(Voice of the Persecuted) You are invited to join us on Friday, March 29, 2024, in a prayer conference call for the persecuted church hosted by Persecution Watch.
From the Cross Jesus made 7 statements:
1. Luke 23:24 Jesus said “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are do”
- Radical Muslims believe they are serving Allah by persecuting and killing so-called “Infidels.”
- People who take advantage of their power and status to oppress believers.
- He forgave the people who cried crucify, and wanted Him to die on the cross.
- Jesus forgave those who hurt Him.
Jesus set the standard for forgiveness for us – and our persecuted brothers and sisters.
2. Luke 23:43 Jesus said to him “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
The thieve on the cross:
- Confessed his sin.
- Acknowledged Jesus as his Lord.
- Believed in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
Jesus did not allow His suffering to distract Him from ministering to the criminal and extending eternal life. No matter what the circumstances are, we and our persecuted brothers and sisters must always look to the lost.
3. John 19:26-27 Jesus said to His mother “Woman, behold your son!” then He said to His disciple “Behold your mother!”
The first two statements clearly show His divinity, power to forgive sins and offer salvation.
You see the Lord always cared, His great love and compassion, concern for His mother as a son.
The Lord initiated that John was to care for His mother and that His mother would see John as her son.
As Jesus asked John to care for Mary, He asks of us to care for others on His behalf.
4. Matthew 27:46 in about the 9th hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli,Eli, lama sabachthani” – that is “MY GOD,MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?
Why are You so far from helping me. And from My words of groaning? The agony of the withdrawal, not separation, from the Father drinking the cup of wrath.
When we, and our brothers and sisters walk through fire and water, we want to remember that the world will hate us but remember that our Lord will never leave or forsake us.
5. John 19:28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the
scripture may be fulfilled, said “I thirst!”
- After enduring imprisonment, trials, scourging and crucifixion experience, extreme dehydration and thirst.
- And there is also a deeper meaning to His thirst, thirsting for the presence and fellowship with God the Father.
Lord, help us to thirst – As the hart[deer] panteth after the water brooks, So panteth my soul after thee, O God. Psalm 42:1
6. John 19:30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said “It is finished!”
His ministry, His mission led to the final cry – TETELESTAI = it is finished, the work His Father had given Him, the work of redemption.
For us believers, Christ’s final cry should be a constant encouragement, because His finished work secures our destiny = salvation as children of God.
7. Luke 23:46 And when Jesus cried out with a loud voice, He said “Father, “INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT!”
This was a cry – a statement of victory, not being conquered by death but conquering, defeating death.
It was like a master dismissing his servant from his presence.
Psalm 31:5 “into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, Oh Lord God of Truth. Giving His life into God’s hands to do as He pleases.
Father grant us and our persecuted brothers and sisters to have the eternal perspective, not our will but thy will.
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
Andy, Persecution Watch Prayer Conference Call Moderator
Please forward prayer points to your church, prayer groups and others who will pray.
Prayer Conference Call Details
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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.
VOICE OF THE PERSECUTED 