Pray for Afghanistan

 

 

Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  (Phil. 4:6 CSB17)

Yes, tragedy has struck. Evil forces have advanced. Darkness has fallen. But this is not a time to sit and fret. This is a time to pray.

With God, when it looks like the story is over, it’s not over. The faithful Hebrews are thrown into the furnace, but that’s not the end of the story. Daniel is thrown to the lions, but God is still there. Peter is being held in prison for execution, but the church is praying. The Savior of the world had been killed, buried, a stone was sealing the grave and it was guarded, but God’s story wasn’t over.

The Islamic revolution in Iran could have spelled the end of God’s work there, but instead many reports all say that the gospel has been spreading rapidly there. When the communists took over China in a bloody revolution and Western missionaries were either killed or driven out, that looked like a defeat for God’s work there. But instead, one of the most powerful and explosive house church growth movements in the history of Christianity was about to begin.

We don’t know what is going to happen next in Afghanistan. It seems likely that there will be severe persecution of Christians. But even if there is (God help them!), that does not have to be the end of the story. And even from far away, you can play a direct role. God has ordained prayer as a way for Christians to be able to help other Christians and be involved in every issue, even from the other side of the world. So now is a time to pray!

Here are some ways to pray:

 

Pray for those who are most in danger: Christians, women, those who helped the US, activists for rights

Pray for those trying to get to the airport

Pray for Afghan refugees & ministry to them (including those arriving in US)

Pray for missionaries & Afghan Christian leaders

Pray that many among the Muslim majority will turn to Christ

Pray for religious liberty concerns throughout the Middle East & Muslim nations. Some have expressed a reasonable concern that the apparent success of the most fundamentalist, extreme, and evil version of Islam in Afghanistan may encourage and lead to the rise of influence of militant Islam in other places. This is a real danger.

Pray against the danger of a resurgence in terrorism throughout the world

Pray for US and allied military personal carrying out an extraordinarily difficult mission

 

Pray as the Spirit leads. Pray in your prayer closet. Meet with other Christians and pray.

Pray for whatever nation and culture you live in. Remember the warning of Jesus:

^CSB17 Luke 13:1 At that time, some people came and reported to him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

 ² And he responded to them, "Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things?

 ³ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well.

 ⁴ Or those eighteen that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed-- do you think they were more sinful than all the other people who live in Jerusalem?

 ⁵ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well."

Pray for God’s will be done. Pray for His mercy. Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ in Afghanistan:

Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them,and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily.(Heb. 13:3 CSB17)

May God strengthen you to really pray and be devoted to prayer.

 

 

Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .

 

 

Some related resources:

 

The Power of Planned, Intentional Prayer as Seen in Acts 1-13

Link:  https://parresiazomai.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-power-of-planned-intentional-prayer.html

 

A Model for Intercessory Prayer, Epaphras in Colossians 4:12

Link:  https://parresiazomai.blogspot.com/2018/10/a-model-for-intercessory-prayer.html

 

Knowing that God Created Everything Fuels Faith Filled Praying

Link:  https://parresiazomai.blogspot.com/2018/10/knowing-that-god-created-everything.html

 

The Lord’s Prayer: Understanding it More Fully Helps Us Pray it More Powerfully

Link:  https://parresiazomai.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-lords-prayer-understanding-it-more.html

 

Awesome, Wonderful, Powerful Prayer

Link:  https://parresiazomai.blogspot.com/2016/08/awesome-wonderful-powerful-prayer.html

 

Link to a video on prayer:

Prayer, Incense, and Fire

Link:  https://youtu.be/GXr3STua7jM