(Voice of the Persecuted) You’re invited to join us on Saturday, May 6, 2023, in a prayer conference call for the persecuted church hosted by Persecution Watch.
I recently read a newsletter with a focus on Tanzania, a country I have not heard much about.
In the 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom, the U.S. government estimates the total population at 62.1 million (midyear 2021). A 2020 Pew Forum survey estimates approximately 63 percent of the population identifies as Christian, 34 percent as Muslim, and 5 percent practicing other religions.
Some of Temistocris’ story from the newsletter:
Temistocris was attacked viciously with a machete while asleep during an all-night prayer meeting. The Holy Spirit told him to pick up a stone, which he did. Temistocris threw the stone at the man and knocked him down.
While in the hospital, a stranger gave his wife some juice to give to him. Again, the Holy Spirit advised her not to. It was later discovered the juice was poisoned.
Both he and his pastor had similar dreams which were not interpreted correctly.
- Pray for dreams and visions to alert the church to danger and know what to do.
While in the hospital, a stranger gave his wife some juice to give to him. Again, the Holy Spirit advised her not to. It was later discovered the juice was poisoned.
- Pray for believers to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and hear voice clearly.
Temistocris has seen his attackers and has forgiven them.
- Pray all Christians would be able to forgive their persecutors.
As a thank offering, Temistocris gave his land to the church.
- Pray believers would have thankful hearts; not given to complaining.
Front line workers helped move the family to another town and start a poultry business. Temistocris was unable to work at his previous job as a stone mason. He later bought a plot of land from its profits and built a new church on the property.
- Pray for front line workers:
- Their protection.
- Provision for those who need their help and able to connect with them.
- Pray for boldness and courage in doing Kingdom work.
- Pray for ministries that help those who are persecuted.
Mathayo and Generosa: Generosa’s two sisters exhibited signs of demonic possession. They were delivered when a pastor prayed with them. They all became committed believers.
- Pray for these gifts to be manifest and many would place their faith in Messiah.
Mathayo was murdered, but Generosa and her family are committed to continuing the ministry.
- Pray for perseverance.
Pastor Charles was called to Zanzibar, an island in Tanzania and off the coast of the mainland. It is semi-autonomous and 99% Muslim. He shared,
They do not want any Christians at all. While preaching one evening, a Gunman entered the church. All left except the pastor who was standing at the pulpit. The gunman searched for him frantically but couldn’t see him.
- Pray that the Lord would do that many times all over the world; thank God for protecting whoever He wants.
Psalm 30:11 “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.”
- Pray Adonai would turn depressed and wounded hearts into joy.
Again, we want to lift-up these persecuted witnesses to the Lord:
- Leah Sharibu, a prisoner of Boko Haram since 2018. Pray for her release.
- Alice Loksha Ngaddah, kidnapped February 2019. She is a mother of two, working as a nurse for UNICEF. Pray for her release.
- Pray for Pastor Wang Yi to be released from prison.
- For Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani from Iran, as he and his family are adjusting from his release from prison, that they may know what God’s will is for them now. Pray for the trauma they had to endure. UPDATE: According to Article 18, once sentenced to death for his “apostasy” has been “pardoned” and released after nearly five years in Tehran’s Evin Prison, but told Nadarkhani that he still faces flogging (30 lashes) and two years’ exile 2,000km from his home. Read the report here.
- UPDATE (March 17, 2023): Ryan Koher, a pilot for the U.S.-based ministry Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), and two of the ministry’s South African volunteers were released from a Mozambican prison Tuesday afternoon, the organization announced. The trio had been held at a high-security prison inside the southeastern African country for four months. Their release is a provisional one and they are required to remain in the country, while their case is still ongoing, according to MAF. Koher is said to be “doing well” following his release and has spoken multiple times with his wife, Annabel, and his two sons since his release, the ministry said. Source
The Harvest
- 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38
On the National Day of Prayer, Thursday, the first scripture I read was Col. 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
- Pray for an increase of prayer among believers.
- Pray for thankful hearts.
Valerie Creekmore, Persecution Watch Prayer Moderator
Prayer Conference Call Details
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What is Persecution Watch?
moved by the Holy Spirit to pray, we too must continue to serve those suffering persecution by lifting them up to the Lord through prayer.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the conference call to share the trials they are facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is often reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone.
We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you are new to the call and cannot find your voice, listen in and pray silently or on mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
God bless and protect you in your faithfulness to serve.
Lois Kanalos, Founder, Voice of the Persecuted, Nadia Dybvik, Persecution Watch Prayer Call Leader, and the Persecution Watch Prayer Team
NOTE: Please fill out the form in the sign-up link below to be included in our distribution list to receive urgent prayer requests, prayer points, notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers.
Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
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