“God’s ways are Mysterious”

Pastor Gulabchand hails from Azamgarh, a district in Uttar Pradesh state. A devoted husband and father to a 21-year-old son, his journey of faith began not in comfort, but through desperation and divine intervention.

In 2015, his wife began suffering from a mysterious issue of continuous bleeding. For three long years, Gulabchand tried everything, from medical doctors to witch doctors, but nothing could bring her healing. She would often collapse unconscious on the streets, and fear and worry gripped their home. Friends and relatives began to suggest something unconventional, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,” they said, “worship Him, read His Word, and trust Him completely. Then your wife will be healed.”

At first, Gulabchand was hesitant. He delayed his decision, postponing it until after a family wedding. Even after that, he continued to postpone, caught between his old beliefs and the hope that perhaps Jesus could help. As more time passed and his wife’s condition worsened, pressure mounted. His family urged him toward surgery or even more superstitious remedies. He finally registered for a medical procedure, but before it could happen, he and his wife attended a local church.

To their astonishment, within a month of attending church and praying, his wife began to feel better. After two months, her bleeding completely stopped. No medicine, no operation, just the healing touch of Christ. Since then, she has never experienced the issue again. Jesus had healed her fully.

Gulabchand’s life was transformed. He committed his life to Christ and began attending church regularly. Living with his in-laws, who were not believers, he began to face opposition for his faith. But nothing deterred him. He immersed himself in Scripture and deepened his walk with the Lord. Recognizing his passion, his senior pastor encouraged him to start a church in his own home. He did just that, and God blessed the work, and soon it grew big.

But this growth did not come without cost.

One Sunday, while Pastor Gulabchand was preaching, a heavy downpour started outside. As the Word of God was being shared inside, a group of men  stormed in. They began filming with their phones, accusing him of forced religious conversions. They mocked the worship of “an alien God,” Verbal abuse followed. They called the media, and others and accused him falsely.

Gulabchand explained that his ancestors, who were from a lower caste and once lived in poverty, used to scavenge dead animals to survive, but his words were twisted. Ignoring his plea, the authorities detained him. When his wife and father-in-law arrived at the police station, the accusers tried to implicate her as well. She managed to leave in time, but Pastor Gulabchand was taken to jail.

He spent a month behind bars, facing humiliation and uncertainty, but God used even that dark place for His glory. Though many inmates were skeptical at first, Gulabchand shared the love of Christ faithfully.

Gradually, hearts opened. Other pastors were also in jail, and together they sowed seeds of faith among prisoners.

After his release, however, persecution intensified. His wife’s legal case remains pending, delayed due to court holidays and procedural mistakes. Police searched their home. Fearing further harm after filing a counter-FIR against their high-caste accusers, Gulabchand has gone into hiding. He cannot appear in court nor return home, as his life is in danger. His wife, still entangled in legal trouble, remains in hiding with him. Their church, once flourishing, is now silent, fear has gripped the community.

Despite all this, people still call him, asking for prayer. His heart longs to serve, but he is constrained. Yet even in this valley, there is hope. Over 500 sisters are interceding for Pastor Gulabchand and his family through Persecution Relief, praying without ceasing for their protection and deliverance.

Prayer Points for Pastor Gulabchand:

1.Protection and Refuge: Pray that the Lord would protect Pastor Gulabchand and his family from all harm and keep them hidden from those who seek to do them wrong.

2. Healing and Justice for His Wife: Pray for complete physical, emotional, and legal healing for his wife and that the case against her would be dismissed swiftly.

3.Spiritual Strength and Endurance: Ask God to fill them with unshakable faith, hope, and inner peace as they endure this season of persecution and isolation.

4. Revival in the Church and Village: Pray that fear would be replaced with boldness among believers and that the church in their village would be revived and restored.

5.Breakthrough in Legal Case and Restoration: Pray for a divine breakthrough in their legal battles and for complete restoration of their ministry, family life, and calling.