I attended the ECI (European Coalition for Israel) conference held in Brussels 29th January 2010. It was a real eye opener. Islam is threatening not only Israel but the whole Western world. The main message that stuck in my mind is the need to pour out our hearts and lives in love for all Muslims..
At the same time fighting a spiritual battle against the religion of Islam. Here are some highlights:
Bat Ye’or, author of many books about Islam, including The Dhimmi: Jews and Christians under Islam and Eurabia: The Euro Arab Axis.
Israel stood before Pharaoh in Egypt to claim freedom given by God, freedom to serve Him. This freedom is what the church is built on. Without it she cannot exist, and God cannot establish His kingdom on earth. The Church needs to understand this. We don’t hate the Muslims, but Islam is presenting a real and present threat. We must love the Muslims, but fight the evil that threatens to destroy our freedom.
She referred to her website www.dhimmitude.org explaining Islam to ordinary people. She also recommends the books by Mark Durie (The Third Choice- Islam, Dhimmitude and Freedom) and Robert Spencer (The Truth about Muhammad, Founder of the World’s Most Intolerant Religion).
Christians MUST understand the difference between Isa and the real Jesus of Nazareth. Christians MUST know that they are being attacked. Attack on Israel is attack on church, because church comes from Israel. We must all join hands to inform, and to stay pure. Fight without hating: this is biggest challenge. Purification. Stand up to governments against anti-Israel policies.
In 1973 Europe gave in to pressure of oil boycotts and terror by recognizing Arafat as PLO leader and respecting their views. Europe was taken hostage. This opened the door to Islamization. Billions were paid out of the pockets or European citizens to the Palestinians as a price for stopping their terror. This is being repeated today by paying money to Taliban terrorists.
Islam understands words differently. Their understanding of “land for peace” is: Give us your land we will give you peace of dhimmitude. It is the same with “Justice”. Yes they want justice, but it is the justice under Islam for non-Muslims to live as dhimmis.
Marcel Rebiai
Marcel Rebiai was born in Tunisia and lives in Israel. He is the author of a very important book – Islam, Israel and the Church. Europe does not realize the danger it is in. It is a battle for election, to determine who are God’s elected people to establish his purposes. Islam’s self understanding claims to be the final and supreme religion that will have victory over all others – Dar al Islam. Christians and Jews are by definition second class citizens under Islam. Do we want that?
Jerusalem was Islamic for 1400 years. This is key. Jerusalem is central to Islamic eschatology. In 1948 the sons of pigs and monkeys came back and established Nakba in Jerusalem – ie. shame in the midst of the Islamic holy land. This challenged the heart of Islam. Only then did Islam become a public issue. Then the 2nd tragedy was 1967: the reunification of Jerusalem. Why? Because it even more deeply confronted Islam’s self understanding as the supreme, dominant religion.
Only the church that really believes that Yeshua is the truth can fight this battle. Islam woke up in 1948. Bin Laden etc have realised that economic jihad is not enough, but that terrorism is the only way to real jihad – this is because it threatens the life of non-Muslims, and only when their lives are threatened will they give in. The Islamic terrorists know that most in the West have nothing they are prepared to die for. Islam is about submission and control. It is the converse of pluralism. No Islamic nation in the world respects human rights and freedoms. It is an illusion to think that there is a humanist Islam. God loves Muslims, but hates the system that imprisons them. They are very clever to use western terminology etc, but all is directed to obtain control. Jihad requires a clever strategy / they use apparently peaceful means in the non/Muslim countries of the West, to achieve their long term goals. The introduction of sharia law in the West is a demonstration of this. Ultimately Islam, including the sharia, is incompatible with western values. It leads to parallel systems. West naively accepts this. It is a ticking bomb.
Europe needs to understand this is not a battle with Palestinian Arabs. It is a spiritual battle. The Palestinians are being used by the whole Muslim world, which is not interested in peace. In fact, peace would remove their main tool for achieving jihad.
Bishop Laurence
Bishop Laurence from Nigeria also spoke. There are about 250 million people in Nigeria; it is largest black country in Africa. It is under growing influence of Islam. The Muslims have vowed to defeat the Christians. Kill them. The west is bending over backwards to compromise. Islam does not. The Church in Nigeria needs to understand that battle against Jews is a fight against church. Nigeria has never been a Muslim country, and the Christians there are not afraid to die to prevent it from becoming a Muslim country. Muslims in Nigeria are receiving a lot of money from the Middle East. The Christians in Nigeria need to be supported financially.
Pastor Eddie Fernandez (Portugal) unfolded a 7-fold strategy.
1. Information and knowledge. We need to understand Islamic worldview. It’s about deep values. He highly recommends the films Obsession and The Third Jihad. Talk with Muslim leaders. Even invite them to speak in your churches. We should not be afraid; we have the victory in Christ.
2. Mobilisation. Teach the Church about Islam and what it says about us. Bring in Islamic speakers. Listen and learn. They talk peace and good will when they are in minority. We need to speak our mind freely.
3. Polarisation. Take a stand. Is it Jesus or Mohammed? We cannot sit on the fence; there is no time for political correctness. We must show our true colors. Speak, write. Freedom without boundaries is dangerous.
4. Intercession. We are in a spiritual battle. Be prepared to be unpopular!
5. Propagation. Recapture the ground. Raise up leaders with knowledge and influence in public life. We need to be in the corridors of power in non-Christian countries.
6. Proselytisation. Evangelization. We must move from a defensive to offensive posture. Jesus is the way the truth and the life.
7. Trust God. He is in control.
For more information about the conference, visit the ECI website – www.ec4i.org
Tags: ECI, muslims, spiritual battle
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With regards to bringing in Islamic speakers into church, I am sorry, but this is foolishness. A muslim should be in church because they are hungry for a relationship with the living God and for a touch of His presence. If that cannot be provided, then everybody’s time is being wasted.
It is possible to learn about Islam in many ways, especially from muslim background believers (including by visiting Walid Shoebat’s website and others). If you want to defeat islam, it is not by flesh and blood, but spiritually – time to get on the knees and not just at the comfortable hours of the day either!
You have to flee multi faith – muslims will often use a talk about understanding islam to wage jihad of the tongue (verbal promotion of islam). Furthermore any such spiritual compromise if not repented of, will create ichabod. Many (not all) muslims are very hungry for God and would give everything to have what we have in terms of a relationship with the living God. If our churches are not filled with the glory of God, then we need to repent and get back to that place, because really, it is the only thing that will ever satisfy the human soul. Once a person has tasted the presence of God, you won’t really need to run after them, they will be so hungry for more, they won’t be able to keep away.
I think Christians need to study the Word of God for eternal life, instead of following God for material things. Most Christians today do not really understand what they are doing. Especially Christ from my part of the world- Africa. it is sad to see some Christians Preaching the Word of God and in their message would say ” we and muslims worship the same God” If such a person Knows the God of Abraham,Isaac and Jacob, he wouldn’t use such words. some Christians think that by doing so, they may win the muslims. this is man’s way, not the way of God. Christians need to speak the truth and the truth is Christ. Light and darkness has nothing in common.Christians need to read than following the world.Amen