Home » Pray on
Category Archives: Pray on
Tonight on Persecution Watch: Praying for Believers in Mauritania
Photo: Andromachos Dimitrokallis
9/17/2020 (Voice of the Persecuted) MAURITANIA – Population: 4.6 million 10,000
For Christians in Mauritania, public worship carries a constant threat. Even churches that are largely tolerated have to be careful so they aren’t accused of proselytizing Muslims, and for Christians who converted from Islam, public worship is often impossible. In Mauritania’s tribal culture, leaving Islam is not only religious betrayal, but also betrayal of the tribe and family. Believers from Muslim backgrounds will often keep their faith secret. Because the extended family is often necessary for survival, it is a huge risk for a Mauritanian to become a Christian. If their faith is discovered, they may lose not only their status in their community but also their citizenship.
Mauritania’s already strict Islamic laws have become worse. According to VOM, Mauritania passed a law in 1997 that would punish any blasphemy of Islam with the death penalty. Everyone is going to be punished. Even if you do repent, you are still going to be punished. And in the case of blasphemous remarks or sacrilegious acts, according to the law, the death penalty is now mandatory This adds to the already high level of persecution suffered by the small Christian population in Mauritania.
Mauritania announced that showing repentance will no longer be a reason to repeal a death sentence handed out for blasphemy and apostasy.
Christian migrants from sub-Saharan Africa or aid workers who make any expression of faith risk being prosecuted for attempted proselytization. Baptisms must often be carried out in secret. Mauritania may be an increasingly dangerous place for Christians, as there is fear radical Islam may be on the rise.
Baptisms can only be carried out in secret and many converts from Islam are reluctant to be baptized, fearing discovery and charges of apostasy being brought against them.
- Pray to the Lord that He would touch the heart of President Ghazouani and his regime answers calls to protect Christians and respect for all human rights.
- Pray to the Lord to stop the insurgency of radical Islamists and that they would come to know the Savior they persecute.
- Pray to the Lord that He will protect His saints from arbitrary arrests and detention, torture and other ill-treatment.
- Pray to the Lord that authorities will not deny or ban of peaceful gathering of Christians.
- Pray that Christians are not discriminated against and are able to get food aid as, according to Al Jazeera, hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of going hungry in the coming year in Mauritania and Senegal due to a lack of crops. Pray that people are spared from famine.
- Pray for protection and security for secret baptisms are only carried out in secret and encourage many converts from Islam are reluctant to be baptized, fearing discovery and charges of apostasy.
- Pray for believers to have His superior protection and guidance to share the gospel despite the possible deadly consequences.
- Pray for believers that have converted from Islam and now experience fierce pressure to return to Islam. Pray for protection and endurance.
- Please pray for safety and courage for Christians, particularly, church leaders, who face harsh religious persecution every day.
- Pray for protection of NGO’s who covert support to believers
- Pray that the strong Christian messages on the internet that will encourage believers and
let Muslims see and understand the Good News.
- Pray to the Lord as head of the church that He will grow and expand His church. That the forces of darkness will be bound, and their efforts will be futile to prevent the church from expanding greatly.
Again, we want to lift up persecuted witnesses for the Lord and pray for
• Leah Sharibu and Alice, prisoners of Boko Haram, pray that they will be set free.
• Pray pastor Wang Yi to be released from Prison
• Pray for the release for Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 6 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
You are invited to join us on Thursday, Sept. the 17th in a prayer call for the persecuted church.
Andy, Persecution Watch Prayer Call Moderator
Prayer Conference Call Details
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
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 of 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
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 (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own.
With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re 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’re new to the call and can’t 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!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers.
Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
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.
Special Guest on the Persecution Watch Prayer Call tonight
7/21/2020 (Voice of the Persecuted) Dear Prayer Warriors, it is our mission to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters and for the global harvest. We are excited to welcome Cathy Cutrell as our special guest on tonight’s prayer conference call. Cathy has a heart for our persecuted brothers and sisters and through the years, she has often joined and prayed with us on the Persecution Watch call. She truly loves our brothers and sisters and is a beautiful Spirit-filled Prayer Partner.
Cathy also has a deep love for the lost and a desire for the Kingdom Harvest. She is serving the Lord with International Orality network (ION). The ION mission is to Influence the body of Christ to encourage all oral communicators to follow Jesus.
The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
Who are Oral communicators?
Orality is an ancient phenomenon that continues to the present. Before writing was developed, cultures passed along their cultural traditions, including their history, identity, and religion, through their stories, proverbs, poems, songs, riddles, etc. These are all oral art forms; that is, they are spoken, sung or chanted. They were (and still are) often woven into ceremonies, dramas and rites of passage. Purely oral societies pass along everything that matters from one generation to another without putting anything into writing. They rely on the spoken word.
Oral communicators/learners are people from all over the globe, from all walks of life and all levels of education who communicate primarily or exclusively through oral, not textual means. Their lives are therefore more likely to be transformed through stories, songs, drama, proverbs, and media. While some oral communicators learn this way out of necessity because they cannot read or write with understanding, others simply prefer non-print forms of communication.
Oral learners are often in place that experience extreme persecution. International Orality network has often partnered with Persecution Watch and Voice of the Persecuted during special 12-24 hour prayer events.
The International Orality Network is an affiliation of agencies and organizations working together with the common goal of making God’s Word available to oral communicators in culturally appropriate ways that enable church planting movements everywhere.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
There are 5.7 billion oral communicators in our world including:
2.7 billion unreached people in approximately 3,500 unengaged, unreached people groups
Approximately 2 billion people without the Old Testament
>1,800 unengaged, unreached people groups consisting of 350 million people without a single verse of Scripture in their heart language
1.35 billion oral communicators who may be literate, but prefer to learn through oral means
ION encourages and supports the development of oral strategies to meet this need.
ION Prayer links with many others who have a heart to pray for those who still wait to hear the name of Jesus.
To learn more about ION here
Dear Saints, will you come and pray with us on the call tonight? Join us as we hear from dear our sister, Cathy and pray for oral learners and laborers to communicate the Word of God to them.
It is our mission until the Lord releases us to continue to lift up persecuted witnesses for the Lord. We continue to pray for Leah Sharibu and Alice, that they will be set free from Boko Haram captivity. Also for Pastor Wang Yi to be released from prison in China and for the release for Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 6 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
For His Glory,
Nadia and Merlaine
Prayer Conference Call Details
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
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 of 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
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 (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own.
With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re 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’re new to the call and can’t 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!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers.
Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
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.
Tonight on Persecution Watch Prayer Call – Iraqi Christians
Two young Assyrians fled with their families from Islamic State’s held Mosul to Koysinjaq, Iraqi Kurdistan. Photo: christiaantriebert
6/25/20 (Voice of the Persecuted) IRAQ – Population: 40.4 million, Christians 200,000 thousand
Many Iraqi Christians are still recovering from the brutal reign of ISIS, and for some believers, that threat has not fully diminished. Although ISIS has lost territory in Iraq, their ideology remains and has influenced society. Many of the militants have simply blended back into the general population. Another important driver of persecution are Shia militias who helped drive out ISIS and have gained authority and territory in the power vacuum left after ISIS was defeated.
Additionally, Christians are dealing with a drastic reduction in their population since ISIS began their attacks, along with trauma for those believers who have stayed in their country. Iraq remains very tribal, which can also mean significant pressure for believers who come from Muslim tribes—conversion to Christianity is seen as a rejection of heritage and family. Christians from Muslim backgrounds often keep their faith a secret since they may be attacked by family members or others in the community if their new faith is discovered.
In central and southern Iraq, Christians often do not publicly display Christian symbols, such as a cross, as this can lead to harassment or discrimination at checkpoints, universities, government buildings and in workplaces. Even Christians in the Iraqi Kurdish Region (IKR) have reportedly removed the cross from their cars to avoid unwanted attention. Christians with a Muslim background experience most pressure from extended family and often keep their faith a secret to avoid threats from family members, clan leaders and the society around them. Converts to Christianity from Islam risk losing their inheritance rights and the right or means to marry. Openly leaving Islam leads to difficult situations throughout the country.
The 2019 edition of “Persecuted and Forgotten?”, a biennial study of the persecution of Christians around the world, warns that Christianity is disappearing from towns and cities in the faith’s ancient homeland. Despite the defeat of ISIS, the impact of genocide has led to the hemorrhaging of great numbers of Christians from the region, says the report.
There were 1.5 million Christians in Iraq before 2003, but by mid-2019 that figure had fallen to well below 150,000; by some estimates the number of Christians there may have fallen as low as 120,000—a decline of more than 90 percent within a single generation.
The report, which covers the period 2017-2019, notes that the international community has shown unprecedented concern about the persecution of the region’s Christians. But the report charges that “governments in the West and the UN failed to offer Christians in countries such as Iraq and Syria the emergency help they needed as genocide got underway.”
06/22/2020 Over the weekend, the Turkish Air Force continued bombing NW Iraq, reportedly displacing many and killing up to five civilians. Turkey claims that some members of the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) are based in this area and that they were the target. However, several of the impacted villages are also home to Christian communities. Hundreds of Christian families who fled Mosul and the Nineveh Plains during the 2014 ISIS attacks now live in Zakho, one of the areas targeted by Turkey’s raids. Many of these Christians have been displaced once again.
Some of the dangers of the Iraqi Christian persecution and its people face:
o Islamization – Arabization – Kurdification
o Denominationalism and fragmentation
o Cultural and language loss through assimilation outside their homeland
Prayer Points
- Pray for Christian political leaders and ask God to give them wisdom over their daily decisions. Pray they will listen to God’s voice and represent well the people they serve.
- Pray for NGOs to conduct training programs to led by local partner organization in the Nineveh Plains in the rest of Iraq. Pray for the future of these Christians, that the Lord will give them courage and strength to stand up to trials.
- Please continue to pray for the staff of the NGOs local partners in Iraq. They often travel across the country on dangerous roads. Ask the Lord to protect them from all dangers when they go out to spread the gospel among those hungering for Jesus.
- Pray for hope for the displaced Christian families who return to areas like Mosul. Very few Christians have returned to their cities and villages because the security situation remains unstable.
- Pray to the Lord to raise up pastors/missionaries as well as tent makers to encourage and minister to the discouraged Christians.
- Pray for the Lord’s comfort and grace to all who have lost loved ones in the attacks and that He would be close to the broken-hearted.
- Pray that the Lord will protect and strengthen the Christian background believers and to remain joyful under difficult circumstances.
- Pray that the Lord will open doors to evangelism and give believers courage and boldness to reach out to the lost.
- Pray that the Lord will appear to radical Muslims in their dreams and connect them with believers.
- Pray to the Lord that Christians love God so much that they can forgive and love their neighbors.
- Pray to the Lord that He will protect and raise up His church.
Again, we want to lift up persecuted witnesses for the Lord and pray for Leah Sharibu and Alice, pray that they will be set free. And also lift up pastor Wang Yi to be released from Prison and ask for the release for Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 6 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran
You are invited to join us on Thursday, June 25 in a prayer call for the persecuted church.
Andy, Persecution Watch Prayer Moderator
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
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 of 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
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 (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re 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’re new to the call and can’t 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!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
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.
Persecution Watch Prayer Conference Call for the Persecuted 5/26/20
(Voice of the Persecuted) Dear Prayer Warriors, as I thank the Lord I also like to thank all of you!!!
“5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
For 30 nights, the Father brought us together in unity in the Spirit and in love to pray during Ramadan that as Muslims would pray they would find the Father, the true living God! We were blessed as we were called, on our perseverance and obedience to the Lord. We trusted Him and we submitted all to Him! What a privilege we have been given by God, and I rejoice with all of you!!!
Good job faithful Servants!!!!
Worthy are You our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power. Amen!!!
So now we are continuing on our call to pray for the sufferings and persecution of our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ and for the Harvest.
I found an old video that was sent to me in 2015 by my dear Brother Blaine, It’s a 10 minute testimony of 9 precious Saints who stood for Jesus Christ against the evil Isis.
Like Blaine, I also pray that you will be touched by this video as I was. These are the people we pray for, their persecutions is the reason we pray on Persecution Watch!
Please continue to keep them in your prayers.
I welcome all of you who are called by His Holy Spirit to join me tonight as He leads you in prayer for the persecuted.
In Christ Love
Nadia Dybvik, Persecution Watch Prayer Leader
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
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 of 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
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 (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re 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’re new to the call and can’t 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!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
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.
Ramadan Day 29: Praying for Muslims to come to Christ –President Assad
President Bashar al-Assad -Wiki Commons
(Voice of the Persecuted) President Assad, controversial ruler of Syria.
WHO IS PRESIDENT ASSAD?
Bashar al-Assad (b. 1965) has been the President of the Syrian Arab Republic since the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad, in June of 2000. The Syrian legislature approved a constitutional amendment the day his father died, lowering the minimum age for president from 40 to 34 and paving the way for Bashar’s unopposed election the following month. The Assad family has led an authoritarian regime in Syria for nearly 50 years.
PRESIDENT ASSAD’S BACKGROUND
Bashar al-Assad, who trained as a doctor in Damascus and studied ophthalmology in London, was one of five children. In reality, he was never meant to be president – that was to be the responsibility of his oldest brother, Basel. Unfortunately, Basel was killed in a car accident in 1994. Bashar immediately left his medical training and returned to Syria to serve in the army while being groomed as his father’s successor.
Shortly after he became president, he married Asma Akhras, a wealthy, well-educated Syrian-born woman raised in London, on New Year’s Day 2001. They have three children: Hafez (2001), Zein (2003) and Karim (2004).
Some political commentators hoped that the son’s rule would be less cruel and authoritarian than the father’s. Hafez al-Assad was known to execute his political foes and brutally suppress uprisings, as in the 1982 Hama massacre. Tragically, Bashar has followed in the same path.
PRESIDENT ASSAD TODAY
Assad’s greatest struggle by far is the complicated and brutal civil war that began in March, 2011. More than half a million people have been killed. The conflict has displaced 5.6 million people who have fled Syria and another 6.6 million who are displaced within the country.
The war began when young Syrians, tired of oppression and encouraged by the protests happening across the Arab world, took to the streets to demand government reforms.
The protesters hoped Assad would respond with reason and reform, but he reacted instead with violence, ordering government security forces to shoot protestors and imprison rebels. The complexity of the Syrian war has intensified as Russia, Iran, Turkey, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and others have gotten involved, supporting numerous local and foreign rebel groups.
Ironically, though the Assad family is very powerful, they are Alawites, a minority sect of Shiite Muslims. Before the war, Christians, as fellow minorities in Syria, found protection under Assad’s rule as long as they did not threaten the government. Since the war began, all religious minorities have been put at risk, and hundreds of thousands of Christians have left the country.
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for the Holy Spirit to soften his heart towards God and the Syrian people.
- Pray for President Assad and his family to put their faith in Jesus Christ.
- Pray for the love of Christ to transform and compel him to love his people and restore his nation.
We continue to pray for the persecuted:
- Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wang Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
- For Pakistani Christians and other minorities who are facing discrimination and persecution during the coronavirus crisis. Muslims are denying Christians relief food packages because of their faith in Christ.
“Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call! If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.” – Blaine Scogin, Founder of Persecution Watch and former Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted.
As Blaine Scogin did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls. If you have yet to do so, it’s not to late. Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray with us during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest, and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus. In Christ, Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Prayer Team Nightly call schedule through Ramadan From any location on your phone Time: 9:00 PM Eastern 8:00 PM Central 7:00 PM Mountain 6:00 PM Pacific Call in number: 712 775-7035 Access Code: 281207# Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free! 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 of 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 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 (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team. On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re 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’re new to the call and can’t 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! NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission. 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
Ramadan Day 28: Praying for Muslims to come to Christ –President el-Sisi
(Voice of the Persecuted) President el-Sisi, lesding Egypt in challenging times.
WHO IS PRESIDENT EL-SISI?
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (b. 1954) has been the leader of Egypt since July 2013.
As defense minister and head of the army, el-Sisi responded to the Egyptian people’s request and removed President Mohamad Morsi from power and dissolved the discredited Muslim Brotherhood government on July 3rd, 2013.
Then, again in response to public appeals, he resigned from the military, ran as a civilian candidate, and was elected president in May 2014. He was re-elected president in March 2018.
PRESIDENT EL-SISI’S BACKGROUND
El-Sisi was raised in Old Cairo in a religious family from Upper Egypt. They lived in a neighborhood close to al-Azhar mosque that contained Jews, Muslims, and Christians. El-Sisi and his wife, Entissar Amer (his cousin), have three sons and one daughter. El-Sisi is known to be quiet, someone who listens, and one who frequently quotes the Quran.
El-Sisi joined the army and steadily worked his way up, doing training stints with both the British and American military. He became director of military intelligence and a member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which ruled Egypt from the resignation of President Mubarak in February 2011 until the inauguration of the Muslim Brotherhood-run government on June 30, 2012.
In August 2012, in a move seen as decreasing the power of the army, President Morsi gave el-Sisi the rank of Colonel General and appointed him Defense Minister, seemingly because el-Sisi was a devout Muslim sympathetic to Brotherhood aims.
PRESIDENT EL-SISI TODAY
President el-Sisi’s approach to governing Egypt has become increasingly controversial. Having never been a politician, he has been running the country almost by himself. He views the Muslim Brotherhood as violent terrorists and serious threats to Egypt’s security. In his ongoing efforts to “destroy” them, el-Sisi has become authoritarian.
The army appears to act with impunity and has killed and arrested far more people in the last few years than it had under former President Mubarak. El-Sisi has cracked down on the press, silenced political opposition, and leads without a political party. The 2018 election was widely viewed as a sham after el-Sisi jailed all but one of the opposition candidates.
At the same time, el-Sisi is friendly toward Christians, has rebuilt many churches destroyed by the army and the Muslim Brotherhood, and publicly affirms Christians as Egyptian citizens who have vital ongoing contributions to make to the future of Egypt.
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for his disillusionment with extremism to lead him to seek for Truth.
- Pray for deep relationships with Christians in Egypt and around the world.
- Pray for President el-Sisi and his family to put their faith in Jesus, impacting the entire Middle East.
- Pray to the Lord that He will bring Believers into government positions to induce Christian values.
We continue to pray for the persecuted:
- Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wang Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
- For Pakistani Christians and other minorities who are facing discrimination and persecution during the coronavirus crisis. Muslims are denying Christians relief food packages because of their faith in Christ.
“Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call! If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.” – Blaine Scogin, Founder of Persecution Watch and former Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted.
As Blaine Scogin did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls. If you have yet to do so, it’s not to late. Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray with us during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest, and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus. In Christ, Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Prayer Team Nightly call schedule through Ramadan From any location on your phone Time: 9:00 PM Eastern 8:00 PM Central 7:00 PM Mountain 6:00 PM Pacific Call in number: 712 775-7035 Access Code: 281207# Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free! 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 of 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 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 (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team. On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re 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’re new to the call and can’t 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! NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission. 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.
Ramadan Day 27: Praying for Muslims to come to Christ –King Salman
King Salman “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques”
WHO IS KING SALMAN?
KING SALMAN’S BACKGROUND
KING SALMAN TODAY
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for an open and soft heart towards the Gospel amid failing health.
- Pray for encounters with global Christian leaders that challenge his faith in Islam.
- Pray for the entire royal family to put their trust in Jesus, impacting Muslims around the world.
- Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wanh Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
- For Pakistani Christians and other minorities who are facing discrimination and persecution during the coronavirus crisis. Muslims are denying Christians relief food packages because of their faith in Christ.
“Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call! If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.” – Blaine Scogin, Founder of Persecution Watch and former Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted.As Blaine Scogin did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls. If you have yet to do so, it’s not to late. Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray with us during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest, and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus. In Christ, Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Prayer Team Nightly call schedule through Ramadan From any location on your phone Time: 9:00 PM Eastern 8:00 PM Central 7:00 PM Mountain 6:00 PM Pacific Call in number: 712 775-7035 Access Code: 281207# Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free! 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 of 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 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 (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team. On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re 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’re new to the call and can’t 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! NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission. 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.
Ramadan Day 26: Praying for Muslims to come to Christ –Laylat al-Qadr
(Voice of the Persecuted) Laylat al-Qadr, the night of power – a night unlike any other.
WHAT IS LAYLAT AL-QADR?
Muslims believe that Allah sent the entire Quran down from the seventh heaven to the first heaven during Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power)…(click for more)
Muslims believe that Allah sent the entire Quran down from the seventh heaven to the first heaven during Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power). Then the angel Gabriel progressively revealed it to Muhammad over 23 years, from 610-632 AD.
No one is completely sure which night this was. Most believe that the Quran was sent down during one of the last ten or so nights of Ramadan – the Muslim month of fasting. Many believe it was on the 27th night of Ramadan. Most Shia Muslims believe it was the 23rd night.
The authority for this belief is Surah 97 of the Quran, which is named “Power” (al-Qadr):
1We sent it down in the Night of Power. 2But how can you know what is the Night of Power? 3The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. 4In it, the angels and the Spirit are sent swarming down, by their Lord’s leave, attending to every command. 5Peace is it that Night, till the break of dawn.
WHY IS LAYLAT AL-QADR SIGNIFICANT?
The entire month of Ramadan is a time of special spiritual blessing, but the last ten days are considered the holiest nights of the year because Muslims believe the Quran was sent down then. …(click for more)
The entire month of Ramadan is a time of special spiritual blessing, but the last ten days are considered the holiest nights of the year because Muslims believe the Quran was sent down then.
Laylat al-Qadr is believed to be the night in which heaven is opened and God responds to prayer in a way unlike any other night of the year. Many believe, from Surah 97, that this one night is more spiritually blessed than a thousand months – 83 years – an entire lifetime!
Some Muslims believe that Allah sets in motion his good decrees for each year during Laylat al-Qadr, which can also be translated “The Night of Destiny.” An often-cited Hadith, a traditional saying of Muhammad, says: “Whoever establishes the prayers on Laylat al-Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven” (Bukhari 1.2.34).
Muslims believe that because an entire chapter of the Quran is devoted to this night, they must approach the night with great faith, zeal in prayer, and earnestness. Laylat al-Qadr is a celebration of the giving of the Quran.
WHAT DOES LAYLAT AL-QADR LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE?
In many traditions, Muslim men spend additional time in prayer at the mosque during the last ten nights of Ramadan….(click for more)
In many traditions, Muslim men spend additional time in prayer at the mosque during the last ten nights of Ramadan. Women, too, seek to spend more time in prayer and meditation during this 10-day period. During Laylat al-Qadr, Muslims stay in the mosque all night, reading the Quran and praying. They also eat their pre-dawn breakfast the following morning in the mosque.
The first 20 days of Ramadan are seen as preparation for the final 10 days of fasting. Muslims should be the most zealous and most sincere during the final days of fasting, with Laylat al-Qadr being the pinnacle of blessing.
Iranian Shias also use Laylat al-Qadr to commemorate the death of Imam Ali, the fourth successor to Muhammad. They place a copy of the Quran on their heads while praying, as their way of honoring the Quran on this important night.
In many cultures, though, Laylat al-Qadr is mostly a big all-night party, in which people spend the night eating special foods, enjoying popular music, and spending time celebrating with thousands of others out on the streets.
PRAYER POINTS
Pray that ON THIS NIGHT:
- the true character of Jesus would be revealed in visions and dreams.
- Muslims would be delivered from the crushing burden of trying to earn God’s favor.
- God would demonstrate His love and power through signs, wonders, and miracles.
We continue to pray for the persecuted:
- Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wanh Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
- For Pakistani Christians and other minorities who are facing discrimination and persecution during the coronavirus crisis. Muslims are denying Christians relief food packages because of their faith in Christ.
“Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!
If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.” – Blaine Scogin, Founder of Persecution Watch and former Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted.
As Blaine Scogin did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls. If you have yet to do so, it’s not to late. Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray with us during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest, and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus.
In Christ,
Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Prayer Team
Nightly call schedule through Ramadan
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
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 of 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
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 (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re 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’re new to the call and can’t 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!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
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 