Persecuted Christians 2
- Praying Scripture
- Sep 2, 2023
- 12 min read
Updated: 23 hours ago
Receive Holy Spirit Guidance
Let Your Holy Spirit help us to pray because Your Word says that we do not know how to pray as we ought but that the Holy Spirit helps in our weaknesses and makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26)
Let the Holy Spirit make intercession through and for us according to the will of God (Romans 8:27)
Let the Holy Spirit guide us into all the truth and declare to us the things that are to come (John 16:13)
Let the Holy Spirit baptize us fully as with the apostles, let tongues of Holy Spirit fire rest upon each of us and let us receive Your Holy Spirit power so that we are led by the Holy Spirit in everything pertaining to this life (Acts 1:5-8 & Acts 2:1-4)
General Prayer for The Persecuted
Lord, Your Word says that all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12), but we take hope that blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:10) and we pray that the Kingdom of Heaven would come upon all these persecuted Christians. May The Holy Spirit teach them in that very hour what they ought to say when they are brought before authorities (Luke 12:12).
We pray You'd give them the strength to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:44 | Romans 12:14), and to rejoice in sharing Christ's sufferings (1 Peter 4:12-14). May they endure to the end and be saved (Matthew 10:22).
We pray that all those who have left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for Your sake and for the gospel, will receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life (Mark 10:29-30).
May those who suffer according to Your will entrust their souls to You, their faithful Creator while doing good (1 Peter 4:19). We pray that they would be faithful unto death, so that You will give them the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).
We pray they would fear no evil and that Your rod and Your staff would comfort them (Psalm 23:4). We pray You'd rescue them from the hands of their enemies and their persecutors (Psalm 31:15).
We pray that the things which happen to them would actually turn out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it will become evident to prison guards and all persecutors, and to all the rest, that their chains are in Christ. Let the brethren in the Lord become confident by their chains, that they will be much more bold to speak the word without fear (Philippians 1:12-14).
Lord, let Your vengeance against the persecutors of Christians be their salvation. As they beat, kill, torture, and persecute Your Church, let them wonder who this Jesus is that is worth the lives of those they persecute. Let them wonder why these people think this Jesus is worth torture and pain. Let them look for answers as to why this Jesus is worth persecution and suffering, and in doing so, let them find You. Let them, in the midst of persecuting Christians, meet the Damascus roads that Paul met. Let the zeal with which they persecute Christians become the zeal with which they turn around, follow and preach Jesus Christ.
We thank You Lord, for Your grace and mercy that allows us to freely be Christians. May we never forget to continue praying for and supporting our brothers and sisters who don't have this freedom.
Links, prayers and references compiled from Open Doors International
India [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Praise God for the encouraging election results in India and ask Him to help the new coalition government protect the rights of all Indians, including Christians.
As Christians in Manipur State continue to recover and rebuild after the 2023 violence, pray for a spirit of peace and reconciliation.
Pray with church leaders who are falsely accused under anti-conversion laws. Ask God to protect them from attack and imprisonment.
Christians attacked by radical Hindu RSS and its affiliate organization, Bajrang Dal in Jagdalpur district in southern Chhattisgarh, located in central India. [Link]
Conversion for Hindu extremists in the Bajrang Dal organization including Dara Singh. [Link]
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Lord, we pray for Your guidance for India's new government. We ask You to convict and empower these elected leaders to protect religious freedom for minorities, including Christians. We pray for peace and healing in this nation. Help new believers endure the pressure and violence they face for their decision to follow Jesus. Please be ever-present with church leaders who are following Your call on their lives to preach the gospel and build Your Church. May we always be fervent in our prayers for our Indian brothers and sisters. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Anjali
"The victims of violence are finding ways and means to restore and return to the state, but the constant attacks and killings have shrunk all hopes and opportunities. Houses are burned down, innocent lives are lost, and families continue to be displaced. If the situation continues to remain the same, another widespread violence is anticipated. Anjali - A local Christian speaking about the violence in India's Manipur State."
Saudi Arabia [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
That believers here would find a place to worship and grow in knowledge of the Lord.
For immigrant Christians who meet secretly to receive God's protection and wisdom.
For God to bless all those who reach out to share the gospel in Saudi Arabia.
Open Doors support of the body of Christ on the Arabian Peninsula by organising prayer, distributing Scripture resources, and training believers and pastors.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Heavenly Father, give strength to our brothers and sisters who are following You but living in fear in Saudi Arabia. We pray that instead of being at risk from their families, their families will become soft-hearted and ready to meet You as well. Protect those who are bravely sharing the gospel online and on TV, and may your message reach many more Saudis who are searching for You. Protect and bring justice for the most vulnerable, especially Christian women. Amen.
Myanmar [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Please pray that God will enable Christians to endure the ongoing, long-term consequences of the coup.
Pray that Christians caught in the conflict between the ruling military junta and rebel groups will be peacemakers.
Pray that the leaders of Myanmar’s military will see that Jesus is the true source of peace and joy.
Open Doors support of persecuted believers in Myanmar through literature distribution, discipleship and leadership programmes, livelihood support, and youth, children and families ministries.
Families of the three deacons abducted and killed from the Presbyterian Church in the town of Mindat, Chin State [Link]
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Heavenly Father, we lift the church in Myanmar to You. Thank You that You are the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6); help Christians to be peacemakers even as they are caught between the military and the rebel groups. Protect vulnerable believers living in displacement camps – provide for their needs and heal their trauma. Please help believers who've converted from Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim backgrounds to learn more about You and meet with other Christians. May the church in Myanmar continue to be a light in the darkness, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Tun Maung
"When dusk falls, we call everyone inside the house, we lock our doors and windows, light our lamps and candles, and stay as quiet as we can."
Mali [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Pray that God will protect believers who are targeted for violence by Islamic extremist groups.
Pray for Open Doors partners in Mali as they seek to help strengthen believers who have lost so much due to extremist attacks.
Pray that God will provide political stability for all Malians – and that the authorities will work toward religious freedom.
Open Doors work through local church partners in Mali to provide persecution survival training, discipleship programmes and economic empowerment projects.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray that You will bring an end to the extremist violence in Mali. Draw near to Christians who have been displaced or attacked, and heal them; give them new strength to keep following Jesus. Grant church leaders courage and wisdom to know how to guide and encourage their congregations, so the church in Mali may continue to proclaim the hope of Your gospel. We pray for the restoration of wise and compassionate government, and an end to militant groups and human trafficking, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Hawa
"Someone from my [Muslim] family can never become a Christian. So they asked me to deny Jesus Christ. My parents abandoned me, leaving me alone."
China [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Pressure on Chinese Christians seems to increase with each passing year. Pray that believers will experience growth in their faith even as persecution rises.
Ask God to protect believers who live in areas where Islam or Buddhism are the primary faiths. Converts from these religions can encounter overt persecution from their families and communities.
Church leaders are often monitored and regarded with suspicion by Chinese authorities. Pray these leaders will feel the presence of Christ.
Open Doors support of believers in China with discipleship and persecution survival training, presence ministry, and relief response programmes, and providing contextualised Christian literature to those who have converted from Islam or Buddhism.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Dear God, We hear about China so often in world news. We know how important the country is, how much the church has grown, and how millions of our brothers and sisters live there. And yet, we also mourn because each year seems to bring new restrictions. Would You please intervene and make a way for Christians to worship freely? Would You help Your children stand strong and equip the next generation to continue serving You? We ask this in Your Son Jesus Christ's Name, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Hollace
"Some church leaders were still taken away for things like ‘drinking tea’ (a common euphemism for casual questioning from officials). It has become unsafe for our brothers and sisters to connect in groups; otherwise, they might be questioned by the authorities anytime. Hollace, an Open Doors partner who lives in a Muslim-majority part of China."
Maldives [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Pray that secret believers will be able to access the Bible in their own language this year.
Pray for Christians – both Maldivians and migrant believers – to find opportunities to meet, pray and worship with one another.
Pray that the Lord will open the eyes of the global community to the situation facing Christians in the Maldives.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank You that, even in a country so closed off, You are present and building Your church in the Maldives. Strengthen and protect secret Christians today as they seek to follow You and reveal Your love to those around them. Draw near to isolated Christians, and migrant believers who are facing threats for meeting together. Help Christians to find creative ways of sharing their faith, and open the eyes of the global community to see the plight of the persecuted Maldivian church, Amen.
Iraq [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Even now, ten years after the Islamic State group took over parts of northern Iraq, Christians are slowly returning home. Pray for them as they continue to rebuild and recover.
When Islamic State attacked, it inflicted long-term trauma on many Iraqi Christians. Open Doors supports trauma care programmes in the country. Pray that God will bless this work.
Pray for believers who are converts from Islam. They can experience significant pressure, no matter where in Iraq they live.
Open Doors' support of strengthening the church in Iraq with training, trauma care, the delivery of Bibles and Christian books, livelihood projects and microloans, help to rebuild homes and churches, and crisis relief.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray for the Christians returning to northern Iraq, asking for Your strength and guidance as they rebuild their lives and communities. Bless the trauma care programmes supported by Open Doors, bringing healing to those affected by the atrocities committed by the Islamic State group. We also lift up converts from Islam, asking for Your protection and peace as they face significant pressure across Iraq. In Your Name, Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Cardinal Louis Sako
"Attacks on Christians are still continuing: on their skills, their jobs, the seizure of their properties, and an attempt to deliberately erase their heritage, history [and] religious legacy."
Syria [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Following Jesus in Syria means confronting more than a decade of near-constant challenges – Islamist extremism, war, natural disasters and constant economic stress. Pray that God will bring about the peace only He can.
Ask God to give hope and healing to converts from Islam who have been rejected and expelled from their families and communities.
Pray for the churches in Syria, that they will be given refreshment to continue serving God’s people.
Pray for the awakening of the church to work together and to intentionally stand in the gap. Pray that the church will admit its shortcomings and ask for God's forgiveness and mercy to heal wounded hearts; that it would stand by the oppressed, proclaim the good news, strengthen the weak and shine for the truth in words and deeds.
More converts to Christianity after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's promotion of religious diversity.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Lord, we pray for Christians in Syria who have been forced from their communities. Bring them hope and comfort. We remember those who love You but face strong opposition and danger - give them courage and let them know Your care. After so many years of turmoil, we pray that Syria would finally have a fair, stable government, peace and justice. In Jesus Christ' Name, amen.
Algeria [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Almost every Protestant church in Algeria has been forcibly closed or fears it will be soon. Pray that God will allow these places of worship to remain open.
In Algeria, sharing your faith in Jesus is risky: it’s illegal to ‘shake the faith of a Muslim’. Ask God to give His people both wisdom and boldness, and pray that they will be protected if and when they share their faith.
Pray that every believer in Algeria will be able to find a Christian community where they can enjoy fellowship.
Open Doors' work with local partners and churches in North Africa to provide leadership and discipleship training, livelihood support, legal aid, trauma counselling, Bibles, and pastoral care.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Dear God, please stand with Your people in Algeria. Help those who have lost their churches to know they can find refuge in You. Bring Your people together to maintain fellowship – and keep them safe as they follow You. Change the hearts of those in authority who want to shut down the church in Algeria. We pray these things in Jesus Christ' Name, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Slimane Bouhafs
Abducted for conversion to Christianity [Link]
Person to Pray For - Naasima
"We believe that God is good all the time. He has never forsaken us, and our suffering is very precious to Him. We believe that He will make a way when there seems to be no way."
Burkina Faso [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Violence in Burkina Faso has led to a massive displacement crisis. Pray for believers who are displaced by Islamist militants. Ask God to bring them hope and healing.
Pray for believers who have endured violence. Ask God to bind up their wounds.
Pray for church leaders who have been forced to flee their homes and villages – yet still hope to minister to their flocks. Pray that God will encourage and strengthen these shepherds.
Open Doors' work through local partners to strengthen Christians in Burkina Faso by providing persecution survival training, relief aid, and spiritual and trauma care.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Dear Lord, we pray for Your people in Burkina Faso. We see how violence has impacted so many believers, and how even those who have escaped with their lives now live on the run. We ask You to provide; we ask You for peace; we ask You for strength for these brothers and sisters. Bring about renewal and healing, so that the church in Burkina Faso can grow and thrive to serve You with gladness and singleness of heart. In Jesus Christ' Name, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Pastor Soré
"I do believe that we are displaced, but Jesus is not and will never be displaced from our lives. He is always with us. This truth strengthens my faith and helps me in this difficult time, and I’m glad with God. Pastor Soré, displaced believer in Burkina Faso"
Prayer Series for Persecuted Christians:
Prayers for The Church
Prayer Series for The Church
Miscellaneous Prayers
