……When faith costs everything, it reveals what matters most (‘But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.’ … Philippians 3:7)

The Prayer That Changed Everything!

| …our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” …Daniel 3:17-18 |

Christians with one mind in prayer

In the dim glow of candlelight, Pastor Samuel’s weathered hands trembled as he held his worn Bible. Outside his modest home in northern Nigeria, the sound of approaching motorcycles sent chills through the small gathering of believers huddled in his living room. They had heard this sound before—it meant danger was coming.

But instead of scattering, something extraordinary happened. The dozen Christians present clasped hands and began to pray, their voices rising in unison: “Even if You do not deliver us, we will not bow down to fear.”

This scene, repeated countless times across the globe, echoes a story written over 2,500 years ago in ancient Babylon, where three young men faced a blazing furnace rather than compromise their faith.

The Furnace of Our Time

Today, over 365 million Christians face high levels of persecution worldwide—that’s one in seven believers. From the underground churches of North Korea to the bombed sanctuaries of Nigeria, from the imprisoned pastors of Iran to the silenced congregations of Myanmar, modern believers are walking through fires that would make Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego proud.

But here’s what the persecutors don’t understand: ~every attempt to silence the Gospel only amplifies it.

Voices from the Fire

North Korea – The Underground Light

|‘And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ …Matthew 10:28|

In a country where owning a Bible is punishable by death, “Grace” (not her real name) smuggles handwritten Scripture verses for believers to keep their spiritual light shining and keep hope alive, sewn into her winter coat and delivered from porch to porch. When authorities discovered her small house church, they arrested twelve believers who were found there at the time of the raid. Grace’s response? “I told them that even if they kill my body, they cannot touch my soul. Jesus already paid that price.”

Six months later, three of the arresting officers secretly requested to meet with the surviving church members. The very persecution meant to destroy the faith had planted seeds of curiosity about a God worth dying for.

Nigeria – Refusing to Bow

When Boko Haram militants stormed the village church during Sunday service, they gave the congregation an ultimatum: “Deny Jesus or die!”. Seventy-year-old Mama Esther stood up first. “I have followed Jesus for fifty years. I will not stop now.”

What followed was not a massacre, but a miracle. One by one, the entire congregation—men, women, and children—stood with Mama Esther. Faced with such unified courage, several militants lowered their weapons. Later, two of them secretly converted to Christianity, saying they had never seen a faith so strong as this.

Iran – The Growing Underground

Despite facing imprisonment, torture, and death, Christianity is exploding in Iran. Pastor “David” runs an underground network of house churches from his basement.

He was later caught and arrested, but this was what he had to say:

 “When they put me in prison for three years,” he says, “I led more people to Christ inside those walls than I had in ten years of freedom. Persecution doesn’t stop God—it reveals Him.“

The Daniel Connection

These modern believers are walking in the footsteps of Daniel and his friends, who faced their own impossible choices in Babylon. When King Nebuchadnezzar demanded worship of his golden image, three young Israelites delivered one of history’s most powerful declarations of faith:

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18)

Notice the key phrase: “But even if he does not…”

This wasn’t conditional faith. This wasn’t a prosperity gospel promise. This was raw, unconditional surrender to God’s sovereignty, regardless of the outcome.

The Fire Reveals True Gold

Here’s what persecution does—it burns away everything false and reveals what’s genuinely precious. In comfortable Christianity, we can coast on tradition, family expectations, or social acceptance. But when following Jesus costs you everything, only those with genuine faith remain.

And that’s exactly what’s happening around the world:

• In China, despite government crackdowns, Christianity grows by 7% annually
• In Iran, the underground church has grown from 500 believers in 1979 to over 1 million today
• In North Korea, defectors report that secret Christian networks are larger than the government realizes
• In Nigeria, (especially in the north with so much persecution from Boko Haram), churches continue to meet despite constant threats, with many reporting supernatural protection and miraculous escapes

These testimonies underscore the remarkable resilience and expansion of faith, even in the face of opposition from the kingdom of darkness masked by governmental opposition. It is anticipated that attempts to suppress Christianity will ultimately prove ineffectual over time.

Hi! I’m Dr. Eno Iwok, a follower of Jesus and the heart behind this blog.
In a world full of noise, half-truths, and shifting values, I created this space to seek and share unshakable Truth—the kind found only in God’s Word. Here, we wrestle honestly, walk humbly, and stand boldly.
Because even in the chaos, Truth still stands—and His name is Jesus.

Welcome to Truth: In a Confusing World.
Let’s walk this narrow way together, anchored in Scripture, lit by grace!

Welcome to Truth: In a Confusing World.
Let’s walk this narrow way together, anchored in Scripture, lit by grace!