Testimony of Gulshan Esther…

Tuesday, June 26th, 2007 | salvation, testimony

This past semester, Dr. Greenham shared with his Christian Missions class a testimony from The Torn Veil: The Story of Sister Gulshan Esther as told to Thelma Sangster with Noble Din Interpreter. This quote is actually taken from Dr. Greenham’s disertation Muslim conversions to Christ: an investigation of Palestinian converts living in the Holy land - Page 58-59.

I hope you enjoy it, I did.

Perhaps the most striking testimony of all is that of another Pakistani woman, Gulshan Esther. She was crippled from infancy and for years sought healing in vain. Following her father’s death, she desperately called out to God, beginning truly to “talk to Him, not as a Muslim does, using set prayers, approaching Him across a great gulf. Driven by a vast emptiness inside I prayed as if talking to One who knew my circumstances and my need.” Her prayer led to a number of remarkable encounters. She heard a low voice saying he was Jesus son of Mary, and that she should read about him in the Qur’an. She did so, and “began to believe that what was written about Jesus was true — that he did miracles, was alive — and that he could heal [her].” She felt more and more drawn to Jesus and prayed to him repeatedly.

Very early one morning, after desperately asking Jesus to heal her or tell her if he could not, a light filled the darkened room and she became aware ofthe presence of twelve figures, led by another, brighter and larger than the rest. She relates the encounter as follows:

“Oh God,” I cried, and the perspiration broke out on my forehead. I bowed my head and I prayed. “Oh God, who are these people, and how have they come here when all the windows and doors are shut?”

Suddenly a voice said, “Get up. This is the path you have been seeking. I am Jesus Son of Mary, to whom you have been praying, and now I am standing in front of you. You get up and come to me.”

I started to weep. “Oh Jesus, I’m crippled. I can’t get up.”

He said, “Stand up and come to me. I am Jesus.”

When I hesitated he said it a second time. Then as I still doubted he said for the third time, “Stand up.”

And I, Gulshan Fatima, who had been crippled on my bed for nineteen years, felt new strength flowing into my wasted limbs. I put my foot on the ground and stood up. Then I ran a few paces and fell at the feet of the vision. I was bathing in the purest light and it was burning as bright as the sun and moon together. The light shone into my heart and into my mind and many things became clear to me at that moment.

What seems very clear is she was miraculously healed and transformed. After the vision she began walking up and down in her room, reciting the Lord’s Prayer, which she had received shortly before in her illumination encounter.

The sound of her movement alarmed her aunt, who assumed someone had entered her room, as Esther couldn’t walk. Opening the door, the aunt had to come to terms with the reality of her healing. Although she and the other relatives were delighted with Esther’s physical transformation, they did not appreciate the credit she gave Jesus. Her relationship with her family deteriorated and at one point she had a gun put to her head. Nevertheless, after leaving home permanently, she engaged in a ministry of testifying “to the power of God to reach people who are behind the veil of Islam.”

3 Comments to Testimony of Gulshan Esther…

Brandon
June 27, 2007

Lew,
That’ll stretch the “Baptist box”! LOL!

We have some friends that are missionaries to a predominantly Muslim people group in Africa. They tell us of people that come to faith in Christ after they see and hear Jesus in their dreams. Great testimony! Thanks for sharing.

Blessings…
Brandon

Lew A
June 27, 2007

Brandon,

Yeah, I have heard several stories of these kinds of supernatural encounters happening over the pond. I find these testimonies very intriguing.

Thanks for the comment.

God’s Glory,
Lew

Mathew
December 13, 2007

Gulshan Esther is amazing! Praise god. Here is a simple way to reach Muslims:

Is the Koran God’s word?,

The Koran is based on ‘revelation’ received by only one man, Prophet Mohammed.

Who was this prophet Mohammed?

He was a sincere seeker of God who preferred to go to caves to meditate thinking that God would reveal Himself to him.

What was the source of this revelation?

There are two sources of revelation, one from almighty God and the other from His enemies who try to keep humans under sin and away from a real loving relationship with God.

We are taught that God revealed the Koran to Mohammed?

If the revelation indeed came from the living almighty God who revealed Himself in the Bible, how could He contradict Himself in the Koran? How could God deny the only way He had to reconcile us to Himself?

If we follow the Koran can’t we come close to God?

The Koran only gives rules to make a man appear good from the outside. It can never make a person holy. It has no way to save us from the guilt, power and consequences of Sin. We have a tendency to sin, disobey God and His laws. The law has only one purpose, to reveal to man what is Sin and what is right and wrong.

What is the punishment for sin?

Isaiah 59:2 Your sins have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you.

Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death.

DO NOT BE DECEIVED! “Death” does not mean you cease to exist! After physical death our spirit lives on forever. Romans 6:23 is talking about spiritual death

How can we pay the price for our sins then?

No one can pay the price for our own sins. Left to ourselves and to our own religions and their ways, we would all perish. Before God our efforts to pay for our sins are like dirty rags.

Then who can save us?

Only God knows us best. He has provided a way out for those who really wish to be free from Sin. God did for us what we could never do for ourselves.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God–not because of works, lest any man should boast.

What is this grace?

Grace is found only in the Bible. There is no concept of a merciful loving God who has paid the price for our sins by Himself in the Koran. Jesus Christ the sinless man was the only one who could fulfil Gods price, the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all those who believe in Him.

How can God take on human form?

Why not? Who are we to limit God?

How did Jesus pay for my sins?

He was the only human who lived a sinless life. God demanded a perfect sinless life to be given up as the price for Sin. He paid the price for your sins and mine by giving up his own life at the age of 33 on the cross by crucifixion. In my place, He died so that I may live. Praise God!

I was taught that Jesus did not die on the cross?

Why would anyone teach you that unless they want you to reject God’s only way out from sin and death for you? If Jesus did not die, and if He did not come alive again on the third day, there remains no other way out for us humans to escape the guilt, power and consequences of sin. Also, obviously ten disciples of Jesus and countless martyr’s would not have given up their life to defend a lie.

Why did God let Jesus die?

That is how much God loves us, dear friend. There was no reason for God to die for us. That is called God’s grace. If you wish to believe it then you are welcome.

How can God be defeated like a weak person?

What a human mind considers weakness or defeat was the greatest victory ever. Jesus Christ came alive on the third day to the surprise of His disciples, defeating death and Sin on behalf of all of us.

“I don’t claim to be perfect, but I really haven’t done anything really evil. How can I repent?”

God hates sin — all sin. Even a single lie makes us a liar, is it not? God considers it sin. We are all sinners.

God sent Jesus (Yeshua) to save us from our sins by His death and resurrection. Romans 5:8 God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Romans 4:25 He died for our sins and rose again to make us right with God.
You can accept Jesus (Yeshua) as your Lord and Savior only by repenting of your sins, believing in Him, and being baptized in His name for the remission of your sins. Romans 10:9 If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Acts 2:38 Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

What are the steps needed for me to be sure of my salvation then?

You need to accept that you are a sinner, and really repent of your sins…and believe with all your heart that Jesus has died for your sins. God will forgive you and make you a new Creation born of the Spirit. He will give you the deep assurance in your heart. There is no other way.

What if I do not wish to believe in Jesus Christ?

If you have not accepted Jesus before you physically die, God will ask you how you have paid for the sins you have committed and since you cannot meet God’s demand, He will have to sadly give you the punishment which He has declared, and you will go in the Lake of Fire after the great White Throne Judgment where your sins are read out before you.

God will never force you to accept Jesus, but who would not choose to believe in God’s free gift which only costs us our pride and desire to sin?

God will ask you why you did not believe that Jesus died and came alive again. What will you answer? Please let us know.

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