Iranian Christians request prayer for Christian convert Reza Zaeemi, 40, from Karaj.
Reza was arrested on the street by plainclothes security agents in November. He was blindfolded, handcuffed, then interrogated for four hours. He was taken to a detention centre belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and detained 17 days before being released on bail after paying the equivalent of $1,800.
Source: Middle East Concern
On 25 January Reza was sentenced at the 4th Branch of the Revolutionary Court in Karaj to 18 months’ prison for
“propaganda against the Islamic Republic by promoting evangelical Christianity.”
He was also given a two-year travel ban.
At an appeal hearing on 25 April, the conviction was upheld, but the prison sentence was reduced to nine months.
Let us pray.
- Please ask the Lord to strengthen and prepare Reza as he waits to be summoned to prison. Ask the Lord to give Him peace.
- Pray the authorities will treat Christian prisoners with mercy and compassion.
- Praise God for His work in building His church in Iran. Pray the Lord may be equipping believers and strengthening their faith, to follow Him in a nation that severely opposes the Gospel message.
Praise God for your faithfulness. May the Lord give you strength and grant you favour as he did with Joseph in Pharoah’s prison.
Reza, I pray that the guards and every prisoner and the judges will be met with miracles whilst you are in prison as the Holy Spirit demonstrates His power to save and to protect you and to bring them to Christ as you faithfully mininster to them.
“Father God, hold Your child’s hand, uplift him in spirit and let him know that he is strong through You even in his weakness. Father, I pray that Reza will boldly proclaim Your name and will experience Your faithfulness and love for Him and that Your grace will stretch through the walls and the hearts of people searching for the truth. Oh my Father, and I pray that Your angels will visit Reza to encourage him and others in prison and out of prison that is suffering for Your name’s sake. I pray that Your holy name will be exalted not only in prison as they witness Your power and Your love, but through the whole of the country .Father, In the name of Jesus I ask that Your fire will burn through the hearts of the unsaved, and that they will call upon Your name Father!!!! I also pray that Reza will become stronger in faith and will speak life amidst this trial and that Your joy will spread through Him and touch many lives Father. I ask this in the name of Jesus our Saviour and Lord!
Much prayer going up as requested.
Eternal God and Father, you created all people and rule over every nation. We plead with you to continue your work in Iran and to pour out your grace upon its leaders especially The Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the President Hassan Rouhani. May your Gospel spread rapidly across this land which is so oppressed by the evil one and the sinful rebellion of humanity. We ask particularly that Reza Zaeemi, 40, from Karaj may be strengthened in his faith as he awaits the summons to prison to serve out his sentence. Give him contentment in your good purposes and help him to be your faithful ambassador to those who guard him and to his fellow prisoners. We rejoice in your work there and urge you to continue to equip your people for ministry and perseverance. Lord have mercy and bless your servant.
Dear Brother Reza, I am praying for you. Two passages of scripture that have been very helpful yo me.
1 Chron 29:11-12 – “Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all… And thou reignest over all.”
Ephesians 3:20 ““Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Remember, the Lord is with you. Bless you
Lord we lift up Reza to you. Lord please be with him as he deals with all the persecution he faces for accepting you as his Lord and Saviour. Help him to remain strong in the face of adversity, and to cling to you and your Word. Make your gospel living and active within his spirit, so he can withstand the attacks of the enemy. Lord may these Iranian authorities have mercy and compassion towards all christian prisoners, and may they also come to know your saving power, as they are witnesses to your love and power in action through these christian prisoners
In your precious name we pray
Pray for God’s peace and comfort upon you my brother Reza🙏🙏