Missionary statesman Dr George Forbes tells that a phenomenon of recent years has been the multiplied reports of the ‘voice in the night’ speaking to Muslims.

In contrast to stories of apparitions and spirits these reports have been very specific, constant and detailed. There have been literally thousands of reported dreams and visions of devout Muslims, including many Imams, Mullahs and Sheiks who have seen ‘Isa’ and heard him speak to them.

Phenomenon converts many Muslims
This phenomenon has led to the conversion of large numbers of Muslims. They have become convinced of the gospel by the appearance of Jesus and by his words of life. I and many others are convinced these reports are genuine and reason to have God-given hope in these days of increasing terrorism.

God loves every Muslim as he indeed loves every man, woman and child on earth. His love for all humanity was focused at Calvary when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was crucified as the sin-bearer and Saviour of the world.

The scriptures declare in Romans 5:6 that, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. The apostle Peter wrote that, ‘Christ also once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God ‘(1 Peter 3:18).

This gospel truth is transforming people right around the world, with a significant number of conversions occurring among former Muslims.

Mysterious encounters with Christ
Stories are being told every day of many such encounters, where the Lord Jesus Christ appears to leaders in the Muslim world. These are days of amazing contrasts between light and darkness, hope and hopelessness.

A thirty-year-old Muslim man in Africa whom we shall call, ‘Ahmad,’ told of his own spiritual awakening. This man belongs to a people group that exceeded 26 million people among whom there were only three known believers in Jesus Christ.

Ahmad told about disharmony in his marriage. That his children were sick and weak, his crops simply didn’t grow and his livestock multiplied erratically. True to his folk-Muslim culture, he went to a spiritualist for advice.

After describing the problems in his life, he received this word: ‘I will sacrifice a chicken on your behalf. You are to return home, fast and meditate for three days and three nights. On the third night, an answer to your problems will come.’

‘Find Jesus,’ a voice directs
Ahmad did exactly as he was instructed. ‘On the third night, a voice – without a body – came to me, saying, “Find Jesus, find the good news,”’ he recalled.

The man knew nothing but Islam. He had nothing but an oral Quran. He had never met a Christian. He had never heard of a Bible. He did not know whether ‘Jesus’ was a fruit, a vegetable or a rock.

He did, however, want the good news he had been told about. This voice instructed him to go to a particular city about five hours away. It was a city the man had never visited.

The voice instructed him to ask the first two men he met in the city to direct him to a certain street. Then, he was to search for a door marked with certain numbers.

Five hours walk over mountains
This man, without informing his wife or children, left his village the next day. He walked five hours over the mountains; arriving at the city, he asked the first two men he saw to direct him to a certain street. He walked down that street until he saw the door marked with the correct number. He knocked on the door until an older gentleman opened it.

‘What do you want?’ the older man asked.

The young man answered, ‘I have come to find Jesus and the good news!’

A hand shot out and pulled him into the house. ‘You Muslims must think I am idiot to fall for something like this!’ the older man cried.

But the young man replied, ‘Sir, I do not know if you are an idiot or not, but this is why I have come. I have been told to come.’

Over the next hour, Ahmad told his story. God had led this young man to the home of one of the three believers known among his people group at the time! Patiently, this older man shared the story of Jesus with him until the good news became his own.

The Holy Spirit moves
The young man returned to his village. Over time, his wife saw the change in his life and she too became a believer. His children regained their health; his crops and livestock prospered.
The most significant thing was that many others in Ahmad’s village became believers in Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit moved in that place.

This is equally true of many more places where the Lord is moving sovereignly among Muslim peoples. The glory belongs to God alone! If you want to know more, please contact the author of this blog.

At this time we may be celebrating the birth of Jesus – but we can also celebrate the fact that many, including Muslims, are finding not the babe of Bethlehem but the reality of the risen Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Dr George Forbes is internationally recognised as a missionary statesman with a heart for the lost of the nations. With a wealth of missionary knowledge and a unique ability to communicate the global picture, he is widely known as the ‘story-teller.’ Link: georgeforbes2@gmail.com