Persecuted Christians 3
- Praying Scripture
- Sep 1, 2023
- 12 min read
Updated: Dec 28, 2025
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
Morocco [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Please pray that God will help the Moroccan church be salt and light.
Pray that Christians will be wise and courageous as they live for Jesus and work out how to share their faith.
Pray that converts from Islam facing pressure from their families and communities will find hope and peace.
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.
Prayer that the wider Muslim Brotherhood movement would lose its last bastion in the Arab world and in Morocco.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Lord God, draw near to our sisters and brothers in Morocco who are under so much pressure from all sides. Grant them peace and renew the sense of freedom that they find in You. Give them creativity so that they can share that freedom with their families and communities. We pray for families torn apart by forced divorce or loss of custody of children. Heal believers who have been affected and help them to connect with their wider church family. May the King of Morocco encounter You for himself and be transformed by Your love, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Aizah
"God is faithful. When we fail, He takes care. I sometimes feel inadequate to do the work, but God is faithful. He helps, He changes lives."
Laos [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
In tribal areas, Christians can be expelled from their villages because of their faith.
Pray that God will help these believers find a safe place to live and worship Him.
Pray for the families of pastors and other church leaders who have been killed. Ask God to heal their wounds.
Pray for the Lord’s protection over Christians who are monitored and forced to meet under the watchful eye of the Communist authorities.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Heavenly Father, we lift up our brothers and sisters in tribal areas who have lost their homes and been expelled from their villages for their faith. Please guide them to safe places where they can live and worship You freely. We also pray for the families of pastors and church leaders who have been killed; may Your healing touch mend their broken hearts. Lord, protect all Christians who are monitored by the authorities, and grant them courage and peace as they gather in Your Name, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Huang
"Please pray for us that one day we can return home. Life is very tough for us, if God wills for us to live here, our conditions would need to improve.
Huang, 23, whose home was attacked and family expelled from their village in northern Laos."
Mauritania [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Please pray that believers will be able to find ways to meet together and grow in faith with a Christian community.
Pray that God will overturn laws that forbid conversion from Islam, that all people will be able to follow the religion of their choosing.
Ask God to protect His people from extremist groups and maintain political stability in Mauritania.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Lord God, we thank You for the small number of Christians in Mauritania who have risked everything in choosing to follow You. Draw near to them today and fill them with Your Holy Spirit; remind them that they are precious in Your sight. Help Christians who've converted from Islam to find ways of sharing Your love with their families and communities, so that the church's light will draw many more Mauritanians to You, Amen.
People to Pray For
15 Mauritanian Christian leaders, as well as their family members, who were arrested after a baptism video was shared on social media
Bangladesh [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Last year’s riots and the breakdown of law and order led to many believers being attacked. Ask God to protect every Christian in Bangladesh, give them strength to stand firm in their faith, and to bring healing and comfort to the victims of attacks.
Many believers in Bangladesh were impacted by a cyclone in May 2024. Pray for hope and restoration even as they deal with persecution and recovery from a natural disaster.
Praise God for the Bangladeshi believers who continue to live as salt and light even though it puts them at risk.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Dear Lord, we pray for Your people in Bangladesh. We ask for their protection and that they will not be singled out by radical groups. We pray for political stability and that Christians will be seen as ambassadors of Your love and peace in the midst of trials. Please remind Bangladeshi Christians that they aren't alone, and that they belong to a praying, global Church. We pray all these things in Jesus Christ's Name, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Mijanur Rahman
"We are persecuted, afflicted and mistreated—but not broken."
Uzbekistan [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
As the government continues to target Christians and churches for abuse, ask God to help them to persevere and be witnesses to Christ's love.
Pray that unregistered churches will not be targeted or harassed by authorities.
Ask God to be with converts from Islam, who can experience pressure from their families and communities.
Muslim families, friends and villagers exert pressure on converts, in particular. Meanwhile, the government imposes many restrictions on church activities; and Christians belonging to non-registered churches have suffered police raids, threats, arrests and fines.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Lord, we pray for patience, perseverance and endurance for Your people in Uzbekistan who can't freely live out their faith. Comfort and heal those who have been rejected or mistreated by their own families for choosing to follow You. We pray for justice in Uzbekistan - an end to unfounded accusations and arrests of people who have done no harm. Give Your people joy whenever they can meet together. In Jesus Christ's Name, amen.
Person to Pray For - Anara
"[When my husband found my Bible], he assaulted me for hours, hitting and kicking my face, hands and legs while screaming distasteful names at me and saying that I betrayed him and the true god. He said that he provides for me and the kids, and only he has the right to decide which god I should believe. In my heart, I knew I was not suffering for nothing. I am suffering for the name of Jesus Christ.” - Anara*, a woman in Central Asia who became a believer from a Muslim background. Her husband discovered her secret faith, and she was forced to flee. Church members found her a safe place to rent with her children."
Cuba [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Pray for church leaders in Cuba who can be targeted for surveillance and abuse from state authorities. Ask God to provide strength and wisdom.
Pray that all churches – both registered and unregistered – will be allowed to remain open. Pray that authorities who monitor these churches will be touched by the message they hear.
Ask God to provide strength and encouragement to Cuban believers as they walk with Him despite the pressure.
The "Breaking the Chains" prayer meeting in support of mothers and wives of political prisoners.
Open Doors local partners, who strengthen the persecuted church in Cuba through Bible distribution, livelihood projects, biblical training, leadership development projects, care and support for children and pastors' families and socio-economic development.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Heavenly Father, we lift up the church leaders and believers in Cuba. Surround them with Your protection, fill them with Your strength and guide them with Your wisdom. May Your presence bring hope and courage as they stand firm in their faith, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Angela
"When I am at the airport, I fear being interrogated. A friend of mine was questioned just for liking a news article. Thank God I have been careful."
Person to Pray For - José Rodríguez Herrada
Imprisoned in Detachment 5 of the Guamajal Men's Prison in Santa Clara, Villa Clara, for participating in the widespread protests on 11 July 2021. He has now been prevented from participating in the monthly church service in the prison facility [Link].
Person to Pray For - Pastor Rosales Fajardo
Arrested for participating in the peaceful protests of 11 July 2021 and was imprisoned in Boniato Maximum Security Prison in August 2021 [Link].
Person to Pray For - Pastor Travieso and his wife
Arbitrarily arrested, interrogated and threatened with imprisonment if the "˜Breaking the Chains" prayer meeting meeting went ahead [Link].
Person to Pray For - Pastor Yordanys Diaz Arteaga
Arrested and put under house arrest after a raid by police on his home [Link].
Central African Republic [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
The civil war in CAR has lasted more than a decade – and there are no signs of it ending. Pray that God will bring peace.
The political unrest in CAR has led to Christians being targeted by extremists. Pray that God would protect His people from harm.
Pray for Christians who have survived sexual assault in CAR. Rebel groups often use sexual violence to persecute Christian women and girls. Pray that God would bring emotional, spiritual and physical healing to these survivors.
Converts from Islam facing persecution from family members and the surrounding community.
Open Doors' work through local partners to support believers in the Central African Republic with persecution survival training, economic empowerment projects and trauma care.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Father, we lift up to You Christians in CAR who risk everything to follow You. We ask You to heal the brokenhearted, and to bind up the wounded. Where there is trauma, we ask that You would make Your presence known as You walk alongside Your children. All this we ask in Jesus Christ's Name, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Pauline
"I ask the Church to pray for me so that I may find peace of heart. And that my faith be strengthened. - Pauline, a mother in CAR who lost two children to a bomb blast."
Niger [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Please pray that God will bring order to the political chaos and prevent extremists from taking power or territory.
The jihadist group al-Sunnah wa Jama'ah (ASWJ) making life increasingly difficult for Christians in Niger.
Those who leave Islam to follow Jesus facing pressure from their families and authorities to renounce their new faith.
Open Doors' work through partners in Niger to strengthen persecuted Christians through economic empowerment programmes, leadership and discipleship training, persecution survival training and pastoral care for new believers.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Heavenly Father, we lift to You our brothers and sisters in Niger. Comfort and encourage believers who are fearful of attacks and who face persecution from their families and communities. Please heal, protect and provide for those who've been affected by the violence of Islamist extremists. We pray for an end to the Islamist insurgency and for the restoration of a stable and compassionate government. Fill the Nigerien church with peace, joy and love as they continue to share the gospel, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Elisabeth
"We don’t know what peace is any more. We only know persecution."
Turkmenistan [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
The church in Turkmenistan lacks unity. Pray for unity among Christians and their leaders.
Ask God to make a way for His Word and other Christian materials to reach believers hungry for Scripture.
Many church leaders in Turkmenistan are monitored by the authorities. Pray they will be protected and that they will lead with grace and peace.
Converts at risk of being shamed, harassed, disinherited or even beaten by their family, friends or community.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Dear Lord, give Your church in Turkmenistan supernatural patience and endurance where they live under restrictions and monitoring. Give them great joy whenever they meet together. Make a way for Bibles to reach Christians who are hungry for Your Word. And we pray that the country's leaders would recognize the value of religious freedom for their citizens. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Zaida
"I cannot live without Jesus. I cannot deny Him, even if it means being persecuted. God gives me the comfort and desire to pray even more for my relatives and community who do not yet know Jesus. - Zaida, a woman who came to faith in Central Asia and is now threatened by her own son"
Nicaragua [opendoors link to overview]
Opendoors Prayer Points
Please pray for God’s protection for church leaders who courageously continue to speak out against government injustice.
Pray that Open Doors persecution preparedness training and discipleship seminars will help believers live as salt and light.
Pray that believers who are monitored by the government will not be deterred from sharing the gospel.
Open Doors' work in Nicaragua providing Christian literature, discipleship training, emergency relief aid, legal advice and education for pastors who have not completed their studies.
Opendoors Suggested Prayer
Dear Father, we thank You for the courage and conviction of Christians in Nicaragua who are continuing to speak out against the injustices of President Ortega's government. Encourage and strengthen them to be a united prophetic voice, and may those who hear them encounter Jesus Christ. We pray for Christians who have been attacked or are discouraged by the violence around them. Pour out Your healing on them and their families. Help the church to stand firm as a light in the darkness. Thank You that no door is closed to the gospel, Amen.
Person to Pray For - Maria
"This year, they denied again the legal status of my church but, approved or not, we continue to preach the Word of God"
Person to Pray For - Bishop Rolando Alvarez
Sentenced to 26 years and 4 months imprisonment
People to Pray For - Eleven pastors associated with the US-based organization “Mountain Gateway”
Sentenced to 12-15 years imprisonment on charges of money-laundering and made to pay a heavy fine. They were also prevented from having contact with their families and lawyers.
Prayer Series for Persecuted Christians:
Prayers for The Church
Prayer Series
Miscellaneous Prayers
