From ISIS Leader to Jesus Follower: A Transformative Vision of Jesus

As the prophet Joel foretold, visions of Jesus are becoming increasingly widespread and the transformations that follow these visions are always dramatic, leading to total consecration.

Countless people all over the world are having visions of Jesus clothed in radiant white garments of light with a face that emanates pure light. Daniel and John both experienced the glory of His appearance.

As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool (Daniel 7:9 NIV).

In the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire (Revelation 1:13-14).

During the years leading a church in Baghdad, I personally saw a total of fifty-eight Muslims place their faith in the deity of Jesus, convert to Christianity, and renounce their association with Islam. I have no doubt that there are countless other testimonies, but during two decades of ministry there I saw fifty-eight genuine conversions, ten of which were the radical conversions of extremely dangerous terrorists. What is interesting is that not once did I preach to a Muslim person or attempt to evangelize or convert them in any way. I simply ensured that they were made to feel valued and loved within our community, included in our relief programs, and welcome in our clinic. Conversion was dangerous and not a primary intent of my heart. My intent was to demonstrate love.

Religious identity, fervor, devotion, and allegiance in the Middle East are so strong that it takes more than persuasive words and free Bible courses to incite the Muslim people to suddenly switch allegiance and start worshiping another God. My prayer instead was that they would see Him. I asked Him to appear to them in their dreams as He has done to so many thousands, possibly millions, around the globe. From Iran to Japan and in so many other nations, there are recorded and unrecorded testimonies of people encountering Jesus in the night hours. At times, whole villages have converted after at least one person from each household recounted simultaneous dreams, visions, and visitations of Jesus in the night. The testimonies are all highly consistent and the con- versions are documented with many claiming that Jesus presented to them His “holy book” and told them to acquire it and read it.

Regarding the conversions that I witnessed in Baghdad, each act of repentance resulted from a dramatic encounter with “the Man in White.” The reported descriptions include Jesus appearing to them in blazing white garments, Jesus telling them that they must follow Him, Jesus announcing Himself as the Messiah, Jesus clothed in white filling their homes with overwhelming peace, Jesus appearing to them with dazzling eyes of love and passion, and Jesus calling them by name and saying to them, “I am the way.” In every case, the conversion was radical, fundamental, and extreme, all of the words that we apply to terrorists and which should be applied to regular, faith-filled believers.

I remember being asked why Jesus always appeared in white and why so many of the dreams and visions were identical. All I can say is that when we read the visions of Ezekiel, Daniel, and John, we have a clear picture of the majestic radiance of the ascended Jesus.

White represents purity and holiness—the totality of light. Jesus Himself is the great light of both earth and Heaven. He made it clear on earth that He was the Light of the World and John, in his heavenly vision, witnessed this radiant light.

Muslims view white as the color of purity and peace; they wear white to pray on their holy days, and I find it significant that Jesus always appears to them in “their” holy color—a color they can relate to.

One of the most memorable conversions that I witnessed was that of a man who was one of the senior leaders of ISIS. He was a highly dangerous criminal and one would never imagine him being capable of turning to God in repentance and humility. Yet this dark-minded terrorist was asleep one night when the man in white appeared to him and told him that he was Jesus Christ of Nazareth and the only way to God. This was like a modern-day Damascus Road experience where the perpetrator was confronted not by a prophet or an angel, but by Jesus Himself speaking on behalf of His persecuted church. As the apostle Paul stated of his former life:

For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it (Galatians 1:13).

After encountering the man in white, this dangerous ISIS terrorist immediately repented and converted without doubts or reservation. If the resurrected Jesus could appear to one of the most notorious terrorists of the early church and arrest him in light, we should not be surprised when it happens in our day. Saul, a devoted terrorist of his day was enlightened and counseled directly by Jesus, the Light who declared, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”

I believe we will see a dramatic increase in these spiritual encounters. In many places, where there is no way of turning the hearts of men, King Jesus the chief rabbi, pastor, prophet, apostle, preacher, and evangelist will invade the dreams and visions of men, women, and children all over the world and apprehend them with the glorious bright white light of His presence.