(Voice of the Persecuted) You are invited to join us on Friday, December 29, in a prayer conference call for the Holy Land hosted by Persecution Watch.

Netanyahu Visits Gaza Strip as Israel Now Hunts for West Bank Terror Tunnels

(CBN News) JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited soldiers in the Gaza Strip on Monday. He also presented Israel’s conditions for the post-war administration of Gaza in a newspaper op-ed. Meanwhile, in the north, Israel has been pounding targets across the border in Lebanon, and security forces are now concerned about terror tunnels in the West Bank.

In the newspaper column, published in Monday’s Wall Street Journal, the prime minister summarized Israel’s terms in one sentence: “Hamas must be destroyed, Gaza must be demilitarized, and Palestinian society must be deradicalized.”

Netanyahu insisted Israel would continue to “act in full compliance with international law” in destroying Hamas, but said that challenge was complicated because of Hamas’s use of civilians as human shields.

He cautioned, “Blaming Israel for these casualties will only encourage Hamas and other terror organizations around the world to use human shields,” and said the international community “must place the blame for these casualties squarely on Hamas.”

Concerning a demilitarized Gaza, Netanyahu wrote, “Israel must ensure that the territory is never again used as a base to attack it,” and explained that would require setting up a temporary security zone on Gaza’s perimeter and providing for border inspection mechanisms between Gaza and Egypt.

He also called the expectation voiced by the Biden administration and others that the Palestinian Authority would demilitarize Gaza a “pipe dream,” charging, “It currently funds and glorifies terrorism in Judea and Samaria and educates Palestinian children to seek the destruction of Israel.”

The prime minister’s third condition is that Palestinian society must be deradicalized. He said that goal calls for “courageous and moral leadership,” pointing out that “Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas can’t even bring himself to condemn the Oct. 7 atrocities.” 

Netanyahu suggested the process of deradicalizing the society begins in the schools, and highlighted the success the allies had in transforming societies in post-World War II Germany and Japan. Read more

Former Hezbollah Fighter Recalls Supernatural Encounter with Jesus: ‘God Didn’t Design Us to Hate’.

(CBN News) In early October, Afshin Javid was visiting Israel with his ministry Cyrus Call, which promotes friendship between Persians and Jews. But like millions of others, he found himself in the middle of a war when Hamas launched a bloody attack on Oct. 7. 

As a former Hezbollah fighter, Afshin himself is no stranger to violence. He sat down with CBN News to tell his story.

“I was on my way to the United States to convert Christians to Islam, and I had 30 illegal passports at that time. I was arrested and put in jail in Malaysia. I was a dedicated Muslim who not only prayed the prayers, but I read the Koran once every ten days cover to cover. So I was very dedicated in my time in jail,” Javid said. 

“One day, as I’m praying, a man appears in front of me – normal size, but his being shines like light. This light is not a normal light. This light carried identity in it. And you knew that he is holy and instantaneously, I knew I am not. Even though I had prayed so many prayers, even though I had fasted so much and I had read the Koran and I had volunteered to work on landmines or I had participated in hanging people trying to please Allah, I knew, even though I have kept all the rules and regulation of Islam, I knew I am not just and I’m not holy and I knew the only just thing for him to do is to kill me,” he recalled. Read more

(From Pastor Hanna) Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I pray this message finds you in good health and spirits. Today, I am humbled to share with you a brief devotion, especially meaningful during this time of the year, as we unite in prayer for our beloved brothers and sisters enduring challenging circumstances in Gaza.

May this devotion serve as a source of inspiration and blessing for you.

“When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’” (Matthew 2:13-15)

The account above tells us of baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph fleeing to Egypt to escape the threat of King Herod. This narrative, while ancient, resonates deeply with the struggles faced by many people today in war-torn Gaza. 

In Gaza, people are being told to flee to safety, but tragically, they have nowhere to escape to. This is a harsh reality that parallels the desperation faced by Mary and Joseph. They had a destination, Egypt, where they could find refuge, but the people in Gaza today have no such sanctuary within their besieged land.

As Christians, we find solace in knowing that, like Mary and Joseph, we have a place of refuge — the “ark of the cross.” This concept is akin to Noah’s ark, where he found safety amidst chaos and danger. Our safety comes through what Jesus did for us on the cross. Just as Noah felt secure within the ark, we, too, find protection under the power of Christ’s sacrifice.

Matthew reminds us of the dilemma faced by those who have nowhere to go when danger threatens. In celebrating the birth of Jesus, we are celebrating the goodness of God, who entered human history through the incarnation. Jesus came to bring God to the people and people to God, offering hope and salvation.

In the time of Jesus’s birth, the circumstances were challenging, with King Herod and Roman occupation looming over the land. There are parallels in present-day Palestine under Israeli occupation. Mary and Joseph’s swift escape to Egypt after the visitation of the magi demonstrates the immediacy of their need for refuge.

For some of us who have experienced persecution, there might have been moments when God blessed our ministries and we felt encouraged. However, when danger arose, we, like Mary and Joseph, had to flee to safety. Our personal experiences can help us empathize with the people of Gaza who lack a safe haven today.

As we meditate on the Advent season and the birth of Jesus, let us remember those who, like the Holy Family, have no place to escape. Even churches, once seen as sanctuaries, are not immune to the violence. We must pray for peace and for the safety of all people, especially those in conflict zones like Gaza.

In the midst of turmoil, we can echo the sentiment of a leader from Gaza Baptist Church: “In the midst of war, we feel we are Noah’s ark because of Jesus.” The hope of the cross, the resurrection, and the protection found in Christ’s sacrifice can be our refuge, even when the world seems chaotic and dangerous. May we extend that hope and refuge to those in need, just as Mary and Joseph found refuge in Egypt, and just as we have found it in the ark of the cross.

With heartfelt blessings,

Pastor Hanna Massad, Founder & President Christian Mission to Gaza

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. 
• Pastor Wang Yi to be released from prison, for his family and for the church.
• 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.
• Armenian Genocide Happening Again.  Read full report here: Genocide and Forced Deportation: Nagorno-Karabakh
• 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

His Servant 

Nadia Dybvik, Persecution Watch Prayer Conference Call Leader

Prayer Conference Call Details

Prayer calls have been added every night until further notice

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What is Persecution Watch?

Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern time in the United States (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted, and the two missions became one. Brother Blaine passed into glory on December 26, 2019. It was truly a blessing for all of us to serve alongside this dear man of God and he will be greatly missed. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch remains an important part of our mission. Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with the dedicated Persecution Watch prayer warrior team.

Prior to the passing of Brother Blaine, he confirmed the passing of the torch as prayer conference call leader to Nadia Dybvik. Nadia has a burdened heart for the persecuted and is a prayer warrior standing in the gap for them. She joined the Persecution Watch prayer team in 2015 and has been part of the core ever since. Before becoming the prayer call leader, she served in the role of prayer moderator since 2016. Blaine chose Nadia for her faithfulness to pray for the persecuted and her strong commitment to the Persecution Watch mission. We are blessed not only with her gift of prayer, but her genuine love for every brother and sister in Christ that comes on the call to pray. May the Lord continue to bless Nadia and the prayer team in the mission and their personal lives.

“Pray for us” is the number one request that we hear from the persecuted. As the members of the first century Church was 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 are invited to the conference call and 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 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 Call Moderator Team

NOTE: Please fill out the form in the sign up at link below to be added 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.