Each of us who are engaged in ministry among Muslims desires to experience victory. We don’t want to be defeated spiritually or see our ministries end in failure. We are confronted with obstacles and challenges every step of the way. Engaging with Muslims is not for the fainthearted. It requires courage, resiliency, steadfastness and lots of agape love and grace. It will come to our attention right from the start that we are not in a cultural exchange program but in a spiritual battle which frequently results in opposition and resistance. The first thing we need to understand is that we have an enemy. His name is Satan. Our Muslim friends are not the enemy.
It is vitally important to know who the enemy is. One of our Afghan friends remarked some years ago, “Joy, my problem is I don’t know who the enemy is in Afghanistan. Is it the Mujahideen, or the Russians, or the Americans?” Talk about being confused. Then I heard the news about how some foreign soldiers in Afghanistan had accidentally killed some Afghan women who were gathering firewood in the dark. They weren’t sure if they were the real enemy because it was dark. Yes, it is very important to know who our enemy is when we are engaged in ministry among Muslims. We are in a dark spiritual battle over truth but our enemy is not the Muslim, but Satan and his invisible forces in the heavenly realms. That will make a huge difference in how we view and approach Muslims. If we have that straight we won’t view them with hostility nor approach them combatively but with compassion and mercy.
Our enemy, Satan, can be defeated! Actually, he already has been defeated at the cross. Jesus Christ broke his power and proved it by the resurrection. Hallelujah. Although he really is defeated he still is trying to win each spiritual battle. Did you know that we have two very powerful weapons in the battles we face? The weapons are two stories: the story of the Lamb of God and our personal story. If we use these two stories we defeat Satan’s attempts to block the Good News from taking effect. But if we keep these two stories silent – Satan wins a victory.
When I was writing my book, Woman to Woman, Sharing Jesus with a Muslim Friend, I was faced with a big decision. Not only did I have to decide about sharing my own story and the story of the Savior, which would go public but also, should I take a pseudonym or use my real name? I had a strong sense either defeat or victory would be the outcome depending on what I decided. It has proven true.
Who is winning the victory in your ministry among Muslims?
Dear heavenly Father, please help me to be victorious. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 
