(Voice of the Persecuted) You are invited to join us on Sunday, March 24, 2024, in a prayer conference call for the persecuted church hosted by Persecution Watch.

When God created Adam and Eve, He supplied them with an organ that would endlessly pump blood throughout their veins. No heart attacks, no cardiac arrests. Just the perpetual beating of life and the constant giving of love.

Then it all went to pieces. When humanity rebelled against divinity, God was grieved in His heart. (Genesis 6:6). But not only did Yahweh suffer from a broken heart, humans realized their hearts were broken too. No longer would we live forever. No longer would we enjoy perpetual health and awareness of God’s presence. Now sweat poured from pores, Bones would now be broken. Men would suffer under the labor of toil; women would suffer labor of labor. Even worse, the relationship between man and God was shattered. The beautiful friendship became as broken and uprooted as the soil that humanity had to start plowing.

That is until God paved the way back to paradise for us. Instead of abandoning humanity or drowning them in another flood. God gave the Israelites instructions on how to restore unity in their relationship with Him. The offering of sacrifices, the people could once again become “at one” with Yahweh. Humanity could once again be reconciled with divinity. Hearts could be restored. For this to happen, animals had to die—and blood had to spill. “At-one-ment” was accomplished.

During the lifetime of Jesus, the holy temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish religious life. The temple was the place where animal sacrifices were carried out and worship according to the Law of Moses was followed faithfully. Hebrews 9:1-9 tells us that in the temple a veil separated the Holy of Holies—the earthly dwelling place of God’s presence from the rest of the temple where men dwelt. This signified that man was separated from God by sin (Isaiah 59:1-2). Only the high priest was permitted to pass beyond this veil once each year (Exodus 30:10; Hebrews 9:7) to enter God’s presence for all of Israel and make atonement for their sins (Leviticus 16).

When Christ died on the cross, that veil was torn from top to bottom and no longer was humanity separated from God. His death on the cross was the final sacrifice, once and for all. Right before he died on the cross, Jesus said it is finished. He paid our debt. Salvation is now given to everyone who put their faith in Christ!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.” Revelation 3:20-21

Hearts were never meant to break. In fact, they were originally designed to beat forever.

Pray hope for the persecuted Christians enduring violence, imprisonment, discrimination, and isolation. Pray also for unbelievers to find the true Hope they’ve been searching for all their life, which is Christ our Lord.

• Pray that they will feel the comfort and encouragement of the Lord. 1 Peter 4:12-14

• Pray that their persecutors will come to know Christ. Matthew 5:44

• Pray that in the midst of persecution, the church will be strengthened and continue to grow.

• Pray that these believers will have access to God’s Word. Timothy 2:4 tell us that “God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

• Pray that God would open their hearts to believe the Gospel. “The Lord opened her [Lydia’s] heart to respond to Paul’s message.” (Acts 16:14 NIV)

• Pray that God would open their spiritual eyes and remove spiritual blindness so they can believe the Gospel. “…open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.” (Acts 26:18 NLT)

• Pray that all deception (personal belief system, philosophies, or logic that contradicts God’s word) will be overcome. “The god who rules this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers. They cannot see the light, which is the good news about our glorious Christ, who shows what God is like. (2 Corinthians 4:4 CEV)

• Pray that you or someone can share the logic of the gospel in such a clear and powerful way that it overcomes the unbeliever’s personal logic or belief system. “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.” (Ephesians 6:19 NIV)

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

Merlaine, Persecution Watch Prayer Conference Call Moderator 

Please forward prayer points to your church, prayer groups and others who will pray.

Prayer Conference Call Details

7 nights a week on your phone

USA Time Zone:

9:00 PM Eastern

8:00 PM Central

7:00 PM Mountain

6:00 PM Pacific

Call in number: (667) 770-1476

Access Code: 281207#

MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes

If you are experiencing any difficulties joining the call, please let us know.

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.