively hood by self-employment rather to depend on others for support. He helps believers live in the society with dignity by helping them with entrepreneurship .His team gives lessons for establishing cycle repairing shop, plant nurseries, Flower shops, Flour Mills, Rice Mill, Oven and electricity less Baking,water conservation (rain water harvesting, sand water filters), fisheries, Aquaponics, Cockerel Farming, Odourless Poultry, poultry farms, tailoring shops, etc.

Transformation India Project was also launched with the same motto. The project aims to bring the love of Jesus among the society and help believers live in the society with dignity and self-respect. The project aims to enable a person too unconditionally help the any person in need. The parable of the Samaritan, who unconditionally helped the half dead man, is our example. Let us all take this message across India and transform people life into Christ. Amen                  

Dr. Benedict

Christians Sentenced To Death under Sharia Law

Frequently, Shiite Islamic preachers and leaders can be heard stating that Islam recognized "People of the Book," which refers to Christians and Jews. This assertion sounds as if Islam gives Christian and Jews the same level of status and respect as their Muslim counterparts. That argument was recently confirmed when the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, claimed that "Christians have the same rights as others do." With that confirmation, it might be easy to assume that Christians are relatively safe in Iran. But are they?

In speeches, and on paper, these words probably give the impression that Christians are not only welcome in Iran, but given equal rights and protections. However, the everyday experiences of Christians in Iran, tell a very different story.

Violence and persecution against Christians have, under the sharia law of Iran, increased significantly. One recent case documents the traumatic experiences of Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz and his wife Shamiram Issavi, ethnic Assyrian Christians, along with Amin Afshar Naderi and Hadi Asgari, who converted to Christianity from Islam. Each were sentenced by the Revolutionary Court in Tehran to a combined total of 45 years in prison. Despite Iran's claims that they have equal rights and protections, they may never see freedom again. What terrible crime must they have committed to warrant such a harsh punishment? Surely it had to be more than simply being Christians? After all, the President of Iran had made it clear that Christians enjoy equal rights. The ambiguous charges they faced included vague terms such as conducting "illegal church activities" and threatening "national security."

Why would there be animosity toward Christians in Iran that might drive the kind of persecution these four faced? Even though Christians make up a very small part of the population, they have always been viewed, under Iran's sharia law, as a threat to "national security". Iran's total population is roughly 80 million, with anywhere between 117,000 and 3 million of that total being Christians, according to various estimates.

The international community has recently taken note of the abuse of power wielded against Christians in Iran. The latest report, from Amnesty International, pointed out that, "Christians in Iran have been a target of harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention, unfair trials, and imprisonment on national security-related charges solely because of their faith." Yet, atrocities against them continue. It is worth noting that, before the Islamic revolution, in order to gain support and power, fundamentalist Muslim leaders promised the Christians in Iran that they would have the same rights as Muslim citizens. They also assured Christians that they would be able freely to practice their faith. 

As a result, many Christians, trusting that they would enjoy the freedom that was promised to them, supported the Muslim leaders. Instead, after the Islamic revolution, anyone who did not believe in the Islamist and revolutionary ideals of the sharia theocracy became the enemy. Even recently, the Iranian president stated:

"Our revolution was victorious when we were all together... All Iranian races, all Iranian religions, Shiites and Sunnis, Muslims, Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians -- whoever believes in the constitution, that is our criteria. He is a revolutionary and he must be respected."

Unfortunately for the Christians of Iran, they are not being respected at all. In response to the latest abuses against Christians, Amnesty International has initiated an "urgent action" appeal. It has called on the Iranian regime to "quash the convictions and sentences of Victor Bet-Tamraz, Shamiram Isavi, Amin Afshar-Naderi, and Hadi Asgari, as they have been targeted solely for the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedoms of religion and belief, expression, and association, through their Christian faith." However, there are far more stories of Christian persecution throughout Iran, than just these four.

Many other Christians are being jailed for baseless charges such as "Propagating against the Islamic Republic in favor of Christianity." The organization "Article 18," which promotes religious freedom and supports persecuted Christians living under sharia law, wrote on Twitter on August 9, 2018:

A Christian couple has reported that a court in Boushehr has just sentenced them and 10 other Iranian Christians to one year in prison each for "Propagating against the Islamic Republic in favour of Christianity". These groups of Christian converts were arrested on April 7th, 2015

There does not yet exist any information about their release. The oppression does not end here. Another Christian couple who converted from Islam was also recently charged with "orientation toward the land of Christianity," according to Mohabat News. Even though the Christians have been told they have the right to practice their religion, they are being arrested and tormented for it.

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was sentenced to death in 2010 for "apostasy," because he converted from Islam to Christianity. After significant pressure from legal and human rights groups, in a retrial, a court acquitted him of the charge of apostasy that carried the death sentence. The retrial ended with a guilty verdict on the charge of "evangelizing Muslims," but he was sentenced to the prison time he had already served, and released.

In 2016, Nadarkhani was "charged with 'acting against national security.' He also was accused of Zionism and evangelizing." On July 6, 2017, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and an additional two years in exile in Nikshahr (southern Iran). He was allowed to appeal and was out on bail when, on July 22, 2018, police raided Nadarkhani's home and took him to Evin Prison. He will have 10 years of his life stolen from him, just because he practiced his faith.

The American Center for Law & Justice in Washington, D.C., has launched a petition for Nadarkhani's release. As of October 2nd, more than 112,000 people have signed the petition. The ACLJ pointed out that "Iran's actions violate its own constitution that guarantees religious freedom and multiple international human rights treaties." However, he remains in prison. This may seem confusing and contradictory to some; what is important to note is that in countries run by sharia law, the constitution becomes inferior to the Islamist laws of the land.

When radical Islam gains power, every article in the constitution becomes contingent on compliance with sharia. The rights that are promised in the constitution therefore become null and void. The Christians in Iran who believed that by supporting the Islamic revolution they would be gaining protections and equal rights are now instead living in constant fear. Only increased pressure from the international community may create a change within Iran that might afford these innocent people some protections against the brutal acts that they face. It is not enough to hope that one day Christians will be able to practice their faith in Iran without fear of persecution or death; action must be taken by the global community to ensure that the Iranian regime stands by its own constitution and provides its Christian citizens with equal rights and protections.