DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2010
“TH E SECRET OF SPIRITUAL VICTORY”
OPEN DOORS – DAILY COURAGE
from Day by Day with the Persecuted Church,
I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the Gospel of God's grace. (Acts 20:24)
Ali Sougou
Ali Sougou grew in his Christian faith, especially after he had received a Bible. But then another crisis came - Ali was arrested by the police and thrown into prison. Three months later he appeared before a special court. Those presiding were Muslim leaders, army officers, village leaders and other authorities. The trial took place in the open air with a huge crowd of spectators present.
The verdict was unusual; Ali could choose his own punishment from three alternatives:
1 Life imprisonment
2 Death by firing-squad
3 Deportation from the country
As he stood there, wondering what to say, Ali knelt down and started to pray. He prayed loudly so that the crowd could hear his prayer also. "Lord Jesus, here I am and I know you are with me. Help me to choose what you want to me choose." The judges were astonished. They had expected Ali to choose deportation, but he seemed to be willing to be shot. The crowd shouted, "He is a fool - he is mad, he is crazy. You cannot sentence a crazy man - let him go home."
He never had to choose - the crowd chose for him, which was accepted by the judges - fearing the crowd. Ali could go home! He learned the secret of spiritual victory: if we are willing to lay down our lives on the altar and leave the verdict to God, He will choose the best for us - to His glory.
Ali Sougou from the Comoros. This first Christian convert on this Muslim island came to know Jesus Christ in a special way. He writes about that experience. Edited with permission from the book In the Shade of the Moon published by Baruk, 1990.
Copyright © 1995 Open Doors International. Used by permission
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