A Captive Missionary's Journey To Freedom (Part 2 of 2)

My tests were enough to knock me out of relationship with God and your tests are more than enough to knock you out of friendship with God as well so were tested in different ways. Was a very intense prism experience, but were all tested in different ways, but the area of the heart that is tested same. Last time I Focus on the Family we heard the gripping story of how Pastor Andrew Brunson was held in prison in Turkey falsely accused of terrorism in his desperate situation. He did find some value in suffering and drew closer to God during that terrifying ordeal. We hear more from Andrew and his wife Marie today your hostess focus presidents and author Jim Daly in time John Fuller John this is a remarkable story and it serves as a reminder that Christians are being persecuted for their faith in Christ around the world. In fact, open doors, which keeps tabs of these things estimates that just in the last year over 340 million Christians in the world have encountered some kind of persecution that is a another good reason that in our prayer list. We should be mentioning these people to the Lord and lifting them up and asking God to intervene now. The irony is today's story like last time. As we talk to the Brunson's is a story of trusting the Lord even if your circumstances aren't reflecting blessing or the way we think blessing should occur. Pastor Brunson's wife Noreen went through terrible suffering in the imprisonment in Turkey and working to continue their powerful story today yeah Andrew enduring Brunson have a ministry called wave starters its work is focused on the Muslim world of the persecuted church and also preparing believers to stand strong in difficult times.

Andrew's wonderful book is called God's hostage a true story of persecution, imprisonment, and perseverance.

Andrew enduring welcome back thinking men listeners. Those that heard yesterday's programmer ready to go because they want to hear the rest of the story. And if you missed it as a listener, get the download get the smart phone app and get it that way or just call us and will tell you how you might be able to listen but it was powerful at Andrew as we left off last time you're in this overcrowded prison with other Muslim men in a cell bill for eight and is about 20 men in this particular cell, all of whom oppose you in your faith in Christ there all committed very committed Muslims. You begin to get depressed, anxious Noreen was noticing that when she was able to visit you, but also you were so desperate.

You're even feeling suicidal at times. Talk about have that feeling crept in and the Noreen I'd love to hear from you as Andrew's wife. What sense of despair you were encountering so Andrew what was happening there to get you to such a low point. So I broke and I broke repeatedly and thoroughly and what brought me to this point is the sense of fear that I had all of this stress led to a lot of stress hormones being released. I cannot sleep. I had constant panic attacks and I also went into relational crisis with God. I was having a spiritual crisis and so I felt abandoned I felt that God had turned me over to be persecuted and in a very harsh way so and I was having a lot of questions of God and he wasn't answering me was alive and myself to answer me there, I said unless I might as well talk to the wall you know talking to you is the same. I'm getting no answer, so I was having a lot of doubts and questions and I was very confused. I lost about 50#breaking physically and I had a fear that I miss him so much, Tommy, Andrew, you will become a Muslim and I thought, I'm so confused and so isolated. Is it possible that over time, I never wanted to turn my back on Jesus.

But is it possible that over time, I would drift away under the just considering the pressure monitoring the confusion that I have so wouldn't it be better if I just go ahead and and tell myself and go to heaven defeated but at least I'm there and it was a very wrong way. Thinking but I was very confused at the time. While I also thought I would much rather be in heaven than in the Turkish prison for the rest of my life and they at one point did say they wanted three life sentences for me so I didn't know that I was in a get out. I spent two years there, but I did not was 92 years right you is yes indefinite. So I thought three life sentences. I may die here and really it's the uncertainty that often test the heart and when you when you contemplate that and now you're on the other side of that and you understand what the Lord was doing and how he was using using you and what was happening. How do you theologically.

How do you translate that suffering and the idea that suffering actually does involve God's direction for many, many people in his you know that it's the old question of God's love and God loves me, why does he allow me to suffer now. There are many books written about that and to be honest I I had a lot of questions and my heart would almost knocked me out was that I was deeply offended toward God and are you.

You haven't met my expectations. You God's love may look different than I expect. We talk about God's faithfulness and his faithfulness may look different then we expected to look and I I had many questions and I don't know that I have the answers to them. But what one of the things that led to the turnaround for me was when I gave up my right to demand answers. I came to realize, at some point I have all these questions for God and questioning his faithfulness and love, and at some point accounted on me that God has questions for me and it was my love and my faithfulness were being tested anything and or are you going to love me even when you don't see my love are you going to be faithful to me even when you don't see my faithfulness for so many people are living in that spot, but Noreen, I do want to come back and get your feelings and observations that spouse. This is potentially panic mode time. You know you're feeling and saying Andrew's depression, perhaps even talking about those suicidal thoughts, and he walk away now present at our house, and Gary Guizot heart and then how do you surrender and how do you trust God that he's going to keep your husband say yeah you know, the pressure to each week. I would make a sheet for myself. I couldn't take anything into the prison, but I'd prepare sheet ahead of time of any good news diplomatically, any news of the family. I'd say Lord, what can I bring to him this week but can I and I would start out by praying over him every time we saw each other it was sometimes when I did have a lot of good news.

I said, Lord, when I'm feeling so discouraged.

How can I begin to help him, but at the end of the day.

Somebody said looking out you cannot beat bear the full responsibility for another person's. I said okay and and and the best I can and what you have to do it you have to take care of him but there were times there were a couple real low points and one of them where he said I can't trust myself anymore. I'm just an concern because the panic and despair can easily lead person just to feel suicidal. He wanted to die as he said, but you know they likely are at least looking for relief S the one thing that she said to me she said Andrew go back and repeat this again and again Andrew in Christ chooses life and I'll try somebody said give him some no short phrase that he can just meditate on keep yeah and I said you know keep saying that if nothing else. I also said at some point, promise me that I'm gonna see you next week when I come and say yes and then I thought okay I will see him so there were some weeks there was a. They are where was to that point. No nightly.

Again, I appreciate that honesty and that openness and you know people are going to connect with your store in different ways is a profound story a unique story but what you went through people go through you know Andrew a moment ago when you were talking about that despair. Couple of my friends who have lost their children to cancer something like that they have that feeling Lord. Where are you, Lord, if you're so good why did you take my child, and it you know those giving up the surrendering of saying okay I don't need an answer to the question of trust God. That's a profound faith moment for everybody and anybody. I think most people in many of our struggles or crises.

We will have some sense of God support, but I think most people will go through at least one crisis in their life where they feel like they're completely in the dark and I don't think God causes all of the difficulties, but in the midst of them.

He will test us and my test was whether when I'm in the dark in my going to lean into him in the dark and we thought sometimes people think they said to meander your imprisonment was really about you trust in God and I had a difficult time with understanding trust because so often is tied to an outcome. No, I people to enter trust God and really what they're saying is trust God is good to get you out of prison, but it doesn't say anywhere in the Bible that he will and so the way that I began to think about trust to apply it in my life was say Jesus. I believe that you are a good leader and you will hold my heart will separate my heart and you will take me through to your kingdom but I don't know what difficulties I will go through. I don't know how hard it's going to be. I don't really know what that process is going to be that I can lean into your leadership and say you're a good leader and so lean into him and this is what became my thing verse.

It was from Isaiah 50 verse 10 where God is saying to Israel that's an XL to the one who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of your God and lean on him so he could have said I'm Dennis and liked him the sunlight. But he didn't. He basically cited him in darkness for a while lean into me in the dark.

And so I think this is was really the test for me and my going to stand in my going to lean into him in the darkness when I don't sense his presence so great words of perspective from Andrew Brunson and his wife Marine today on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly.

The story is captured in the book, God's hostage a true story of persecution, imprisonment, and perseverance. I might add that we have caring Christian counselors here at Focus on the Family and if what were talking about is resonating with you, if you're in a dark spot in your heart and there's no apparent way out. You need to talk to somebody seek out a pastor if you can't find somebody nearby. Give us a call and be a privilege for us to connect you with one of those counselors are numbers 800 the letter a in the word family or click the link in the episode notes, we mentioned that feeling of Job and that despair out of the Old Testament that abandonment from God near you know your illustrating that so precisely.

This was an ongoing battle at that prison book of prison your final prison you had your Bible.

Once again they allowed you to have that and as you read. I can only imagine connecting with the apostle Paul and what he went through being in prison and singing talking to the jailers encouraging people how did Paul either inspire you or you know give you concern or maybe both. Like I realize that I was not living up to Paul's example but one thing is that Paul talks about how these momentary light afflictions cannot compare with what's coming, so he had a great statement yet he had a very good right perspective of eternity.

What really matters.

I did, I could just picture coming before Jesus one then he says to me Andrew. I had assignments for you to accomplish and you.because you are a coward and I began to fight every day to get to the point where I say I'm willing to stay here.

I can't embrace prison, but I can embrace serving your purposes and as I did that day after day. It ended up building a strength and a determination in me. You mentioned Paul singing in prison and of course we don't know how he sang lessee all happy about it or was he singing you know, praise and worship in his difficulty just out of out of obedience and surrender and reverence for God, and you mentioned some of the words of the song that he actually wrote in prison and he came out of his heart, the things that he had struggled with and he was kind of an affirmation of truth, and he saying this every day and I think that that God was just waiting every day for Angie to start singing that I think I just love that because when years. Everybody was so happy when Angela wrote a song and make it felt like okay he's done. I knew his pain was continuing. I knew he was singing in his pain and that is the most powerful worship so something that the turning point for me.

Jim came, I made a decision that I was going to be faithful to God and that I was going to run after him and try to rebuild my relation to better fight for my relationship with him because I was losing it and the decision was.

I'm going to turn my eyes toward him and not away, and this is very simple, but in my in my darkness in my worst moments I say in when I'm the weakest. I still have a decision I can make with my will is not with my emotions, my emotions are in turmoil, but I can make a decision am I going to turn toward him or way and sometimes it was just one degree in his direction and I'm so weak I can just barely turn but that made all the difference because it positioned me so that then he could give grace and I could begin to cooperate with the grace and the reason I want to emphasize this is because your listeners. It doesn't matter how deep the discouragement of depression or darkness. Urine you can still make a decision to turn toward him, even if it's only slightly in his direction. But it makes all the deficits are toward and then to turn away. Yeah, it's really well said and man. We encourage you to do that from a spiritual perspective drawing to better track and that regard, let's move to the trials and some of the practical human side of everything going on being in front of those judges hearing slanderous thing said about you that were rooted in any kind of truth. What did that feel like you're standing in for to describe it for us because none of us will probably experience that. So it was a kangaroo court.

I knew that the judge wasn't going to make the decision that was going to be made in a political level.

So in a sense, it didn't matter how well I defended myself it wasn't going make any difference. This setting was very intimidating. It was under basketball arena that turned into court to have mass trials but I was sitting there alone and facing three judges who are on a stand across from me in front of me and the prosecutor sits right next to the judges so you know they're working together right examine my lawyer is is about 3040 feet away from me so I can't really talk to him. So really I just standing alone in front of the judges and then there is a sea of 500 seat chairs or so and then at the very back of the arena, there's a section for people who are watching and Noreen would be there so I knew I could turn around and it was far enough away couldn't distinguish her face but I knew that it was her okay yeah and he was actually supposed to turn around whenever he did and like I love you work you know what to God's right to do some jet some gesture. I will just say that I saw grace at work. He didn't feel it, especially his first session he had not slept.

They had given him.

At this point he was taking angst and anxiety medication. He and Eaton and then 13 Hour Ct. session that first date is so and and they told him they were returning him to this prison where he had so much, so he was really really broken that day and then hours of false testimony and all kinds of ridiculous things and he has a right to an defend himself and speak up when he would get up to speak you know this lone figure standing against the whole digestive system. God's grace was on him and it was clear and it was coherent, speaking in Turkish and it's like a breath of fresh air. Truth is being spoken, and especially in the third session when he actually decide at that point there's not much I can do to defend myself but I can give a testimony so he said he basically gave the gospel said. That is why I am here and because I've been forgiven.

I also choose to forgive those who have testified against me, and he literally listed every one of them is powerful yeah and I mean now is bursting with pride. Let's move to the US government action. Of course this happened during the trust administration. We have a mutual friend in Mike Pompeo who was the Secretary of State at the time describe those interactions. They did engage your flight and how did that connection occur. How did you get word that the top of the US government was aware of your case and attempting to intervene, such as backup and say at the bottom of all this was prayer, and thanks to all the listeners who prayed for us because that was huge. They prayed a rope to their resident yeah and then they were putting pressure on State Department and it moved up in the largest work orchestrated events frankly but it was really the result of prayer that it made it all the way up to the level of the president within a relatively short time, I would say and that he became personally engaged in then not engage in hostage negotiations.

This was unprecedented. The level of involvement by the president and then the administration was really astounding was very scary to me is that present trumpet asked for my release three times at a summit he had with the president of Turkey and they still held me for 17 months. After that we had at fourth and final trial and people are definitely interested in how how your release occurred, etc. so described that final trial. What took place. What was the verdict and in your lawyer telling you something a little bit different than what was going on in front of you. So the fourth trial there's already been tremendous pressure on Turkey allow diplomatic engagement week, but nobody knows what's going to happen because the only person who's going to make there's one person is going to decide the outcome.

And that's the president of Turkey. No one else and no one knew what he was going to do and we go into the fourth trial session and they very quickly moved to declare me guilty and I thought all of this prayer. All of this engagement.

All of this pressure and they got it. They're going to declare me guilty and they did. They declare me guilty of supporting terror groups and then they sentenced me to prison so I'm I as her sentencing me. My mind is just going off something okay Luddite, please have them to put me back in the same prison with the same cellmates I don't have to start all over again in a different system and then my lawyer says okay under your you can go now.

I say go where go to prison where says no, actually, they just released to so that convicted me sentenced me and then they released me while I appeal it. Now this is just a legal maneuvering really what happened is the president of Turkey decided let's get rid of him you like that about pain rather than pond. So then the prosecutor said you're free to go. When are you leaving how quickly can you live but then there was a rush to get us to the airport this quickly as possible. Present trumps on an Air Force plane to get us because at any point that could change rightly range of decision resident in any tweet comment anything, the president of Turkey reacts to actively back in prison so very quickly trying to get us out of there but the quick flash the roller coaster of of being sentenced to prison again, found guilty, and then within a day where the White House yeah described that I've traveled, I've had the privilege of traveling for focus probably about 70 countries coming back to this nation and even with all of our flaws. We have an amazing country and you see that, especially going through something like you went through what was I feeling like come back on an Air Force plane sent by the president to deliver you back into the US and then putting your foot on US soil after your ordeal. You know what really moved us there is our three children were waiting for us. They were lined up on it next to the tarmac and there was nobody else there would request that there be no media anything and just coming off the plane and hugging them and seeing that for the first time that my oldest son. I hadn't talked in a scene in the two years that was very moving. Thomas after that that was the main thing that it is a family then after that and within a couple hours that we were at the White House this I think right at the end here. There's a couple of obvious questions that the listeners on disliking what they might be wanting me to ask the Bible says to us to live is Christ and to die is gain. What's your message to believers and how can we remember Christians who suffer for the sake of Christ. It was very encouraging to me to know that people were praying for me and I didn't know what the outcome would be, but knowing that there were believers who were standing with me. They couldn't be in the cell with me. I was alone in the cell but spiritually they were praying for me that was the one that asked Noreen every week are every time I got to see her say our people praying for me to say yes and I would take that encouragement back to the cell with me. As I said, not knowing what the outcome would be, but just knowing that I'm still connected to the body that was so important to me what I wanted most in prison.

Was I wanted a sense of God's presence. What I came to see his what God wanted from me was a simple devotion and so for those who are going into persecution or under pressure. This is what I tried to focus on through my second year when God rebuilt me is simply to be devoted I may not have answers. I don't know what will.

How much difficulty ago through.

I'm just going to be devoted to him and love him and that is the message and you've done a beautiful job capturing it to Andrew, Noreen, thank you so much for being with us in sharing the story, not to mention living it and having to go through it and coming out on the other side connected to God positive about your faith in Christ. It will be a real encouragement to so many people say encouraged by what God is going to do in Turkey throughout the Spirit poured into Anja because this was much bigger than its will and you know that's the thing. The hand of God's time doesn't stop with your experience, it's going to continue and you know when you were describing. Even your interaction with the judges and the prosecutor you never know what kind of statement you was making. I think I do about forgiveness and the fact that you have been forgiven much and you're going to forgive because your faith in Christ.

You can't sit there and not let that challenge you as a Muslim judge in Turkey. When we left Turkey the last words that we have their work. We love Turkey inside. And so when we came back to the states.

It was media and that went back into Turkey as well and the message was we still love Turkey and that resonated there.

They went into the meter there while you know, here is been accused of all kinds of things and he still loves Turkey.

Well, they lost a great servant in the country for this time but I'm sure you continue to pray for the country every day.

Thank you, thank you for being with us. What an incredible conversation we've had with the Brunson's and this reminder that were here to help if you're facing difficulty in your face if you're having a crisis of some sorts and need to talk to somebody we have caring Christian counselors here and of course the story is captured in this incredible book gods hostage a true story of persecution and imprisonment and perseverance. Obviously in two days, we could not cover all the details by any stretch. Get a copy of this book.

When you get in touch with those donate. As you can were listener supported, and that we invite your participation with us as we bring life-affirming faith affirming stories like this to people around the world and we make that donation of any amount to Focus on the Family will send this book to you as our thank you. You can donate to get a copy of the book and connect with us when you call 800 K in the word family or click the links in the episode melts in this reminder.

Sunday is the International Day of prayer for the persecuted church.

This is one day set aside.

Of course, we encourage you to pray every day for brothers and sisters around the world. We got resources for you on the website and how to engage in that kind of prayer ministry on behalf of Jim Daly in the entire team.

Thanks for joining us today for Focus on the Family I'm John Fuller inviting you back. As we once again help you and your family thrive in Christ.

Just like a warm fireplace when it's cold outside and enjoy the Christmas season gives comfort and draws us closer to loved ones. I'm John Fuller, and Focus on the Family is excited to let you know about our Christmas stories podcast. Each episode brings heartwarming conversations to bring your family closer together and remind you of the hope we have in Jesus. You can enjoy the podcast@focusonthefamily.com/Christmas story that's focusonthefamily.com/Christmas