Welcome to Inside the Epicenter! In this extraordinary episode, host Joel Rosenberg takes you behind the scenes of what he calls "the miracle in the mountains" — one of the most dramatic, complex, and miraculous military rescue operations in American history. On Good Friday, April 3rd, an F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down by Iranian surface-to-air missiles deep inside enemy territory during Operation Epic Fury. While the pilot was rescued relatively quickly, the Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) found himself wounded, alone, hunted, and deep behind enemy lines. What unfolded over the next 36 hours — involving the CIA, U.S. Special Forces, downed helicopters, two destroyed $100 million aircraft, and the brave faith of one American airman — is nothing short of breathtaking. And when the WSO was finally rescued, his first message said it all: God is good. Shot down on Good Friday, hidden in a cave on Saturday, and rescued as the sun rose on Easter Sunday — this is a story of survival, faith, and divine providence you won't forget.
(06:45) What is Inside the Epicenter and the Joshua Fund?
(10:30) Good Friday, April 3rd — the F-15E Strike Eagle is shot down over Iran
(14:55) The race begins: Iranian forces mobilize, $60K bounty announced
(18:40) The pilot is rescued — but the WSO is missing
(22:10) SERE training kicks in: the WSO hides, sheds his gear, and heads for the mountains
(26:35) Israel suspends airstrikes to support U.S. rescue efforts
(29:50) Saturday, April 4th — climbing a 7,000-foot peak, wounded and hunted
(33:00) Friendly Iranians shelter the WSO; he activates his beacon
(36:15) U.S. bombs roads; an A-10 Warthog is hit and crashes in Kuwait
(39:40) The CIA launches a deception campaign and locates the WSO
(43:05) Two MC-130J planes land, get stuck, and must be destroyed — $200 million lost
(46:20) Scripture break — Isaiah 61 and a prayer for captives set free
(49:10) Easter Sunday, 12:09 AM — Trump posts: "We got him."
(52:00) What victory in Iran looks like — and what we must keep praying for
(56:30) A call to pray for Iran's spiritual liberation and support for the Joshua Fund
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Bible Verse of the Day:
Isaiah 61:1 — "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners."
Prayer Requests:
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Pray with deep gratitude for the two American airmen who are now home and accounted for. Thank God for His miraculous hand of protection over their lives and pray for their full physical and emotional recovery, and for their families who endured those agonizing hours of waiting.
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Pray for the success and swift conclusion of Operation Epic Fury. Ask God to grant the U.S. and Israeli forces the clarity, courage, and capability to achieve a complete and decisive victory — neutralizing Iran's nuclear program, its ballistic missile capabilities, and its ability to project terror against Israel, America, and our allies.
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Pray for the people of Iran — for their spiritual liberation and political freedom. Ask God to bring down the wicked, 47-year-old regime of the Ayatollahs and open the door for a moderate, peaceful, pro-Western leadership. Pray especially that the gospel would advance among the Iranian people and that millions would come to know Jesus in this historic moment.
Related Episodes:
The Gaza Ceasefire: What Just Happened and What Comes Next #359
Shannon Bream on Faith, Pain, and Hope in the Epicenter #358
Inside Passover: Spiritual Strength Amid War in Israel #357
Is Jeremiah 49 Becoming Reality Before Our Eyes? #355
https://joshuafund.com/2027-epicenter-summit-landing-page/
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49 min