Understanding Islam & How to Pray for the Muslim World


Introduction

Since a part of this blog’s goal is to equip our readers to pray with understanding, we call it The Discipleship Blog. GCM is all about discipleship, and we hope we can inspire and equip you to pray for our disciple makers in restricted Islamic nations, as well as add value to your life as a disciple of Christ. To help equip you in understanding the Muslim world and partner with us in prayer, we have a special three-part series this month titled ‘Understanding Islam and How to Pray for the Muslim World.’ We believe this series will help you pray with God’s heart for Muslims around the world.



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Character Defines Our God

Character is truly what defines a person. The Bible is littered with scriptures that speak of good and moral character. We, Followers of Christ, should have the goal of developing the character and nature of Jesus and character is the heart of an individual, especially of a ‘god.’

When it comes to reaching Muslims for Christ, some barriers that may be a hindrance to them becoming a disciple of Christ include their dedication to their faith and god, family upbringing, tradition, and false teachings about Christianity. So, what can move a Muslim to accept the God of the Bible? The answer seems to go back to the character of God, which embodies love that leads to relationship.

Relationship is one of the keys, if not the most important, for a Muslim to comprehend and accept the love of God. It is relationship that separates God and Allah and what Muslims do not have with their god. Yet it is the epitome of what they can have with the God of the Bible.

As Followers of Christ, we look to the Bible to learn about the character of God. Among many characteristics, He is compassionate, generous, committed, sacrificial, gentle, and patient. All of these traits are encompassed in one word—love. For most Muslims, the Trinity of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is a major stumbling block. However, it is the Trinity that helps them understand the love God has for them as well the relationship He wants to share with them. It is vital that Muslims understand that God is capable and willing to have a relationship with them, while Allah is not due to his character.

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““He who has seen me has seen the Father, the Father and I are one.” ”

— John 14:9

The Trinity is the essence of who the Christian God is—three persons in one Being. The God of the Jews and Christians is one God and the scriptures make it quite clear that God is one God.

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““Listen Israel! The Lord is God, the Lord is One.” ”

— Deuteronomy 6:4

The Trinity is the way God has revealed Himself to all of mankind. It is not a matter of mathematics or science, but a matter of character. It is who He is, and no manner of human language can explain it. Different types of examples and scenarios can be used to try and explain it, but they do not adequately provide an answer for us to truly grasp and understand Him. But that is okay. We don’t have to understand everything. However, we do need to know, and help Muslims understand, that because of the Trinity, relationship with God exists. God—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—have always existed and have always had relationship. He knows how to have relationship, which is the essence of the Trinity. And this is what God desires with His children. However, Muslims are missing this critical link of relationship with their god. Allah is not a god of relationship nor is he capable of it.

How to pray

Let us as Followers of Christ pray that sincere, God-seeking Muslims would find a deep dissatisfaction in the lack of relationship that Islam brings. Pray that they would desire and crave relationship with the God of the Bible, and that through this dissatisfaction, they would be awakened to the lie of Islam and to the truth of God, our Lord Jesus Christ.

PRAYER STARTER

Father of glory, would You pour out Your Spirit today over Muslims in restricted areas, specifically those You would prepare right now who will be interfacing with GCM’s disciple makers. Prepare these Muslims’ hearts right now with seeds of doubt regarding Islam and Allah. Open their eyes to see that Allah can never give them love or relationship. Touch their hearts with a burden to truly know You, the one true God, the Three-in-One. In the name of Jesus, we pray, amen.


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We believe the Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are inspired by God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:15-17, 1 Peter 1:21)

We believe that there is one God, eternally existent who has revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4, Luke 3:22)

We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father where He intercedes for us, in His present rule as Head of the Church, and in His personal return in power and glory. (Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:31)

We believe in the creation of mankind in God’s image, and the fall of man, resulting in universal guilt and total depravity; and the necessity, therefore, of redemption and restoration; that all men and women are lost spiritually and face the judgment of God, that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, and that repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ is necessary for regeneration by the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 2:17)

We believe salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God, according to the hope of eternal life. (Luke 24:47, John 3:3)

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; the saved unto the resurrection of eternal life in the presence of our Lord, and the lost unto the resurrection of damnation and eternal punishment. (Matthew 25:46, Mark 9:43-48)

We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ and that all true believers are members of His body, the Church, which has the duty to preach the Gospel to every person. (Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 2:22)

We believe that we must dedicate ourselves to prayer, to the service of our Lord, to His authority over our lives, and to the ministry of teaching, preaching, the prophetic, the apostolic, and evangelism. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

We believe in upholding the ordinances of the church of water baptism and holy communion.

The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded by the Scriptures. All who repent and believe in Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus, they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life. (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:16, Acts 10:47,48, Romans 6:4)

The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements—bread and the fruit of the vine—, is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4), a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26), and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26), and is enjoined on all believers “till He comes!”