By C.J.

Ibrahim Firouzi, a name not unknown to Western Nations. His story has been covered by many Conservative news outlets in America, like the Gatestone Institute and Frontpage Magazine. His story is heartbreaking and uplifting. Heartbreaking to his Mother and his family. Uplifting for Christians not only in Iran but across the globe. He has written several times from his prison cell in Iran attempting to shed light on the human rights abuses by Iran and to send encouragement to all Christians. He has shown great strength, courage and endurance in his Christian Faith. He knows and has said that no evil can take His faith in Christ. He once wrote: “Know therefore, no threats of arrests or restrictions that you enforce on Christians in prison can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ! The attempts revealed of the Iranian Government to lay blame on our innocence, ruled by sin, but through Jesus Christ, we are justified and given the gift of Freedom.”
He has been beaten and broken yet His faith is strong.
His Mother is battling illness while pleading for his release.

I can only imagine her anguish and pain. I’m told she’s “not doing too bad.” My heart is with her. Her courage and strength she passed to her son. You can see her video (here )where she spoke of a beating he endured at the hands of authorities. Through all his trials God continues to strengthen him.

Life in prison in Iran is an arduous, dark experience. You can read about it first hand from a prisoner held in one of the most brital prisons in Iran, here.
Last Christmas he wrote a letter to Christians everywhere and it is so heartwarming, and indicative of His faith and love for Christ. He said: “God lives in us with His Holy Spirit and these are the most obvious times, for it is a fact that wherever the spirit of God is free, whether it’s behind the concrete walls and the iron doors of the Gohardasht prison. In this way Christmas and New Years have been blessed by the world especially the Iranian Christians, and I call on all Christians to keep all the prisoners and those who are in persecution in constant prayer. Pray that we may taste the taste of religious freedom in Iran.” (Read more)

He is expressing what all Iranians want, freedom, but most importantly Iranian Christians want only freedom to worship. They want a time when Christian churches in Iran will have open doors and open worship.
Memorize his face, his story, his mother’s face. Share his story on twitter, facebook and everywhere you can. Let Ibrahim and his family, especially his mother know that the body of Christ will stand in prayer with them, demand justice and bring his name into every home, church and office in the West. Especially now while Irans oppressive regime is in the spotlight again.

After Ibrahim Firouzi converted to Christianity, he was arrested on August 25, 2013 and convicted of evangelizing, distributing Bibles, colluding with “anti-regime” foreign networks, launching a Christian website, attending house churches and, in short, working against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Although his prison term was supposed to end on January 13, 2015, authorities continued holding him illegally, and on March 8 sentenced him to serve another five years “in very difficult conditions.” He was also sentenced to exile.

Our prayers are with Ibrahim and his family.  Stay strong brother.  Please share his face and his story and use hash tags like below.

#FreeIbrahim
#StayStrongBrotherIbrahim

By Cheryl Refsland and VOCIR