As the world watched Israel and the United States pound Iran’s radical Islamist regime and its nuclear threat with air strikes, Christians in the West got on their knees. Those prayers were not only for political peace—true peace will only come when Jesus Christ returns—but also for followers of Christ in both Israel and Iran to remain strong amid a war with global implications.
And in the U.S., faithful churches paused worship services to pray for peace as reminders about the signs of Christ’s return foretold in Scripture rang from many pulpits.
“Please pray for innocent people caught in the bombings and missile attacks. May God’s protection be on the churches and the Christians in Iran and may He protect the Jewish people—God’s chosen people—of Israel,” Franklin Graham wrote in a Facebook post as the Israel-Iran war began on June 13. “My prayer is that the eyes of all who live in these countries will be opened to the truth of God‘s Word.”
In another post encouraging prayers for God’s wisdom to lead President Trump, Franklin reminded readers that none of the current conflicts take God by surprise.
“I pray that God will direct his steps as he leads our nation through the most turbulent times we have experienced in decades. The Bible tells us, ‘For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom’ (Matthew 24:7).”
Iran has positioned itself as a sworn enemy of the U.S. and Israel since the 1970s revolution that ushered in a radical, hardline Shia government. That government is led by Islamist clerics who believe an apocalyptic war with Israel—“the little Satan”—and the U.S.—“the Great Satan”—will reveal their Islamic “messiah,” known as the 12th Imam or the Madhi, whom they believe will rule the world under Islamic law. A nuclear-armed Iran would be a global threat.
Meanwhile, some reports say the number of born-again Christians in Iran is continuing to grow, perhaps surpassing 1 million people in a country of some 90 million. Many are praying for a regime change that would bring freedom to the Iranian people.
David Jeremiah, pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego whose books and sermons often deal with Bible prophecy, said in a sermon that the conflict with Iran is not merely a political or diplomatic issue but another step in God’s unfolding prophetic timeline.
“We must remember that Israel is not just another nation,” Jeremiah said. “It is the epicenter of God’s activity in the last days. The rebirth of Israel in 1948 was a major prophetic milestone, and every conflict surrounding it brings us closer to the fulfillment of end-time events.”
As the world around us gives in to fear and uncertainty, Christians have hope and a faith anchored in God’s promises (Luke 21:25-28, Titus 2:13).
“We as the church hold the message they so desperately need—the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Jeremiah said. “While others are panicking, we should be proclaiming.”
Jeremiah believes the conflict with Iran is a prelude in a series of events leading to a war prophesied in Ezekiel 38 involving Persia (modern-day Iran) along with other nations that will move to attack Israel.
“We are here for such a time as this,” Jeremiah continued, “to share the Gospel, to pray without ceasing and to live holy lives that reflect the light of Christ. The final hour is not a message of fear but a wake-up call.”
John Silkman, Israel country director for Samaritan’s Purse, told Decision that believers in Jesus Christ inside Israel are praying for peace and safety in their country, which has been at war since Oct. 7, 2023, when the Iranian-controlled Hamas terror group launched attacks on Israel during the Jewish sabbath. Those attacks killed 1,195 people, and more than 250 others were taken hostage. Hezbollah, another Iranian proxy terrorist group based in Lebanon, joined the fray with attacks on northern Israel.
Silkman said that in the first few days after the initial Israeli strikes on Iran, he and his family, like most in Israel, were taking shelter as red alert sirens signaled potential danger from Iranian counterstrikes. Most of those had hit coastal areas such as Tel Aviv and Bat Yam, but “there have been a couple of projectiles that have hit close to central Israel and Jerusalem.”
Samaritan’s Purse has been busy ministering in the region since the 2023 attacks, providing spiritual and humanitarian care in the Name of Jesus Christ for all people, from Jewish and Arab Israelis to Palestinians in Judea and Samaria and Gaza. Silkman said the work is ongoing, as some people are still displaced because of the war.
“Please keep praying for this region,” Silkman said. “There are a lot of things that have been happening here, even in the midst of tragedy.
“People in Israel think they’re forgotten and isolated. … When we say to them that people in the United States or donors to Samaritan’s Purse or people around the world in general … are praying for them no matter what their beliefs, they are very inspired and encouraged, and it uplifts their spirits.”
