My God, My Refuge & My Fortress
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. Psalm 91:1-4
So many of the Christians in the Epicenter have been caught up in the swift movement of ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria), which raced from Syria into north central Iraq earlier this summer. One couple that was actively involved in a church found themselves in this dangerous situation. As rumors swirled that ISIS was preparing to invade their town, the couple began to pray, trusting that God would guide them to safety and cover them with His protection, should they need to leave their home quickly.
The ISIS invasion took place so swiftly that there was little time to plan an escape. Now it was time to go. The couple gathered their bags and their children and loaded them into a vehicle that had been purchased just weeks before with donations from The Joshua Fund. They raced to another area of the town to pick up a family friend with whom they had been in contact and who had no other means of escape. While not a believer, this person had been seeking answers from the Lord. And answers came quickly. The church family picked her up and raced through the streets to get out of town. As they were fleeing, they found a man running from the town, stopped and invited him to join them. He was a soldier who had left the checkpoint where he had been stationed. To stay in town would have been a certain death for him as many troops had abandoned their posts.
The journey to safety took over 10 hours, as they became part of a mass exodus of people fleeing for their lives from ISIS. When the family finally reached safety, they were greeted by fellow believers who had been praying and preparing for not only their arrival, but for the arrival of many other believers from the same town. One year earlier, TJF had provided money for a local church in Iraq to acquire more space. While the church had used the larger facility for several events and functions, God had His own plans in mind. This larger space would be used to feed and give shelter to more than 20 families who had to leave their homes during the dark of night to escape ISIS. So often in the midst of the trials and tribulations that unfold before us, the Lord has already made provisions for everything that we need moment by moment. The Lord has used your prayers and generous donations to provide help and security to many believers throughout the Epicenter.
The Lord says “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him”. Psalm 91:15
Prayer Requests
/1/ Pray that the Lord gives abundant wisdom and protection to all the believers in the Middle East who are suffering in war.
/2/ Praise God for His provision for those who have lost their homes and possessions and ask that He would continue to show Himself strong on their behalf.
/3/ Pray for the salvation of those in the Middle East who do not know the Lord Jesus. Pray that persecuted believers in the Epicenter would have courage to share Christ’s love with others.
