Syria is listed as #11 on the World Watch List. Before the civil war, although meetings were monitored, Christians were respected in society. This is rapidly changing. Muslim Background Believers (Christians from a Muslim Background) face opposition from family and friends, and now from foreign extremist fighters and mercenaries.
Previously, Christians were persecuted for supporting the government, or not taking sides. Now a clear religious motive has been added by the influx of these foreign radicals. Many Christians have been abducted, physically harmed and killed, churches damaged or destroyed, and tens of thousands of Christians have fled.
This weekend, Christians in Syria will gather to pray and fast for the Day of Prayer for Syria.
“Without the church, Syria has no future,” a contact said last month about the horrendous conditions facing Christians inside the country and the refugees struggling in camps along the borders.
Some areas in the cities of Homs and Aleppo are being taken over by Muslim extremists, who are implementing Shariah law.
“We need food and medicines, but what our country needs most now is prayer. We have no option than to turn to God in this desperate situation. The most important thing the world can do for us now is pray,” says an Open Doors contact in Aleppo.
As a result of the turmoil and uncertainty, most churches in Syria will unite in prayer on Saturday in many places around the war-torn nation. This will be an extraordinary show of unity of Christian denominations in Syria, where the ongoing civil war has claimed more than 70,000 lives.
Syrian Christians are asking their brothers and sisters around the world to pray and fast with them on the Day of Prayer for Syria on Saturday.
A contact in Damascus says,
“The situation in Syria is really desperate. We will all pray together in Syria, but we need every Christian in the world to pray. Please pray that the problems will come to an end and those causing the problems will stop. Pray that Syria will find Jesus.”
Another church leader explains that others joining with Syrian Christians in prayer would be a big blessing:
“It is so powerful to pray like one family. It’s not that just our prayers aren’t enough for God, but if all the Christians in the world unite with one heart, we believe it will be a blessing for Syria and the whole earth. Words can’t describe how thankful we are that you will pray with us. We pray that God will bless everyone who is praying with us.”
“Join Christians in countries around the world who will pray for Syria on May 11,” says Open Doors USA spokesman Jerry Dykstra. “Perhaps you can also pray in your churches the following day. Pour out your heart with pleas for the suffering Christians there. They are in need and asking for our prayers!”
Prayer requests from churches inside Syria include:
- Healing for the injured and comfort for those who have lost loved ones
- An end to the bloodshed
- The children, as their childhood has been stolen from them
- Unity and reconciliation among churches and denominations to continue
- Rootedness of Christians in their land without fear of violence
Christians of all denominations will gather in prayer to petition God to grant his mercy on Syria and to bring an end to violence,” reads a message issued by
the Syrian Christian community.
The prayer is focused on four main intentions: the return of peace, the liberation of all hostages, assistance for all children traumatized by the war, and humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees and displaced people.
In Syria, since it is too risky for people to move within the combat zones, Christians will hold local prayer gatherings in homes, churches and other meeting places, the message says. .
Given devastation and the tens of thousands of deaths the two-year civil war has wreaked, the World Day of Prayer for Peace in Syria has also been informally termed, “the prayer of a broken heart”.
“Peace in Lebanon, Syria and the Holy Land is a requirement for regional and international peace,” said Patriarch Gregory III Laham of the Church of Antioch in appealing for participation in the day of prayer. Peace allows for coexistence and human freedom, he said.
“Christians in Syria continue to suffer from the devastating effects of the two-year-old civil war including killings, kidnappings, homelessness, lack of food and shelter and closing of schools; they are also seeing God’s hand is at work as all denominations are joining in passionate prayer.”-Steve Ridgway, Open Doors USA interim President/CEO
PLEAD BEFORE THE LORD FOR HIS MERCY ON SYRIA
Please pray through these specific prayer requests sent by churches throughout Syria, including:
The Church of the Nazarene- The Armenian Catholic Church
- The Syriac Orthodox Church
- The Baptist Church
- The Roman Catholic Church
- The Silesian Church
- Multi-Denominations Group
- The Alliance Church
- The Presbyterian Church
- The Maronite Catholic Church
- And request from multiple Christian Leaders
To read their prayer request click here
PLEASE SHARE WITH OTHERS!
Sources include:
VOICE OF THE PERSECUTED 