A man is asking for prayers that people would be "hidden from the enemy" as they fight to survive.

Zobair Deen, who was involved in Violent Extremism in Afghanistan research until 2019 and a Political Analyst and Strategic Advisor for the NATO-ISAF mission from 2004-2014, is continuing to have conversations with people in the country. Through these conversations with both people he knows and strangers, he is seeing God moving and protecting them.

"God is showing and pouring His presence onto that country right now," Deen says. "

With foreign help, Deen has seen people in Afghanistan grow up in relative calmness and being able to do things such as get a university education. He says this is making a difference in the country as the Taliban take over.

"I feel there is a sense of, a presence of, God right now in the country that probably picking up arms and fighting the Taliban is not a solution, but carrying forward with these civil movements, these peaceful movements, I feel that God is breaking through," Deen says.

The Taliban may have power, but they are currently struggling with it as they make decisions on who will fill which roles in their cabinet. Deen says those being considered are high-ranking but there is fighting between them.

"We often talk about the Lord confusing the enemy. There is also a degree of confusion politically that has been happening there. So that group of people that come across as a united front, they are really not a united front," Deen says. "The Lord can confuse the situation for His glory and I feel like that has been sort of unfolding."

While all of this is happening, many Afghans in the Asian country are fleeing the country while others are protecting their homes. As this happens, Deen is speaking with Christians, a persecuted minority in Afghanistan, and hearing their testimonies.

"One of them, while on the run, has been telling me on the phone that God is even sovereign over this situation because he was telling about tens of people that were seekers but they had hard in their hearts and they didn't want to open up their hearts to God. And he is like 'despite all that has happened, those people are coming to the Lord right now. They are trying to get ahold of me while I'm on the run to ask me how can I make this connection with God. How can I invite him into my life."

This story of finding God while in turmoil is far from being the only one. Deen says he was speaking with a young, educated Christian leader who told Deen that God said to go to a new province. While waiting for five days, the man, who is an ethnic minority, was being rejected by hotel after hotel over concerns that the Taliban would attack them. Despite the rejection, the man told Deen that he had in God. 

"This brother when to a third country, I don't want to mention the name of the country, but he went to the third country without paying any bribes, without making any fake documentation, he made through. And he called me from the third country and he said "I made it safely because God made me invisible to the eyes of my enemy."

Deen says "God is not finished" with Afghanistan, saying prayers for survival are most needed.

"We should pray for the heart of their enemies that God softens those hearts. Just like that brother that crossed into a third country, walked through the border crossings without anyone asking any questions that blew my mind away. Pray that more of those miracles happen."

Deen is also asking people to pray that people in Afghanistan see Jesus' light shine on them, and for God to remind them of His promises.

 

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