Reading Romans 8: 37 – “We’re more than conquerors through Him who loved us” – made me think about the 27-year-old Sudanese woman imprisoned and facing a death penalty by Sudan authorities. Imprisoned with her is her 20-month-old son. On top of that she is a little more than eight months pregnant. She is charged with the apostasy of being a Christian who will not renounce her faith and return to Islam.

Her name is Mariam Yahya Ibrahim, who by birth in Sudan is considered by Sudan authorities to be a Muslim. She married Daniel Wani, a non-Muslim. Because he is Christian is why he’s not allowed to have the 20-month-old.

If the sentence of death by beheading is issued, Ibrahim will be allowed to first give birth. Nonetheless, her enemies will think they have won. But the truth is that she will have won. I say this because God’s love for her will see to it that she will live again. Not only will she have that conqueror’s victory, but even more, she will share in the inheritance of Christ in whom all things are given (Romans 8: 32).

With God being for her, her enemies can’t be against her and win (Romans 8: 31). This, of course, holds true for all of God’s children. The enemy will wield tribulation, distress, persecution, and the sword to kill. However, none of those things will separate us from the love of God (Romans 8: 38, 39). Try as they might, Ibrahim’s enemies cannot take away her eternal destiny.

Our sister, Ibrahim, probably knows this and is comforted by it. However, that doesn’t mean she wants to die. Like most of us would cling to, she probably has hope that she and her children will be released. In line with that, more than likely she is hoping too that her brothers and sisters in Christ are praying on her behalf. We can certainly help in that way by praying intercessory prayers for her deliverance in this life.

If there is to be godly intervention to spare her life and to restore her family, it will be through the prayers of the faithful.