International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church: http://idop.org/web/
Powerful testimony: https://secure.persecution.com/idop/default.aspx
Exile night: https://www.i-am-n.com/exile-night/
Christian Iraqi girl
refugee forgiving ISIS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ige6CcXuMg
“In our world today, more than 40 percent still have not
heard or had access to the gospel, including nearly 70 percent of Niger. Christ
does not call us to pursue danger, but he asks our obedience to his calling.
Time and again, God has demonstrated his power over the enemy’s attacks and his
ability to save. Whether it was the day my teammates and I were surrounded by a
mob and about to be burned alive with a fire already lit under our vehicle, the
illegal arrest warrants issued as vendettas, being chased from villages by
shovels or rocks, or perhaps, the random death threat, nothing surprises God.
Rather, it is an opportunity for his glory to be displayed. Still, there may
come a day when physical deliverance doesn’t occur. Let it be known on that
day, God is still faithful, and the greatest deliverance will have actually
occurred. Whether we live or whether we die, Christ is our life, and his glory
is the reward. Jesus Christ calls us to himself, not to a life of ease by
avoidance, but of intimacy through obedience that we “may know him and the power of his
resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” (Phil.
3:10)
–Missionary Nathan Bramsen, 2015: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/church-on-fire
Prayer
passages for those at risk of, or currently suffering, persecution:
Psalm 23
Psalm 119:51, 61, 69, 110, 157
Psalm 124
Isaiah 49
Isaiah 53
Matthew 5:3-12, 43-48
Matthew 10:16-33
Matthew 23:34-35
Mark 4:13-20
Mark 13:9-13
Mark 15:21, 34
Luke 6:22-23
John 15:18-25
John 16
Acts 5:29, 40-42
Acts 7:51-60
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Acts 8:4
Acts 23:11
Acts 28:16, 30-31
Romans 5:1-5
Romans 8
Romans 12
1 Corinthians
12:26-27
1 Corinthians 13
2 Corinthians 4:8-12
2 Corinthians 11:23-27
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Galatians 4:29
Philippians 1:12-14
Colossians 1:24
2 Timothy 2:9-12
2 Timothy 3:10-17
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2 Timothy 4:16-18
Hebrews 11
Hebrews 12:1-3
Hebrews 13:3, 12-16
James 1
James 5:7-12
1 Peter 3:14-17
1 Peter 4:12-19
1 Peter 5:8-9
1 John 3:1, 13
Revelation 1:9
Revelation 2:3, 8-11
Revelation 6:9-11
Revelation 7:13-17
Revelation 20:4
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Persecution Today at a Glance
(Source, World Help: http://worldhelp.net/persecuted-church/)
MYANMAR: Myanmar is currently ranked by the World Watch List
as the 23rd most dangerous place in the world for Christians.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (C.A.R.): Violent clashes between
Muslim and Christian groups in the C.A.R. make it a volatile place for
Christ-followers.
NEPAL: Nepali Christians represent less than 2 percent of
the population and are frequently targeted by extremist groups, particularly
Hindu and Maoist factions.
IRAQ and SYRIA: Christians in Iraq and Syria have suffered
unthinkable persecution from ISIS. Pray for believers who remain or are
displaced around the world—that they will lead many Muslims to Christ and that
members of ISIS will come to know Jesus. ISIS has forced thousands of Syrian
Christians to flee their homes or “convert to Islam, pay a tax, or face death.
NORTH KOREA: Because it is illegal to be a Christian in
North Korea, Christ-followers are often completely isolated . . . making
fellowship and evangelism extremely dangerous. Pray for Christians suffering
torture in labor camps, and that the nation’s leadership will become open to
the Gospel. In North Korea, being a Christian is forbidden by law. Public
expressions of faith, worship, evangelism, or possession of Bibles have been
known to end in execution.
CHINA and VIETNAM: Leaders of house churches are often
targeted and closely monitored by police. Pray for the spiritual growth of
minority groups and Christians living in rural areas, and for the spiritual
awakening of government officials. Christians who operate apart from the
government-approved churches of China are subject to discrimination, arrest,
and threats.
AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN, and IRAN: Large regions of the Middle
East are unsafe for Christians and their families. Many face constant threats
and assassination attempts. Pray for Christians being persecuted by their
families, that the Gospel will invade the ranks of terrorist groups, and that
those living under strict regimes will have wisdom and perseverance.
CUBA: Larger church gatherings have been told to disband,
and Christian leaders are often targeted. Pray for new believers, that they
will receive access to God’s Word and will boldly proclaim the Gospel without
fear. Pray also for Christian leaders, that they will receive the ministry
training they need.
