Iran (MNN) — It was a difficult day in Iran. The military fired approximately 15 missiles at U.S. forces stationed in Iraq early yesterday morning, drawing a new round of economic sanctions.
Shortly thereafter, 167 souls perished when a Ukrainian plane crashed during takeoff from an Iranian airport. Victims included many international students attending universities in Canada. An investigation into the crash’s cause is underway. Between 9 and 10 a.m. local time, a pair of earthquakes shook communities near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant.
Is the timing of these events mere coincidence? Or is something happening “behind the scenes?”
“There’s the physical war on the ground… [and] the spiritual war in the heavenlies,” Uncharted Ministries’ Tom Doyle says.
“Iran is the fastest growing Church per capita in the world, so of course Satan himself wants to crush that.”
Soleimani death is a gamechanger
U.S.-Iran tensions grew increasingly hostile in the last three weeks, but these events are only the tip of the iceberg. See a full timeline here. De-escalation statements followed Iran’s assault yesterday, which came in response to last week’s U.S. killing of a top Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani.
Iranian General Qaseem Soleimani
(Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
“He was [to Iranian Ayatollah Khamenei] like Adolf Eichmann was to Hitler,” Doyle explains. “All of these pronouncements that [were] made by Iran were carried out by Soleimani, and many Americans died.”
Does de-escalation conclude the U.S.-Iran fight? Veteran war correspondent Lara Logan and Doyle say, “no.”
“We need to be vigilant because the chessboard just changed. It’s like someone picked it up and threw all the pieces on the ground,” Doyle says.
“This moment in history has changed everything in the Middle East.”
Typically, Sunni and Shia Muslims fight each other. However, the two groups rallied around General Soleimani’s death, Doyle explains. Now, Sunni and Shia militant groups are teaming up against common enemies: Israel, the U.S., and Christians.
“This has been perceived and manipulated to be an act of war against Islam itself, and that’s what I think is most dangerous,” Doyle says.
How can I help?
An immediate, peaceful resolution to the U.S.-Iran conflict is unlikely. Use the headlines to guide your prayers.
(Screenshot of Prayercast’s Iran video)
Pray for Christians throughout the Middle East, especially those from a Muslim background. Ask the Lord to protect and sustain believers within Iran. “We need to pray for them; there will be blowback,” Doyle says.
Additionally, pray for the nation and the people of Israel. On Tuesday, the U.S. issued a travel warning to citizens in the region. “Because of hardline Islam, there’s such an inherent hatred of Israel [and] Israel always pays the price,” Doyle says.
“We need to pray for Israel because whatever happens in the Middle East gets pinned on them.”
Learn how Uncharted Ministries helps Jews and Muslims meet Jesus.
Header image courtesy of Pixabay.