July 18, 2025 • 25 mins
Neda was born in Iran to a Muslim family. She grew up as a Muslim and married a well-known Iranian athlete. But their marriage was on the rocks. At 22, feeling broken and empty, Neda called out to Allah for help. But she found no solace, and grew angry and disillusioned with a god that refused to answer her prayers. As Nedaâs heart continued searching, God supernaturally told a family member living in the Netherlands to go back to Iran and share the gospel of Jesus. Neda came to faith in Christ through her relativeâs witness and her life was radically transformed. Her husband, surprised and amazed by the change he saw in her, placed his trust in Jesus too. God faithfully restored their marriage and called them to ministry. Neda drew strength from the stories of other persecuted Christians. She read a story in a book from The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) about a girl who was assaulted and became pregnant. Yet she responded with remarkable faith by entrusting everything, even her body, to God. God used this story to teach Neda about the importance of obedience and sacrifice despite fear of persecution and threats of imprisonment and violence. Over the next thirteen years, Neda and her husband faced increasing persecution from the Islamic government. In one incident, officials raided their home and threatened her husband at gunpoint. She and her husband ultimately decided to leave Iran, yet they continue to serve from abroad through Iran Alive Ministries. Neda encourages every Christian to lay down their own desires and fully surrender to God's willâeven when it means taking up their cross and enduring suffering and persecution. She also shares specific ways to pray for Christians in Iran during the current turmoil there. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christiansâin Iran and other nationsâthroughout the year, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sister Nada used to live in the Islamic Republic of Iran,
where she was wanted by the government for sharing the
Gospel of Jesus. She knows what it means to suffer
for her faith. She says that you and I may
be called upon to suffer for the Gospel as well,
even if our situation doesn't look as outwardly dramatic.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Maybe God wanted to be forgive some person. This is
the obedience. This is a suffer because you hated them.
Maybe we need to be kind or maybe we need
to be generosity and everything's you know, it's different. I
think if we wanted to be disciple of Jesus, we
carry our just and follow Jesus.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Jesus never promised his followers an easy path. In fact,
he told his disciples that the world would hate them.
He sent them out as sheep among wolves. Jesus's words
came true in the life of the Apostles, and they're
still coming true to in the lives of his followers
around the world. Join host Todd nettletons we hear their
inspiring stories and learn how we can help Right now
(01:08):
on the Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Welcome to the Voice of the Martyrs Radio. My name
is Todd Needleson.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
I'm in the studio today in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and you
are going to meet another of our one name guests.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Nada and her husband are.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Leaders in the Underground Church in Iran. They are now
leading from outside the country. Nada and her team were
doing ministry on the streets of Tehran and other Iranian
cities for years. It is such a critical time for
us to be talking about Iran. As we were recording
with Nada, Israel had just started bombing Iran. Iran was
(01:43):
retaliating against Israel. After we recorded this interview, the United
States got involved as well. Today we're going to focus
on what is going on with the underground Church, with
our brothers and sisters inside Iran, and the need for
the Gospel among the Iranian people. I'm so grateful Nata
that you could join us here on the Voice of
(02:05):
the Martis Radio.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Thank you. I wanted to say hi to all of
our people that can hear our voice, and I'm so
happy and I'm excited to I can talk about the
hand of God, how the hand of God moving Iran.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
And we actually have podcast downloads from inside Iran, so
some people inside Iran will get to hear this testimony
as well. Let's start at the beginning of your story.
How did you meet Jesus living inside the Islamic Republic
of Iran.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yeah, I remember around twenty two and twenty three years ago.
I was so broken and because I got married with
the famous goalkeeper that plays soccer in the international team.
So we haven't any financial problem, but we have a
many problem in our relationship. We couldn't understand each other
and we wanted to decide to divorce together. After that,
(02:59):
I remember I start to do many religious works. For example,
I started talking with Allah and prayer all the day.
I wanted to change everything in my relationship because I
had a little hope that maybe something's happened. And I
started talking with Allah, but I didn't answer anything. I
remember one day I turned on the vacuum killinger because
(03:22):
we live in the apartment and I don't want to
nobody can hear my own voice. So yeah, and I
started yelling and scaring to Allah says you are not God.
If you were a God, why many things happen in
my life? And I was so anger, and also without peace,
and I feel the empty feeling in my heart, and
(03:43):
I was so broken. And I remember that after two weeks,
one of our family came from the Netherlands in our
home and he started talking that said he is a Christian. Now.
He told us that I'm a Christian. And I was
shocked because in Islam, when we say the Islam is
the conflict and the end of the religion and is
(04:05):
the best way to know the God. So when we
say someone converting from the Islam to Christianity, we can't
kill them, you know. And so we were shocked. And
I remember he told us that he has a dream
around two weeks ago that woman that are yelling to God,
you know. And he told me that he has a
dream and he saw the Jesus show our family and says,
(04:29):
get a ticket and go to Iran and talk about
the Jesus with them. So he obedience and he came
our home and started talking about Jesus. My mom says,
I wanted to give my heart to Jesus. And after
three months, I say, this is the real God. I
wanted to be a Christian. So I gave my heart
to Jesus. And after one month, my husband says, Neda,
(04:51):
what happened to you? When I talk everything, you are
not anger more so, you are so peaceful, and everything
has started changing in your personal I see what's happened
to you. Are you a Christian? Because Christian are so kind,
you know, And I'm afraid to say yes, I'm a Christian,
But I remember that's part of this verse that if
(05:11):
any of the person deny the Jesus, you know, I
will deny that. So I remember that and I say yes,
I'm Christian. After one week, that was the miracle. The
last person in the world they became a Christian is
my husband. So my husband gave his heart to Jesus
and everything started to changing. Our relation, sheep, and our
(05:34):
marriage started to changing a step by a step, not suddenly,
but a step by step. God started to revive our marriags.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
So while you were in Iran calling out to Allah,
saying Allah, you're not helping me, your relative in the
Netherlands was having a dream telling him to buy a
ticket and go to Iran and tell your family about Jesus.
So you mentioned the fact that your husband was very
devout and his family was very devout. So what was
(06:05):
their response when you and your husband say, hey, we're
not Muslims anymore. We're following Jesus. Now, how did his
family receive that?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
My mother in law and father in law, they start
to reject us for five years, but there's some things
start changing. We start to be kind with the people
rejected us, and we started talking and calling them, and
they start to hang off the telephone and we start
to call again, you know. And after five years, the
power of the love of Jesus, I think started changing
(06:36):
the people. They say, Okay, if you are a Christian.
My mother in law say this, I hope that all
of the people will be Christian because you are so kind.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Yeah, So if everyone will be like you, guys, then
I want everyone to be a Christian because you're being
kind to us, you're accepting us.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
This is the gospel. We must be a kind because
when we have a relationship with God, God has started
changing and forgiveness and be kind with the enemy. You know,
it's hard, but every moment that we start to obed
the answer, everything has started changing.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
What happened to your husband's career?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
All the time, we must keep underground, you know. So
my husband didn't say anything loudly, but some of the
persons that in the football he has started talking with
them and talk about the gospel. And after one or
two years, I remember the pastor from was invited us
to the ministry and we start to go into another
city and some of the people says, oh, I know
(07:37):
you you are I know you, I know your face
and I said, you are a goal ship. I know
you and he said, okay, don't say anything. So we
haven't manstony about that. But God started protecting us.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
How was it when you started doing the ministry. That's
a very dangerous thing, right, Like you could end up
in jail, your husband could end up in jail, you
could end up getting beaten. How did you process through
that idea that this, like this could be a really
dangerous thing that we're doing. But it's what God is
calling us to do, and we want to be obedient
(08:10):
to what God is calling us.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
I think this is the one covenant between the people
and the God. You know. I remember one moment I said, Okay, God,
I wanted to be one of the people that has
a responsibility in your kingdom. So I start to say
I wanted to sacrifice everything. I wanted to be obedience,
(08:32):
and I think God started using us, so that was
so dangerous. But I remember how many moments we experienced
the power of God when the people are under the persecution.
The grace of the God is more than everywhere. I
feel it.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
How did you overcome the fear though of I'm afraid,
but then the Lord took that away?
Speaker 4 (08:56):
How did that happen?
Speaker 2 (08:57):
If I'm a believer and I have faith, doesn't mean
that I couldn't never experience about the fear. So every
person that wanted to use the faith, they must push
down the fear and start to go. Every moment we
have fighting with you fear, I remember many of the day.
For example, for two years, I'm fighting in my mind
(09:19):
about the government because the government when arresked us, they
also start to rape the woman. So that was so
hard for me for two years. And I remember one
book from the your ministry that helped me, that translated
in Persian. That was the testimony about the person. I
remember she also raped and also she were predignant. And
(09:42):
also she told one sentences I wanted to be sacrificed
all of my life also included my body. So I
love these sentences and I reminded, and I start to
pray about that I wanted to be obedience, if I
wanted to say, I wanted to be sacrifice everything I
need to do that. It's about everything. So after two years,
(10:03):
all of the war about the fearing start to calm down.
But it's like two years.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Yeah, what is fascinating to me is that the testimony
of a persecuted Christian helped prepare you for persecution.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
Like you read her story.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Yeah, God used that to say I can sustain you
even if you go through that, even if you are raped,
I can sustain you through that. There's so much power
as we share our stories with the rest of the
body of Christ to say, oh I.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
Needed that story. I needed to hear that encouragement.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
So I love how that built you up. But that's
a really hard prayer.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
Like, Lord, if.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
It's your will for me to be raped, I'm okay
with that. I offer my body to you. That's a
hard thing to pray.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Yeah, that was so I think because of this prayer
was so hard two years to keeping the you know praying. So, yeah,
that's hard, and I never can say that it's easy
because this is the one. This somethings that decided like
Abraham that sacrificed the is sack, So maybe we must
(11:13):
sacrifice somethings that we love it.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
How did you come to realize that you weren't afraid anymore?
Was it like one morning you just woke up and said, hey,
I'm not afraid? Or process a gradual thing?
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Yeah, this is a process, and every situation start to
have a different level of fear. You know, this is
about For example, I remember many of our leaders during
one month as the government and morality police start to
arraise them and arrest them, and I remember how much
I'm afraid for them, how much I can't I was
(11:47):
pregnant with my daughter, and I remember what a bad situation.
I had a hard time that moment that I heard
many of our leaders the government arressed them. So this
is another level. You know, you are in the var
everything is started changing. For example, one time the bomb,
one time it's about the tank, and everything is started changing.
(12:10):
So this is a different level of fear.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
I think it's not fear for you.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
It's fear for the people that you have discipled and
trained up and.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
They are like our child. You know, we connected together
with all of the persecutions. So that was the hard moment.
I remember that.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
One of the.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Things that we hear again and again and again is
just how hungry Iranians are for the Gospel, for something
different than what they have. Now, can you share some
of those stories of people you've met that that God
has just thrown open the door for you to share?
Speaker 2 (12:47):
And yeah, we couldn't stopped the talk about the Jesus.
I think the Iranian people are crazy and evangelized really
and they nobody can to stop them. For example, one
of our evangelized two weeks ago, three weeks ago, and
she told us, Oh, I'm so sad because for two
days I couldn't talk to anybody. Only two days. Only
(13:09):
two days. Because we start to say, okay, God, we
haven't any for example, billing churches and the spatial program
for evangelize and somethings like that. So we start to
praying every morning and say, okay, God, use us to
talk with the people that you wanted. And we start
to go to everywhere that God lead us. So they
(13:29):
are evangelis, started talking with the barber, with the driver,
every people that that feeling that God wanted to talk
to them. I remember the one moment I went in
the subway and I started to praying for one person
that have a pain in the knee and another person
only walk and see and say, okay, I saw that
(13:51):
you pray for this person and you're so peaceful. She
invited us in their house and we went to their house,
and after that they start to make a group and
we started talking about the Bible every week, and after
that they became a Christian. And also we went to
another village from this woman because she has a big
(14:13):
family in the village and she invited us to bring
the Gospel today.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
So this is the conversation in the subway resulted in
a family and then a whole village.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
I'm not sure about nearby is one hundred people started
knowing to Jesus. But also I remember one day I
ate food in the restaurant and I started talking with
one person and also she is started to invited us
about knowing the God and we started talking about the Jesus.
And also this group became a Christian and they start
(14:49):
to grow up to another city and we make another
underground churches another city and the people are suits.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
We're talking this week on Voice of the Marties Radio
sister Nada. She is along with her husband, they were
top level house church leaders inside Iran, now working with
Iran Alive ministries here in the United States. Those of
you who are longtime listeners, you'll be familiar with Iran Alive.
We have had doctor Hormo's Sherriot on Voice of the
Martis Radio several times over the years. You can find
(15:19):
those conversations at VOM radio dot net NATA. Were there
times where you did have encounters with the police or
with the authorities.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Where you thought, oh, you know, I prayed that prayer.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Lord, I'm willing, and now the Lord's gonna allow me
to have that experience. Did you have some times where
some what we would call close calls with the police.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Yeah. I remember one time the government morality police started
calling to my husband's phone and say be careful, we
know you and we will ask you and somethings like that.
And after that, what we continue if we continue because
my husband also it was a face people you know,
started using that. And I remember one time the government
(16:04):
around seven or eight people start to knock the door
and after that pushed the door and put the gun
in my husband's head and yeah, and I my little
girl started skating, started praying, and suddenly they said, no, no,
this is the wrong place, but that's the right places.
You know. The garden started to cover the eyes and
(16:25):
they start to get out our home. We didn't know
why what happened to them. And yes, we have many things.
For example, I remember we went to another city because
we didn't use the phone because of security reasons. The
government heard the voice and everything, so we didn't use
the phone. I remember we went in another city that
we had underground churches, and in the middle night we
(16:48):
arrived them and they says, hey, your real, real, real
name is up because we use the second name and
the serving name because of security, and nobody didn't know
my name. That person started to say this is rural
data and say yes, they told me go and run
away from there because the government two days ago came
in our home and they are searching for you, and
(17:10):
you need to go. And evn I saw this history
and many after somebody that we have about that. I
remember the act time, you know, in the book of
the Act in the Bible, and the people held the
poul and everywhere we can see the sign from God
that wanted to protect them. So many things happen for
us and our leader. Some of us arrested, tortures and
(17:32):
many things happen. But God started using all of these
things for goodness.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Like Joseph, what you intended for evil? God intended for good. Yes,
when someone in your network or one of your leaders
is arrested and you know they're in the police station
right now, how do you pray for them during that
crucial time?
Speaker 2 (17:53):
The first sever started praying for them, and the secondest
severs start to do something security doing that we are
arranged before that, you know, because we must be careful
to another person that connected with them if we wanted
to protect all of these people, so we must do
some things. I couldn't say all of the information because
of the securityism. So but the first thing that we
(18:16):
started praying for them, I remember many of the time,
we start to fasting, you know, fasting and praying, and
that was the hard moment. God started to confuse the
government that they couldn't understand. And we haven't many testsony
about that that really God is start too confused, for example,
so that.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Was what you were praying or to confuse them confuse
the minds of the police, the interrogator whoever.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
And protected our people and God really did it.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
We're talking this week on Voice of the Martist Radio
Sister Nada. She and her husband were leaders in the
underground church in Iran Nata. How how did it come about?
How did God make it clear? Okay, now it's time
for you to go. It's time for you to get
out of I run.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
I remember after seventeen years serving in underground churches in
different city that God let us. And by the grace
of God, I remember that. Also we pray and I
have also one dream about that. Also we were fasting
and many of the cities searching about that, you know,
the government searching us.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
That they were looking for.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Looking, they were looking for us. And also I felt
in my heart something started changing. I couldn't explain how,
but I felt that this is the time that I
need to go. And I started to also counsel with
my pastors and and other two people because I wanted
to do the best things that God wanted. So I
(19:46):
searched and also the Bible. When I read the Bible,
God started to giving me the message about that. And
my husband also has exactly like this experience Soviet start.
We wanted to start to moving, and we started moving.
And after all of the moving take the time around
one month.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
So you prayed about it, you saw the scriptures, you
sought wise counsel from your pastor and from others, and
God just confirmed, Okay, now it's time.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Yeah, of course.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
So what does your ministry look like today?
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Now we have around seventeen branches and we are oversee
this ministry. We are an executive team that we serving,
dismissive pastoral, a student university, evangelized team, prayer team and
every So we started training and disciple and have a
strategy for the leaders, the leaders that organize all of
the arms of ministry. So we're serving that.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
So you're still leading house churches in Iran, you're just
doing it from a different continent.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Of course, got to start to develop us. I think,
I think God to start to be a global because
many of our pastor and leaders are in the different city,
in different country, also different countries. So we started working.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
With spread out. Thank the Lord for technology that allows
us to do that. Praise Lord, Sister Nada.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
As we mentioned as we started out, there there are
bombs falling in Iran right now, Such a strategic time
for us to have this conversation, such a strategic.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
Time to pray.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
And we always want to equip v radio listeners to
be prayer warriors. So as we're thinking about Iran right now,
we're thinking about the church, We're thinking about our brothers
and sisters, We're thinking about the whole country that is
so many people are suffering. How do we pray for
Iran this week?
Speaker 2 (21:42):
I wanted to ask the warrior of the prayer to
pray for our nation and our believers, that God make
us stronger. And we can't fixate a strategy for the
movement because this is a historical time that we must
use it. As a believer, it's so important that we
(22:03):
do something. So would you please pray for us that
God God give us the wisdom for doing the strategy
and help the other people, and also use this situation
for evangelize the people.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Amen, I want to ask you one last question.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
You pray that prayer.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Lord, I'm willing to suffer for you. I think many
American Christians and Christians in free countries, we don't want
to suffer. We don't like suffering. We're not looking for that.
That's a hard prayer to pray. It's a hard prayer
for us to even think about praying. How would you
(22:45):
encourage them to say, Okay, Lord, if it's your will,
I'm willing to suffer on your behalf.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
I think that God separate all of the believer together,
you know. For example, something's happened for Iranian and other
things happened for America. Maybe God want to suffer for
example today, God want to be forgive some person. This
is the obedience. This is a suffer because you hated them,
or but you wanted to be obedience from the God.
(23:13):
Not You're not my own flesh, you know. So this
is important that we understand. It's not the point that
we wanted to be like that person or another person. God,
what do you want from me today? Day by day?
We can't do the suffering. Maybe we need to be
kind or maybe we need to be generosity and everything
(23:37):
is you know, it's different. I think it's the difference.
And if we wanted to be disciple of Jesus, we
couldn't carry our Christ. And we couldn't carry our Christ
and follow Jesus. This is the important key.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
We have to set aside what we want and say, Lord,
I want what you want.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Yeah, of course, Nata.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
One of the things that has encouraged about your story
is how the story of a persecuted believer encouraged you.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
I believe that God's going to use your.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Story this week to encourage thousands of people around the
world to pray that prayer. Lord, I want what you want,
not what I want. Thank you so much for sharing
with us this week on Voice of the Martys Radio.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Of course, thank you for all of your ministry that
youselve during twenty three years. God bless you and we
love you so much. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Thank you so much for taking the time to be
with us this week.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
I hope that you'll be back. Next week.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
We're going to talk with Vicky Hartzler. She is currently
serving as the chair of the United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom, So we will talk about how the
US government is working to encourage religious freedom around the
world and how we as citizens can make a difference
in that process.
Speaker 4 (24:52):
Make sure you're
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Back for that conversation next week right here on the
Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network.
Sister Nada used to live in the Islamic Republic of Iran,
where she was wanted by the government for sharing the
Gospel of Jesus. She knows what it means to suffer
for her faith. She says that you and I may
be called upon to suffer for the Gospel as well,
even if our situation doesn't look as outwardly dramatic.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Maybe God wanted to be forgive some person. This is
the obedience. This is a suffer because you hated them.
Maybe we need to be kind or maybe we need
to be generosity and everything's you know, it's different. I
think if we wanted to be disciple of Jesus, we
carry our just and follow Jesus.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Jesus never promised his followers an easy path. In fact,
he told his disciples that the world would hate them.
He sent them out as sheep among wolves. Jesus's words
came true in the life of the Apostles, and they're
still coming true to in the lives of his followers
around the world. Join host Todd nettletons we hear their
inspiring stories and learn how we can help Right now
(01:08):
on the Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Welcome to the Voice of the Martyrs Radio. My name
is Todd Needleson.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
I'm in the studio today in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and you
are going to meet another of our one name guests.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Nada and her husband are.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Leaders in the Underground Church in Iran. They are now
leading from outside the country. Nada and her team were
doing ministry on the streets of Tehran and other Iranian
cities for years. It is such a critical time for
us to be talking about Iran. As we were recording
with Nada, Israel had just started bombing Iran. Iran was
(01:43):
retaliating against Israel. After we recorded this interview, the United
States got involved as well. Today we're going to focus
on what is going on with the underground Church, with
our brothers and sisters inside Iran, and the need for
the Gospel among the Iranian people. I'm so grateful Nata
that you could join us here on the Voice of
(02:05):
the Martis Radio.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Thank you. I wanted to say hi to all of
our people that can hear our voice, and I'm so
happy and I'm excited to I can talk about the
hand of God, how the hand of God moving Iran.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
And we actually have podcast downloads from inside Iran, so
some people inside Iran will get to hear this testimony
as well. Let's start at the beginning of your story.
How did you meet Jesus living inside the Islamic Republic
of Iran.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yeah, I remember around twenty two and twenty three years ago.
I was so broken and because I got married with
the famous goalkeeper that plays soccer in the international team.
So we haven't any financial problem, but we have a
many problem in our relationship. We couldn't understand each other
and we wanted to decide to divorce together. After that,
(02:59):
I remember I start to do many religious works. For example,
I started talking with Allah and prayer all the day.
I wanted to change everything in my relationship because I
had a little hope that maybe something's happened. And I
started talking with Allah, but I didn't answer anything. I
remember one day I turned on the vacuum killinger because
(03:22):
we live in the apartment and I don't want to
nobody can hear my own voice. So yeah, and I
started yelling and scaring to Allah says you are not God.
If you were a God, why many things happen in
my life? And I was so anger, and also without peace,
and I feel the empty feeling in my heart, and
(03:43):
I was so broken. And I remember that after two weeks,
one of our family came from the Netherlands in our
home and he started talking that said he is a Christian. Now.
He told us that I'm a Christian. And I was
shocked because in Islam, when we say the Islam is
the conflict and the end of the religion and is
(04:05):
the best way to know the God. So when we
say someone converting from the Islam to Christianity, we can't
kill them, you know. And so we were shocked. And
I remember he told us that he has a dream
around two weeks ago that woman that are yelling to God,
you know. And he told me that he has a
dream and he saw the Jesus show our family and says,
(04:29):
get a ticket and go to Iran and talk about
the Jesus with them. So he obedience and he came
our home and started talking about Jesus. My mom says,
I wanted to give my heart to Jesus. And after
three months, I say, this is the real God. I
wanted to be a Christian. So I gave my heart
to Jesus. And after one month, my husband says, Neda,
(04:51):
what happened to you? When I talk everything, you are
not anger more so, you are so peaceful, and everything
has started changing in your personal I see what's happened
to you. Are you a Christian? Because Christian are so kind,
you know, And I'm afraid to say yes, I'm a Christian,
But I remember that's part of this verse that if
(05:11):
any of the person deny the Jesus, you know, I
will deny that. So I remember that and I say yes,
I'm Christian. After one week, that was the miracle. The
last person in the world they became a Christian is
my husband. So my husband gave his heart to Jesus
and everything started to changing. Our relation, sheep, and our
(05:34):
marriage started to changing a step by a step, not suddenly,
but a step by step. God started to revive our marriags.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
So while you were in Iran calling out to Allah,
saying Allah, you're not helping me, your relative in the
Netherlands was having a dream telling him to buy a
ticket and go to Iran and tell your family about Jesus.
So you mentioned the fact that your husband was very
devout and his family was very devout. So what was
(06:05):
their response when you and your husband say, hey, we're
not Muslims anymore. We're following Jesus. Now, how did his
family receive that?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
My mother in law and father in law, they start
to reject us for five years, but there's some things
start changing. We start to be kind with the people
rejected us, and we started talking and calling them, and
they start to hang off the telephone and we start
to call again, you know. And after five years, the
power of the love of Jesus, I think started changing
(06:36):
the people. They say, Okay, if you are a Christian.
My mother in law say this, I hope that all
of the people will be Christian because you are so kind.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Yeah, So if everyone will be like you, guys, then
I want everyone to be a Christian because you're being
kind to us, you're accepting us.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
This is the gospel. We must be a kind because
when we have a relationship with God, God has started
changing and forgiveness and be kind with the enemy. You know,
it's hard, but every moment that we start to obed
the answer, everything has started changing.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
What happened to your husband's career?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
All the time, we must keep underground, you know. So
my husband didn't say anything loudly, but some of the
persons that in the football he has started talking with
them and talk about the gospel. And after one or
two years, I remember the pastor from was invited us
to the ministry and we start to go into another
city and some of the people says, oh, I know
(07:37):
you you are I know you, I know your face
and I said, you are a goal ship. I know
you and he said, okay, don't say anything. So we
haven't manstony about that. But God started protecting us.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
How was it when you started doing the ministry. That's
a very dangerous thing, right, Like you could end up
in jail, your husband could end up in jail, you
could end up getting beaten. How did you process through
that idea that this, like this could be a really
dangerous thing that we're doing. But it's what God is
calling us to do, and we want to be obedient
(08:10):
to what God is calling us.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
I think this is the one covenant between the people
and the God. You know. I remember one moment I said, Okay, God,
I wanted to be one of the people that has
a responsibility in your kingdom. So I start to say
I wanted to sacrifice everything. I wanted to be obedience,
(08:32):
and I think God started using us, so that was
so dangerous. But I remember how many moments we experienced
the power of God when the people are under the persecution.
The grace of the God is more than everywhere. I
feel it.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
How did you overcome the fear though of I'm afraid,
but then the Lord took that away?
Speaker 4 (08:56):
How did that happen?
Speaker 2 (08:57):
If I'm a believer and I have faith, doesn't mean
that I couldn't never experience about the fear. So every
person that wanted to use the faith, they must push
down the fear and start to go. Every moment we
have fighting with you fear, I remember many of the day.
For example, for two years, I'm fighting in my mind
(09:19):
about the government because the government when arresked us, they
also start to rape the woman. So that was so
hard for me for two years. And I remember one
book from the your ministry that helped me, that translated
in Persian. That was the testimony about the person. I
remember she also raped and also she were predignant. And
(09:42):
also she told one sentences I wanted to be sacrificed
all of my life also included my body. So I
love these sentences and I reminded, and I start to
pray about that I wanted to be obedience, if I
wanted to say, I wanted to be sacrifice everything I
need to do that. It's about everything. So after two years,
(10:03):
all of the war about the fearing start to calm down.
But it's like two years.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Yeah, what is fascinating to me is that the testimony
of a persecuted Christian helped prepare you for persecution.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
Like you read her story.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Yeah, God used that to say I can sustain you
even if you go through that, even if you are raped,
I can sustain you through that. There's so much power
as we share our stories with the rest of the
body of Christ to say, oh I.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
Needed that story. I needed to hear that encouragement.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
So I love how that built you up. But that's
a really hard prayer.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
Like, Lord, if.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
It's your will for me to be raped, I'm okay
with that. I offer my body to you. That's a
hard thing to pray.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Yeah, that was so I think because of this prayer
was so hard two years to keeping the you know praying. So, yeah,
that's hard, and I never can say that it's easy
because this is the one. This somethings that decided like
Abraham that sacrificed the is sack, So maybe we must
(11:13):
sacrifice somethings that we love it.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
How did you come to realize that you weren't afraid anymore?
Was it like one morning you just woke up and said, hey,
I'm not afraid? Or process a gradual thing?
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Yeah, this is a process, and every situation start to
have a different level of fear. You know, this is
about For example, I remember many of our leaders during
one month as the government and morality police start to
arraise them and arrest them, and I remember how much
I'm afraid for them, how much I can't I was
(11:47):
pregnant with my daughter, and I remember what a bad situation.
I had a hard time that moment that I heard
many of our leaders the government arressed them. So this
is another level. You know, you are in the var
everything is started changing. For example, one time the bomb,
one time it's about the tank, and everything is started changing.
(12:10):
So this is a different level of fear.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
I think it's not fear for you.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
It's fear for the people that you have discipled and
trained up and.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
They are like our child. You know, we connected together
with all of the persecutions. So that was the hard moment.
I remember that.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
One of the.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Things that we hear again and again and again is
just how hungry Iranians are for the Gospel, for something
different than what they have. Now, can you share some
of those stories of people you've met that that God
has just thrown open the door for you to share?
Speaker 2 (12:47):
And yeah, we couldn't stopped the talk about the Jesus.
I think the Iranian people are crazy and evangelized really
and they nobody can to stop them. For example, one
of our evangelized two weeks ago, three weeks ago, and
she told us, Oh, I'm so sad because for two
days I couldn't talk to anybody. Only two days. Only
(13:09):
two days. Because we start to say, okay, God, we
haven't any for example, billing churches and the spatial program
for evangelize and somethings like that. So we start to
praying every morning and say, okay, God, use us to
talk with the people that you wanted. And we start
to go to everywhere that God lead us. So they
(13:29):
are evangelis, started talking with the barber, with the driver,
every people that that feeling that God wanted to talk
to them. I remember the one moment I went in
the subway and I started to praying for one person
that have a pain in the knee and another person
only walk and see and say, okay, I saw that
(13:51):
you pray for this person and you're so peaceful. She
invited us in their house and we went to their house,
and after that they start to make a group and
we started talking about the Bible every week, and after
that they became a Christian. And also we went to
another village from this woman because she has a big
(14:13):
family in the village and she invited us to bring
the Gospel today.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
So this is the conversation in the subway resulted in
a family and then a whole village.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
I'm not sure about nearby is one hundred people started
knowing to Jesus. But also I remember one day I
ate food in the restaurant and I started talking with
one person and also she is started to invited us
about knowing the God and we started talking about the Jesus.
And also this group became a Christian and they start
(14:49):
to grow up to another city and we make another
underground churches another city and the people are suits.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
We're talking this week on Voice of the Marties Radio
sister Nada. She is along with her husband, they were
top level house church leaders inside Iran, now working with
Iran Alive ministries here in the United States. Those of
you who are longtime listeners, you'll be familiar with Iran Alive.
We have had doctor Hormo's Sherriot on Voice of the
Martis Radio several times over the years. You can find
(15:19):
those conversations at VOM radio dot net NATA. Were there
times where you did have encounters with the police or
with the authorities.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Where you thought, oh, you know, I prayed that prayer.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Lord, I'm willing, and now the Lord's gonna allow me
to have that experience. Did you have some times where
some what we would call close calls with the police.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Yeah. I remember one time the government morality police started
calling to my husband's phone and say be careful, we
know you and we will ask you and somethings like that.
And after that, what we continue if we continue because
my husband also it was a face people you know,
started using that. And I remember one time the government
(16:04):
around seven or eight people start to knock the door
and after that pushed the door and put the gun
in my husband's head and yeah, and I my little
girl started skating, started praying, and suddenly they said, no, no,
this is the wrong place, but that's the right places.
You know. The garden started to cover the eyes and
(16:25):
they start to get out our home. We didn't know
why what happened to them. And yes, we have many things.
For example, I remember we went to another city because
we didn't use the phone because of security reasons. The
government heard the voice and everything, so we didn't use
the phone. I remember we went in another city that
we had underground churches, and in the middle night we
(16:48):
arrived them and they says, hey, your real, real, real
name is up because we use the second name and
the serving name because of security, and nobody didn't know
my name. That person started to say this is rural
data and say yes, they told me go and run
away from there because the government two days ago came
in our home and they are searching for you, and
(17:10):
you need to go. And evn I saw this history
and many after somebody that we have about that. I
remember the act time, you know, in the book of
the Act in the Bible, and the people held the
poul and everywhere we can see the sign from God
that wanted to protect them. So many things happen for
us and our leader. Some of us arrested, tortures and
(17:32):
many things happen. But God started using all of these
things for goodness.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Like Joseph, what you intended for evil? God intended for good. Yes,
when someone in your network or one of your leaders
is arrested and you know they're in the police station
right now, how do you pray for them during that
crucial time?
Speaker 2 (17:53):
The first sever started praying for them, and the secondest
severs start to do something security doing that we are
arranged before that, you know, because we must be careful
to another person that connected with them if we wanted
to protect all of these people, so we must do
some things. I couldn't say all of the information because
of the securityism. So but the first thing that we
(18:16):
started praying for them, I remember many of the time,
we start to fasting, you know, fasting and praying, and
that was the hard moment. God started to confuse the
government that they couldn't understand. And we haven't many testsony
about that that really God is start too confused, for example,
so that.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Was what you were praying or to confuse them confuse
the minds of the police, the interrogator whoever.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
And protected our people and God really did it.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
We're talking this week on Voice of the Martist Radio
Sister Nada. She and her husband were leaders in the
underground church in Iran Nata. How how did it come about?
How did God make it clear? Okay, now it's time
for you to go. It's time for you to get
out of I run.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
I remember after seventeen years serving in underground churches in
different city that God let us. And by the grace
of God, I remember that. Also we pray and I
have also one dream about that. Also we were fasting
and many of the cities searching about that, you know,
the government searching us.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
That they were looking for.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Looking, they were looking for us. And also I felt
in my heart something started changing. I couldn't explain how,
but I felt that this is the time that I
need to go. And I started to also counsel with
my pastors and and other two people because I wanted
to do the best things that God wanted. So I
(19:46):
searched and also the Bible. When I read the Bible,
God started to giving me the message about that. And
my husband also has exactly like this experience Soviet start.
We wanted to start to moving, and we started moving.
And after all of the moving take the time around
one month.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
So you prayed about it, you saw the scriptures, you
sought wise counsel from your pastor and from others, and
God just confirmed, Okay, now it's time.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Yeah, of course.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
So what does your ministry look like today?
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Now we have around seventeen branches and we are oversee
this ministry. We are an executive team that we serving,
dismissive pastoral, a student university, evangelized team, prayer team and
every So we started training and disciple and have a
strategy for the leaders, the leaders that organize all of
the arms of ministry. So we're serving that.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
So you're still leading house churches in Iran, you're just
doing it from a different continent.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Of course, got to start to develop us. I think,
I think God to start to be a global because
many of our pastor and leaders are in the different city,
in different country, also different countries. So we started working.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
With spread out. Thank the Lord for technology that allows
us to do that. Praise Lord, Sister Nada.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
As we mentioned as we started out, there there are
bombs falling in Iran right now, Such a strategic time
for us to have this conversation, such a strategic.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
Time to pray.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
And we always want to equip v radio listeners to
be prayer warriors. So as we're thinking about Iran right now,
we're thinking about the church, We're thinking about our brothers
and sisters, We're thinking about the whole country that is
so many people are suffering. How do we pray for
Iran this week?
Speaker 2 (21:42):
I wanted to ask the warrior of the prayer to
pray for our nation and our believers, that God make
us stronger. And we can't fixate a strategy for the
movement because this is a historical time that we must
use it. As a believer, it's so important that we
(22:03):
do something. So would you please pray for us that
God God give us the wisdom for doing the strategy
and help the other people, and also use this situation
for evangelize the people.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Amen, I want to ask you one last question.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
You pray that prayer.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Lord, I'm willing to suffer for you. I think many
American Christians and Christians in free countries, we don't want
to suffer. We don't like suffering. We're not looking for that.
That's a hard prayer to pray. It's a hard prayer
for us to even think about praying. How would you
(22:45):
encourage them to say, Okay, Lord, if it's your will,
I'm willing to suffer on your behalf.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
I think that God separate all of the believer together,
you know. For example, something's happened for Iranian and other
things happened for America. Maybe God want to suffer for
example today, God want to be forgive some person. This
is the obedience. This is a suffer because you hated them,
or but you wanted to be obedience from the God.
(23:13):
Not You're not my own flesh, you know. So this
is important that we understand. It's not the point that
we wanted to be like that person or another person. God,
what do you want from me today? Day by day?
We can't do the suffering. Maybe we need to be
kind or maybe we need to be generosity and everything
(23:37):
is you know, it's different. I think it's the difference.
And if we wanted to be disciple of Jesus, we
couldn't carry our Christ. And we couldn't carry our Christ
and follow Jesus. This is the important key.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
We have to set aside what we want and say, Lord,
I want what you want.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Yeah, of course, Nata.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
One of the things that has encouraged about your story
is how the story of a persecuted believer encouraged you.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
I believe that God's going to use your.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Story this week to encourage thousands of people around the
world to pray that prayer. Lord, I want what you want,
not what I want. Thank you so much for sharing
with us this week on Voice of the Martys Radio.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Of course, thank you for all of your ministry that
youselve during twenty three years. God bless you and we
love you so much. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Thank you so much for taking the time to be
with us this week.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
I hope that you'll be back. Next week.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
We're going to talk with Vicky Hartzler. She is currently
serving as the chair of the United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom, So we will talk about how the
US government is working to encourage religious freedom around the
world and how we as citizens can make a difference
in that process.
Speaker 4 (24:52):
Make sure you're
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Back for that conversation next week right here on the
Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.