The Easter story itself reminds us of this: the risen Christ didn’t first appear to kings or religious leaders, but to those most desperate for hope.
Reflecting on the sheer wonder, reverent fear, and shock that must have consumed the first witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection, I’m reminded of the same astonishment and enveloping love experienced today by those in the Middle East who encounter the resurrected Jesus in their homes, dreams, and prison cells. As Easter approaches, I’m awestruck with all God is doing in this region of the world, particularly in Iran, my homeland.
Indeed, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His love for the people of Iran, including those who persecute Christians, is as deep as it is for you and me. Like the first witnesses of His resurrection—women seen as lowly and dismissed by their society—Jesus still reveals Himself to those we’d least expect. Countless Iranians, once disillusioned and hopeless like the disciples after Jesus’ crucifixion, are now experiencing His presence through dreams, visions, and even physical appearances, dressed in white, extending His hands to them in love and healing.
For these Iranian witnesses living in deep darkness, the light of Jesus is shining the brightest. Siroos’ and Shahla’s stories are powerful illustrations of this.
Siroos’ Imprisonment: Accompanied by God’s Light
“But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.” John 16:32
Siroos, an Iranian man who was once a Muslim and a drunk, experienced a miraculous conversion from simply reading God’s Word. This transformation led him to serve amongst the addicts and alcoholics in Iran, many of whom have since converted to Christianity. Even after moving out of Iran, Siroos kept making trips back to minister to those battling the same strongholds he had. Before one of these trips, he had a vision of being in a green room surrounded by tall, powerful angels. Soon thereafter, he was arrested by Iranian authorities. Blindfolded, stripped, and disoriented, he was finally brought to his prison cell. The blindfold was lifted, and he saw the very green room from his vision. Peace flooded his heart. He knew that God had seen this day ahead of time and surrounded him with angels of protection. Siroos was placed in solitary confinement for two weeks and experienced multiple supernatural encounters with God throughout this time.
Meanwhile, his wife, in another country, prayed fervently for him every day. Some 40 specific prayers were answered, including that the light of Jesus would shine in Siroos’ dark prison cell. A miraculous light filled his cell from all four corners of the room, providing constant illumination—a light that only Siroos could see! Then, through miracle after miracle, including a mysterious car that escorted his friends through abnormally ghosted streets to retrieve him, Siroos was released.
Like the disciples, God gave Siroos forewarning of the hardship that was soon to come, accompanied by the promise of His return and sovereign protection. I can only imagine how disoriented, lost, and alone the disciples felt in the time after Jesus’ death, hopeless and confused. Just as Siroos encountered the undeniable light of Christ in his prison cell, the disciples were met with the blinding truth when Jesus appeared to them after his resurrection, perfect and holy, offering undeniable hope and the fulfillment of His promise.
Shahla’s Conversion: Christ’s Appearance, Healing, and the Gift of God’s Word
“Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:31-32
Shahla, an Iranian Muslim woman, had just had an operation, leaving her with a bad wound that needed healing. Hearing a knock at her door, she assumed it was the nurse for a house visit. Despite agonizing pain, she dragged herself down the stairs to the front door. Shahla opened the door, and the guest was none other than Jesus. She was immediately captivated by His eyes, and enraptured by His love, compassion, and peace. Overwhelmed, she shut the door. Yet, just as quickly, she reopened it, and He was gone.
Still in awe, Shahla walked back up to her house only to realize she was suddenly pain-free. She lifted her shirt to see that her wound had completely disappeared. Immediately, one of her tenants called, asking if she could come up to see her. The tenant quickly arrived at her door with a Bible wrapped in paper, saying, “I’ve been praying for you for a long time. The Holy Spirit told me to come now and give you this.” The young tenant ended up leading Shahla, her landlady, to the Lord and discipling her. Shahla would also eventually become a disciple-maker.
This inconceivable account must be a picture of how Jesus’ first witnesses felt, later realizing that the risen Christ himself had been before them on the walk to Emmaus. Like Shahla, I can only imagine that the women and disciples were enraptured by the Lord's miraculous wonder and power, accompanied by the joy of knowing that He lives.
Interceding for Iran This Easter
We tend to create expectations for God, deciding who He should save, how He should work, and who deserves His grace. Yet, time and again, God turns such assumptions on their heads. The Easter story itself reminds us of this: the risen Christ didn’t first appear to kings or religious leaders, but to those most desperate for hope. Today, God is rewriting similar stories in places like Iran, where Jesus is appearing to people that we’d least expect—not only to women, refugees, addicts, and the oppressed, but also to the Muslim leaders and authorities enforcing the Islamic agenda. As He does so, I think of stories like these, where the resurrected Jesus reveals himself as He did to the disciples, sparking wonder, reverent fear, and a contagious love so overwhelming that it’s transforming an entire nation before our eyes.
This Easter, I urge you to pray for Iran—for the persecuted church and for those who have yet to experience Jesus’ love. Pray that Muslims will encounter Him through miracles, dreams, and visions and be connected to the growing Iranian church. Pray that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit, ready to share the Good News, despite all opposition. As we freely praise Jesus this Resurrection Day, Iranians cannot. Therefore, we must uplift this nation to our Savior, who desires to give grace to all and always surprises us in miraculous ways.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/udra
Lana Silk is the Chief Executive Officer – USA of Transform Iran a nonprofit organization which seeks to transform Iran into a nation that bears the image of Christ. Silk was born and raised in Iran before emigrating to the UK where she completed her education at Imperial College, London. With over 20 years of marketing experience across all media, Lana considers it her life calling to represent and advocate for the people of Iran in the West.
