Israel and Iran used to be friends. It was, after all, the Persian King Cyrus who decreed and bankrolled the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. However, today Iran is using its treasury for the exact opposite end: the Iranian Regime is now the number one sponsor of global terrorism. Iran has been called the “head of the snake” or “the head of the octopus”, since its tentacles reach far and wide. You know who I heard that from? Some Iranians. There is a groundswell of ordinary Iranians who are diametrically opposed to the goals of the regime ruling over them, and have allied themselves with Israel instead. And I’d like to share with you how they want us to pray.

David and Goliath?

Gaza is often portrayed as the David against the Goliath of Israel’s military might. However, it’s not really Gaza we’re up against. Responsibility for October 7 and the subsequent nightmare that has followed can be laid pretty much at the door of Tehran and the Iranian regime, funding, training and coordinating the attack on multiple fronts via Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria, and the Houthis in Yemen. Since Iran is the ‘head of the octopus’, if the Iranian regime were to topple then that effectively chops off the head of the forces attacking Israel.

Like a snake, one the head has been crushed, the danger dissipates. It’s a great opportunity to pray that this giant is slain.

Iran and Israel used to be friends, and here’s the exciting part: they could be again. We want to encourage you to pray for the Lord of the Angel Armies to lop off the head of the snake and topple the Iranian regime. All Iran’s proxies would have the wind taken out of their sails as the cash dried up from the coffers. It’s totally possible with God. Anything is possible with God, but there are also signs of serious cracks. At the last election (if you can call it that) the turnout was just 7%, and the majority of the papers were spoiled. The regime’s grip over the people has been loosened. Iranians are sick of the cruelty of the evil regime, and long for freedom. Many have been very courageous, even teenagers and elderly Iranians have been standing up in the face of violent oppression, risking their lives to do so. 50,000 Iranian mosques have closed as people leave Islam in droves.

Let’s bring this beast down with prayer. The result could be incredible. The opportunities for the gospel to flourish not only in Iran, but also in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria have not yet been imagined. Let’s pray for God to bring down the Iranian regime and for a new day for the Middle East, with open doors for the Gospel.

Prayer requests from Iranian brothers and sisters:

Regime Change: Pray for a peaceful transition to a regime that respects the rights and freedoms of all its citizens. May God put a leader in place who knows the real God, and who cares about the country and people.

Freedom for Christians and Political Prisoners: Pray for the release of all those imprisoned for their faith and political beliefs, including a rapper who spoke out against the regime named Toomaj, and Arvin Netal, a 20-year-old Jewish boy, who are both facing execution.

Women’s Rights and Freedoms: Pray for the protection and empowerment of women in Iran. Stop the cruel and unjust killing and let God’s justice be done.

Protection of Underground Churches: Pray for the safety and growth of underground churches and their members. Pray for the believers to be under God’s protection and to be freed from prisons and to remain firm in faith.

Unity: Please pray for God’s grace and love to bring unity among believers, and also unity among the Iranian people in general against the regime.

Transformation of IRGC Members: Pray that members of the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) find faith in Christ and cease supporting the current regime.

Against Fear and Hopelessness: Pray against the spirit of fear and hopelessness that affects many in Iran.

Support for Jews and Christians: Pray for the well-being and perseverance of Jews and Christians facing numerous challenges in Iran.

Protection for Prince Reza Pahlavi: Pray for the protection and wisdom of Prince Reza Pahlavi as he leads efforts for change and opposes the current regime, and may God provide Iran with leaders who have heart for true God and who care about the people, the country, and the charges that need to be made.

Hearts of the Iranian People: Pray for all those in sin to repent from their wicked ways, that they would know the truth and that the truth will set them free. Pray that the true worship of God would be established, because some have turned to idolatry and witchcraft, and other false gods and turned away from the truth. Pray for the hearts of the Iranian people to be open to God’s kingdom and guidance.

“There has never been a time like now to bring people to Christ. And every day the number of believers increases. ⁠We give thanks to God that He allowed this Islamic Republic to come and show the true nature Islam to the people of Iran.” ~ Rima

Unexpected allies

Throughout this whole conflict with Hamas, the support we’ve seen from Iranians around the world has been incredible. They understand what’s going on in Gaza. They are fully familiar with the deception and obfuscations. Those tricks don’t work on them any longer, and they see through all the lies. They’re often the only ones standing up for Israel in a sea of antisemitic hate.

Similarly, Israel is the only country in the Middle East standing up for the dissidents in Iran. Two protests have been held in Israel in solidarity with the women of Iran who are being brutally oppressed, and several murals in support of Iranians have been given the go-ahead in different Israeli cities.

Iranian Christian activist and artist, Hooman Khalili (pictured with the Israeli graffiti artists who helped him), unveiled one of his murals in Neve Ilan, near Jerusalem. This one was highlighting the plight of Toomaj, an innocent Iranian rapper, and included some of his lyrics:

“The cries of the oppressed fill my chest, my throat is swollen with their pain. The blood of our protesters is my ink”.

For this the young artist faces execution. Hooman had words from Psalm 59 on the other side of the picture of Toomaj: “Deliver Toomaj from his enemies, O my God; be his fortress and rescue Toomaj from those who attack him.” (Adapted from Psalm 59:1)

“Where is the international outrage?” Asked Hooman, “Why is no one camping at the universities for Toomaj? Thank you Israel… this innocent man has been tortured in prison for two years, and is about to be executed.”

“Thank you Israel for caring about the people of Iran, thank you Israel for helping us fight our common enemy, the Islamic regime.” ~ Hooman Khalili

Fleur Hassan, former deputy mayor of Jerusalem, affirmed the solidarity Israel has with the Iranian people, saying, “We both recognize that we have one enemy: The Islamic, Jihadi fundamentalism, and the head of the snake sits in Tehran, and that is the Islamic Republic of Iran. They fund Hamas, they fund Hezbollah, they fund the Houthis, they’ve destroyed Lebanon, they’ve destroyed Syria, and we’re all facing the same evil. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the Hitler of today, make no mistake about it.”

And it’s not as if we have to bring this regime down ourselves by political activism. We can take this to the Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth. And we can appeal to Him based on this wonderful promise about Iran (Elam) from His word:

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their might.

And I will bring upon Elam the four winds from the four quarters of heaven. And I will scatter them to all those winds, and there shall be no nation to which those driven out of Elam shall not come. I will terrify Elam before their enemies and before those who seek their life. I will bring disaster upon them, my fierce anger, declares the Lord. I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them, and I will set my throne in Elam and destroy their king and officials, declares the Lord.

“But in the latter days I will restore the fortunes of Elam, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 49:35-39)

Not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit…

Picture by Alireza Heydarifard on Unsplash