[2024 Ramadan Day 9] The Exceedingly Great Army of Yeshua, Volga-Ural

This declaration of faith began in 2008 and continues to this day. It is a declaration of faith that this nation, like dry bones whose hope has been completely cut off, will be fully restored and rise up into an extremely great army. The Tatar people, conquerors of the Mongol Empire that once ruled the world, were finally cruelly defeated by the Russian army in the midst of a turbulent history. Not only did they lose their country but resulted in a tragedy where the brutally harsh rule trampled on Islam, which was their last pride, through forced conversion, and only those who received Russian Orthodox baptism could survive in the cold weather below -30 degrees Celsius. It is said that more than 1 million Tatars died from flooding due to this incident. However, because of this incident, the people were armed with a stronger Islamic identity, and accepting Christianity came to be regarded as an act of national treason. A people whose history is completely disconnected from the one and only Jesus seems to have no hope, like dead, dry bones.

However, in Ezekiel 37, God very easily restored the bones back to life and raised them all up into an army. So, since 2008, the Volgaural community has been praying consistently, considering these words as hope. Bones have already been connected to bones, muscles have been formed, veins and tendons have formed, and even skin has been covered. This people belonging to the country called Russia is prepared in every way. Compared to other nations, they are a nation that are economically and strategically prepared. However, there is no life. Therefore, now all that remains is to prophesy to these bones "breathe life"!

The Islam of this people is very unique. Tatarstan, the center of the Volga-Ural region, is a very important land politically and economically in Russia, so although it was recognized as the Autonomous Republic of Tatarstan, more than half of the population was deliberately made to be Russian. So on the outside it doesn't seem closed and Islam doesn't seem strong. The Tatar people are very smart, having learned ways to survive throughout history. They know how to harmonize with the Russian Orthodox Church and how to live in harmony in the world. Therefore there is no sense of authentic/traditional Islam. It is not easy to find people wearing hijab. What is even more shocking is that only a very small number of conservatives fast during the Ramadan fasting period, and the Tatar people do not fast communally.

Nevertheless, even without this communal fasting, they are confident that they are the leaders of Islam. The Tatars were the people who saved the northern Islam, which was facing a crisis and disappearing with the fall of the Mongol Empire, from crisis. As a people who led the Islamic modernization movement through Jadidism, which was a kind of Islamic religious reform of the northern peoples, they live with confidence that they are the people who best understand the Islam demanded by modern society. As a result, the Islam that they believe in is strong in liberalism, secularism, and success-oriented Rather, they view the traditional Arab Muslims who faithfully participate in Ramadan as pre-modern religious people.

It is said that Russians can find salvation through Orthodoxy and Tatars through Islam, and the idea that 'all religions ultimately lead to one truth' is prevalent among this people. Nevertheless, they think they have a deep Islamic faith. In addition, due to the secularized Russian culture, there is spiritual darkness among this people, with a divorce rate of 95% and depression and bipolar disorder among the entire population. This land that is spiritually dying. needs the only truth, Jesus Christ. Only the gospel can save the Tatar people.

The name of Jesus Christ, the hope and light of the Tatar people, is testified every day. Sister Aigul (not real name) was born into a Muslim family and says she is Muslim, but she has never wanted to be a Muslim or believe in Islam. During Ramadan, she fasted for one meal on one day if she felt like it or went on the day as usual. She suffered from depression and despondency, and was mentally exhausted as the meaning of her life disappeared to the point where she even harmed herself and wanted to die. Then, she heard the gospel through a young Christian, and during the service, Jesus encountered her and made her repent of her sins, and it was then that she accepted Jesus. 'I have never felt such joy in my life. Jesus suffered so much because he loves me so much. The only thing I can do for him is to follow Jesus' way and rely on Him alone.' Sister Aigul had God's heart and decided to spread the gospel among the nations. God is advancing the work to save the souls of this nation from death, and through continuous witness of the gospel, we see those who are determined to live a life for Jesus being established.

God has left behind seven thousand remnants somewhere, but as far as we know, this nation does not have a single church of its own. Perhaps the small church pioneered through our community and independent since 2019 is the only church that dreams of evangelizing the Volga-ural people. And now, through this small church, God is awakening the evangelical churches in the Volga Urals, where Russians are the majority. Within a few years, churches in Tatarstan will experience the God who divides the Red Sea by seeing many Tatar Muslim YG's accept Jesus, and many YG's being commissioned to the ends of the earth and live the life as a disciple. We are confident that as we pray together during this time of Ramadan and prophesy for the breath of life, a greater and more powerful army will arise in this land.

[Today’s prayer]

1. May by the Lord show mercy upon this people who have absorbed even worldly confusion of strong Islamic identity and the false peace be destroyed for only the Lord to become the master of this people.

2. May the powerful breath of the Holy Spirit blow so that the Tatar disciple movement that has already begun be multiplied! May this nation can rise up as a powerful army and with all the national capabilities already prepared, fulfil the Lord's Great Commission!