Testimonies - Kamran Yaraei's Conversion Testimony

September 29, 2009

I was born in Northern Iran to a loving family of mostly non-practicing Muslims. At age 12 my father, Monochehr, suffered near fatal injuries from an attempt on his life. Monochehr had acquired favor from the Shah of Iran to help local villagers by making a road for them that would allow them to travel easier to and from the city. This road request upset the wealthy landowners who in turn sent people out to run my father down with a car. Monochehr miraculously survived, though he would never walk well again. He has suffered physical set backs all his life. For this reason I had to take over the family store business at this very young age.

A few years later, at age14, I received a visitation from an angel who gave me some godly advice. In this visitation I could see God at a distance. In the religion of Islam it is unheard of for anyone other than the highest Muslim religious leaders to receive visions like this so I wondered why I saw this. The vision stirred my spirit and caused me to think that there must be more to God than I had learned or knew of. I decided to search for a God I could have a relationship with. I became an avid seeker of Allah through the Shiite Muslim religious practices. My pursuit of a true relationship with Allah left me angry and disappointed in a god whom I couldn't have a relationship with. I realized then that deep inside I longed to have a true relationship with God.

When I was 29, I decided to leave Allah and Iran behind and try to get to the USA. I wanted a fresh start and sought to obtain a visa. I did not tell anyone what I was about to do except my mother, who kept this a secret from the family. I knew it would upset my father terribly to have his oldest son leave. I was hoping my younger brother could step up and take my place in the family store. I had to get out.

In a Cypress hotel, while waiting for my visa appointment, I obtained a Persian Bible in the lobby of the hotel. I had never seen a Bible, much less one in my own language. To my surprise the hotel clerk said I could have it. (Jesus was already at work!)

In my hotel room I started to read this Bible. The names of Jesus would jump out of the pages, literally into the air, as I read. Then a man appeared in front of me in a vision. I knew it was Jesus. He informed me He would get me into the US, and through a series of more miraculous events, He did. Still I did not believe in Him at this time.

Being frustrated with religion as I knew it, I focused my attentions on trying to become an actor and model in the United States. By another divine appointment I ended up in an acting class led by a Spirit-filled Christian. On one occasion my teacher questioned me about my faith, and tried to talk to me about the love of God. This only stirred up my hurt and anger with religion.

After several different conversations about the love of God, a roommate of my teacher asked me if I would like to say the sinner's prayer with her to accept Jesus as my personal savior. Finally one day I said that I would like to say the prayer, but in my own way, and in my own language.

My prayer was spontaneous and from my heart and this is what I said:

”Jesus, I do not believe You are the son of God, but if you are, I invite You to come into my heart. I do not believe Your blood has any power to forgive my sin, but if there is any forgiveness through Your blood, I accept it. If You can build a relationship between God who created the whole world and my heart, then, of course, I give You full permission to do anything you want with my life and my heart.”

After praying my own salvation prayer to this new God, I turned to Allah and said, “Forgive me if I did anything wrong by praying this prayer. If Jesus is not your son, then stop Him from coming to me.”

After this my friends invited me to go to church with them and I said yes. I went to church with them twice and felt so much peace. On my third visit I was late to the service and was directed by the usher to go to the very front row and sit directly in front of the Pastor. After about ten minutes I could see the atmosphere change and a man was standing behind the Pastor who was preaching at that time. I asked myself, “Who is that,” and a voice inside of me said, “Jesus.” I mocked what I heard and the man, (Jesus Christ), walked inside of me. A fire came into my body and touched my heart so that I could not stop myself from crying and shaking uncontrollably. I was so embarrassed from crying in front of people without any reason, sitting in the very front row of a big church. After a couple of minutes I said, “Please don't do this to me, not now,” meaning come back later. The moment I said this, the fire and crying stopped. I told my friends after the service what happened to me and they told me that I was touched by the Spirit of God. I was so amazed and excited at what they were telling me. Holy Spirit of God was inside of me, with me, and I could know Him. They asked me, “Now do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? I said, “No, now I believe that Jesus lives and came to me, Son of God, he needs to convince me personally.”

Soon after this I went to another church with my fr[removed][removed]iends. It was here I received targeted prophetic prayer, which brought intense deliverance. I saw Jesus and was finally convinced that He was the Son of the Most High God. This was the tipping point. I went up to the front of the church and I gave my life to Jesus. I remember looking around and seeing everything for the first time. Everything was new and beautiful, the people, even the carpet, the walls. I was alive for the first time.

Now I pursue Jesus everyday. My main goal is to be His best friend and to always draw closer and closer until I am with Him in heaven.

I believe now that this salvation prayer came from God's heart for a people who need to know a God they can be close to and talk to - a God from whom they can receive love.

My life's testimony is filled with many more miraculous interventions and messages, which I love to share, including my marriage to Suzy.

My heart for the unsaved is to honestly introduce Jesus to all ages and people groups. I desire to help teach the church to share the gospel in a very simple and powerful way.

I want to help the body of Christ to enter into the true freedom that Jesus died for. I want to help light fresh fires in their hearts and rekindle old flames. I carry a burning passion in my heart for people to be turned onto a true love relationship with Jesus that goes deeper than the church has experienced so far. I finally found true love, and a relationship with the one true God, after so much searching and giving my life to a false god. Now I want to share my passion with the world.

I also receive simple guidelines from my prayer times with Jesus that are very helpful in daily Christian living. I love to impart these practical ways for us all to walk in more freedom and love through the power of the Holy Spirit.

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