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How God Answered Your Prayer

March 21, 2012

How God Answered Your Prayer – Recent Testimonies About the Prayers That Avail Much Book Series

Received on www.prayers.org

R.F. Writes:

When I was a young mother, a woman in Colorado prayed for me with tremendous power. I asked her where she learned to pray. She told me about “Prayers that Avail Much”. I got myself a copy and began my prayer journey. That was in 1984. Over the last 28 years there is not enough room here to list all God’s answers to prayer. However, the most recent is a healing concerning my 7 month old grand daughter born with spina bifida. After surgery, her little bladder shut down; and my daughter and son-in-law had to catheterize her every three hours. We sent out a pra yer request via email to all our family and friends. After speaking God’s word back to Him, concerning healing, her little bladder “woke up”. Both my daughters use “Prayers that Avail Much” to speak their faith and needs to God. They were just infants when I began learning to pray, and now they use the same book to cover their young families in prayer. Thank you. May everything you put your hand to prosper, and may you be surrounded with His peace that passes understanding.

J.D. Writes:

I came across your website a little over a week ago and found the Prayer for Accounts Payable for businesses. We were having challenges collecting from clients who are all feeling the crunch from the economy. Starting last Monday the first thing I did when I sat at my desk, I said this prayer out loud with peace & love for each of our clients. Then on Tuesday I did same thing & we received a check in the mail. Wednesday, received more checks…Thursday same thing…Friday same thing…today same thing! We even had one client that was behind 3 months call us on Friday to say they were mailing a check to us & received today! They are calling us! Praise God! Thank you for the powerful prayer & will continue to pray it everyday!

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Prayer Assignments for January

December 31, 2011

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!  Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.” (Isaiah 52:7-8)


The World— January 1-11: Listed here are some of the critical international hot spots most likely to cause turmoil, conflict, and suffering or even war in the coming years. These need to be covered in prayer:

1 The future of Jerusalem. The world’s holiest city is probably also its most volatile flashpoint. Conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has resisted major international efforts to resolve it. The fundamental and seemingly irreconcilable differences between most Israelis and Arabs mean that any outbreak of serious conflict can easily embroil neighboring countries – especially Lebanon and Syria. Many feel that such a war is almost inevitable. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.


2 The Korean Peninsula is shared between an untenable, failing dictatorship and an
affluent but nervous democracy. If or when reunification comes, the main questions are
whether it will happen peacefully and at what cost rebuilding the North will occur. War would
be disastrous for both sides.


3 Somalia is a textbook example of a failed state; it is a broken land populated by warlords,
pirates, an uprooted and exiled shambles of a government and a number of aggressive
Islamist groups. The upheaval has spilled into the Horn of Africa and significantly affected
marine traffic in the busy shipping lanes along its coast.


4 Central Africa, while not the cauldron of anarchy it was in the 1990s, retains much of
the upheaval and unrest of those dark times. Eastern DRC and northwest Uganda in
particular still suffer from the predations of lawless militias.


5 Afghanistan and Pakistan remain vulnerable to religious extremism. While the former
has been stabilized significantly by heavy foreign military presence, religious terrorism and
violence have gripped Pakistan in the past decade. The porous mountain borders between the
two countries offer the ideal location for the Taliban to persist with their radical Islamist agenda.
Both remain among the world’s most unstable and dangerous nations.


6 China’s growing self-confidence and assertiveness seem less of a threat externally
as it seeks to engage the world as a financial, rather than a military, power. However, its
increasing global strength is not without its opponents – and victims. There are also increasing
tensions with the Uyghur and Tibetan minorities, the looming demographic and economic
fallout of a rapidly aging population resulting from the One Child Policy and the massive
gender gap with a shortfall of millions of females. All have serious consequences.


7 Iran is a regional power unto itself and the Shi’ite half of the West Asia/Middle East region. Its
unbending stance on developing nuclear power and its notable influence in Iraq may put it on
a collision course with other nations, particularly in the West. It also has its own internal stability issues.

8 The Mexico-US drug corridor is an area where the hedonistic excesses of American
appetites effectively fund brutal wars between various drug cartels and government forces.
Tensions from immigration issues further fuel the fire.


9 Immigration into Europe is an unstoppable tide of humanity from Africa, the Middle
East, Asia and Eastern Europe. The plunging birthrates in EU countries and the affluence,
stability and generous social services in Europe are factors that pull in immigrants, many of
whom are coming from countries where conflict rages. While immigration is utterly necessary
for the demographic and economic survival of Europe, the potential for resentment and violent
backlash on the part of the native peoples of the EU is also strong. Postmodern secularism, Islam
and Christianity must learn to co-exist or face a very turbulent future.


10 The Himalayan region simmers with tension and division. The competing claims over
Kashmir, the volatile nature of Nepal, the oppression of Tibet, the upheaval in Bangladesh
and Northeast India and the opposition of India and Pakistan on many issues make this a
potentially dangerous area – especially since the three main players are all nuclear powers.


11 The West African fault line between Islam and Christianity has seen clashes, mob
violence and civil war, especially in Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire. Religious differences are
exacerbated and fuelled by ethnic divisions.


Africa—January 12 – 18: Africa has 13 of the world’s 20 least-evangelized countries by percentage. There are many clusters of unreached peoples in Africa. The vast majority are Muslim of varying degrees of commitment and orthodoxy. Reaching them will be a great challenge in terms of spiritual opposition, cultural learning and effective mission strategies.Pray for the light of the Gospel to begin to penetrate these people groups:

12 The Arabs of North Africa. Arriving from the Arabian peninsula in the early years of
Islam, the Arabs conquered the Maghreb and imposed Islam upon the population. There
has been little by way of outreach to them until recent years – and even less by way of response.
They number nearly 210 million from Mauritania across to Egypt.


13 The Imazighen, or Berber. North Africa’s original inhabitants; they were conquered by
Rome, many becoming Christian, then conquered by Arab Muslims in the 8th Century
and assimilated into Islam. There are 18 million Imazighen in 76 distinct sub-groups living in 17
countries. Major groups include the Kabyle (3.3m), Riff (2.6m), Shilha (8.7m) and Shawiya
(1.9m). Only among the Kabyle has there been a significant turning to Christ. Less than 0.4%
might be considered Christian. Several partnerships of agencies concerned for them exist.


14 The peoples of the West Africa coastal nations, including the Wolof, Malinke, Jula
and Susu clusters. Totalling 17.2 million people, they include 114 peoples speaking 75
languages and dialects. The largest peoples are the Wolof of Senegal (4.6m), Maninke of Guinea
(2.4m), Maninka of Côte d’Ivoire (1.9m), Mandinka of Senegal and Gambia (1.4m) and Susu
of Guinea (1.1m). They remain largely unevangelized, even though there are a number of
Christian workers and African churches among neighbouring peoples.


15 The Fulbe (Pulaar, Fulani) number 31.9 million in 50 or so distinct ethnic groups
speaking related dialects. They have spread from Senegal to become a major component
of nearly every country of the Sahel as far east as Sudan. They are the largest nomadic-culture
people in the world. More than half now live settled lifestyles and are more strongly Muslim
than their nomadic or semi-nomadic brethren. Planting churches among them has been hard
and slow with small breakthroughs in Benin, Nigeria and Chad. The Fulbe represent one of the
major challenges for missions in Africa today. There are dozens of agencies with some outreach
or ministry to the Fulbe, and several partnerships have been formed specifically to synergize
ministry among them.


16 The interior peoples of West Africa. These consist of the Kanuri, Bambara, Songhai,
Soninke people clusters, adding up to 78 peoples with 31 languages and 22.3 million
people. Largest among them are the Yerwa Kanuri of Nigeria (5.5m), the Zarma of Niger (4.5m),
the Bambara of Mali and Côte d’Ivoire (3.1m, 1.0m), the Songhai-Koryaboro of Mali and Niger
(1.6m) and the Soninke of Mali (1.0m). Of these, only the Bambara (5.0%) and Koryaboro (0.4%) have a notable Christian population. Many smaller peoples have no known believers.

17 The Hausa are dominant in Niger and northern Nigeria, but live in 20 countries in
total and number 32.4 million. Hausa has become the major language for much of
Nigeria, Niger and beyond. Many resources exist in Hausa – the Bible, the JESUS film, radio
broadcasting – and much ministry is done in Hausa, but few have turned to Christ from Islam.
Response is greatest among the Maguzawa section of the Hausa. Evangelization of the Hausa
remains a major challenge to the Church.


18 The Horn of Africa-Cushitic peoples. There are 101 million in 160 ethnic groups
living mainly in Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. They are represented in six people
clusters – Afar, Beja, Ethiopian (often referred to as “Semitic”), Omotic, Oromo and Somali. A
number of peoples are Christian. The great challenge remains to reach the Somali (15.7m), Beja
(3.2m) and Afar (2.3m). Many Christian agencies are burdened to bring the gospel to them and
see a harvest; there have been many attempts, but the risk and the cost are great. It is effectively
impossible for outsiders to do mission work among the Somali and Afar clusters in their home
countries, but there is a sizeable Somali diaspora in Africa and beyond.

The Americas: Despite the large Christian presence and much evangelical activity, major challenges remain for prayer:

19 Upper and upper-middle classes. These tend to be less evangelical, often wearing their liberal Protestant or Catholic sensibilities quite lightly. In many cases, even these are intellectually atheist or Marxist but make a show of religion as a social networking mechanism. Specific strategies are needed to reach these influential classes.

20 The urban poor. In North America, they usually live in the decaying hearts of major
cities; in Latin America, they live in huge slums that ring or even permeate the major cities.
Churches have a great role to play and are well positioned to do so. Pray for the light of Jesus
to shine through Christian ministry, effecting urban renewal with a reduction in crime, violence
and substance abuse and a growth in education, employment and, most importantly, the
winning of lives into the Kingdom.


21 Whole regions of some countries are far less evangelized than the rest of the country,
such as Quebec Province in Canada, the northeastern states and Amazonia in Brazil, some
of Mexico’s states as well as entire nations such as French Guyana.


22 Students in the universities. In North America, this means an opportunity to reach
out to students from nearly every nation on earth, many from unevangelized backgrounds.
Throughout the Americas, it is a chance to reach nationals for Jesus and to disciple young
believers into Christian leaders. CCCI and Navigators have extensive ministries to campuses,
and IFES has well-established work in the majority of countries, with younger movements in
others. Pray for all agencies concentrating on this strategic sector of the community. A clear,
radiant, evangelical student witness in every university is a key target for prayer.


23 The Romani (Gypsies) – present, but usually unrecognized and often undetected in
most Latin American countries, and numbering over one million. They often remain
deliberately incognito in order to avoid marginalization in society, but they have notable needs
in terms of education and health, and especially need to be reached with the gospel.


24 Immigrant communities from all over the world. Nearly every significant culture has
a migrant community in the Americas. For special mention:
a) Chinese – over four million all over the Americas. The one million in Latin America are less
reached. Their numbers are being augmented by immigrants, especially from Mainland
China. The latter need specialized ministry in order to reach them.

b) Japanese – around three million with communities in Brazil (1.4m), USA (1.2m) and Peru.

c) Muslims – mainly Arabs in Latin America, but increasing in numbers throughout the
Americas via immigration from the Middle East. There are also South Asian Muslims in the
Anglophone countries and Javanese Muslims in Suriname. Brazil is especially seeing Muslim
growth. Events of the 21st Century have brought focus on these peoples and increased
outreach to them. Many Arabs in Latin America are Christian and could be instrumental in
reaching Muslims or enabling Latin Americans to do so.

Asia—January 25-30: Listed below is a selection of the flash points in Asia that could have an effect – regionally and globally – on the political, economic, demographic and military spheres. They could also have profound influence on the efforts to evangelize the regions in question – the challenge lies before both local and national political leaders as well as the Church. Let us lift these issues in prayer:

25 The unresolved conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. All international efforts to broker a viable peace deal have ultimately failed. There are deep differences
between the claimants – on the land and on Jerusalem itself – with hawkish elements in both groups. While Israel continues to settle its people on occupied land and while Muslim nations
refuse to recognize Israel’s rights of existence and sovereignty, a peaceful resolution is highly unlikely. Factoring in antagonistic external players, without heavenly intervention, future war seems almost inevitable – the nations involved are all preparing for this possibility. Desperation, hatred and the fearsome arsenals of weapons would generate a terrifying toll on the region. Pray for all parties involved in the confrontation and for world leaders attempting to defuse the situation.

26 China’s re-emergence as a global superpower is possibly the major global political
and economic factor in the first decades of the 21st Century. China is growing more
assertive in international diplomacy and political engagement. The pragmatic marriage of
centralized state control with an increasingly capitalist economy has achieved stupendous
financial growth. But such growth, fuelled by massive consumption of resources, cannot be
sustained indefinitely; what happens when the bubble bursts will have a global impact. The major
demographic shift to an aged population (as a result of the one-child policy) will place great
burdens on those of working age. The huge gender gap – in many areas, a shortfall of 20-30%
from equal gender balance – has further serious implications for long-term societal stability. The
quasi-colonization by ethnic Han of China’s hinterlands (Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Qinghai,
Tibet, Yunnan) and accelerating immigration to under-populated and under-developed Russian
Siberia are all potentially calamitous to the indigenous populations.

27 The Himalayas region simmers with tension. The conflict over Kashmir is the most
intractable of problems, with Pakistan and India (and China) holding conflicting claims
over territory. The Kashmir dispute has profoundly shaped Pakistan’s domestic and foreign
policies, has provoked an arms race between Pakistan and India and has already resulted in four
wars. China and India are in dispute over territorial claims not just in Kashmir but also in
Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh. Strife also exists over India’s hosting of the Tibetan governmentin-exile and in Tibet itself. Add to this the Nepal Civil War of 1996-2006 (and continuing tensions), and you have a region filled with potential flashpoints.

28 Afghanistan’s troubles are not yet over. It still sits under foreign military presence
and a flawed and fledgling political system. The Taliban violently oppose both the former
and the latter, and their influence is still significant in several regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan.Afghanistan has known only war for so many decades, yet stability is being established – and the good news is carefully, subtly being shared and demonstrated.

29 The Golden Triangle (parts of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Yunnan), already
notorious for insurgency, lawlessness, drug production and trafficking, has now added
human trafficking to its list of evils.

30 Yemen is a tinderbox of trouble. Rapid population growth (the population doubles
every 21 years!), endemic poverty, a turbulent and clannish society, growing Islamist
extremism and violence against foreign powers all point to a looming ignition point.

Thank you for the time you give in daily intercession for the nations of the earth. We continue to believe that they will have a visitation from the presence of the Lord. As you have prayed for others may the Lord answer the prayers of your heart. <

Blessings,
Lane

Sources:
Mission Info Bank. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2012 Global Mapping International. All Rights Reserved

Use and reproduction subject to User Agreement.

© Operation World 2001
With thanks to Dawn Ministries and Operation World
Hosted by 24-7Prayer.com, Edited by Eloise Armstrong
This information is only about 20% of what is available in the ‘Operation World’ book and CD-ROM.
To find out more click here, to buy the book click here.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Prayer Assignments for November 16-30

November 15, 2011


Thank you for your faithfulness to take time each day to pray with us as we cover the nations of the earth. We continue to believe that:

“…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16b)

16-17. Tanzania:

The delicate inter-communal balance and religious stability of the country cannot be taken for granted. The Muslim community is increasingly polarized between moderates and Islamists, the latter pressing for political influence and the establishment of separate Islamist courts. Witchcraft is widespread and permeates both Christianity and Islam. Spiritual superstitions and outright occultism incur great financial expense and often result in sexual abuse or even death for the victims of such practices.

Pray that the government may be ruthless in uprooting evil and wise in fostering communal harmony and religious freedom.

Widespread and systemic poverty is both a challenge and an opportunity. Many areas
require development assistance – schools, universities, hospitals, roads, drinking water and agriculture. Half of all secondary schools are privately funded. Rapid urbanization and endemic corruption intensify the problems. Holistic ministry is necessary and a wonderful way to bring transformation to all levels of Tanzanian life. Most foreign Christian agencies at work in Tanzania already minister in this capacity;

Pray for more projects to be started and to be finished effectively.

The Pentecostal movement has flourished in the last 20 years and is the fastest growing
segment of Christianity. Although the origins of many of these groups are foreign, good
use of outreach tools combined with spiritual fervency have seen Pentecostalism grow and take root in Tanzanian culture.

Pray for continued growth, increased maturity and unity between Pentecostals and other evangelicals – essential if the church is to impact Muslims and animists in the nation.

18.-19. Thailand:

Thailand has been an island of stability and freedom in a troubled region, but “The Land of Smiles” is also awash with difficulties.

Pray for these pressing issues and for the wise leadership and reform needed to address them:

a) The political upheaval of 2006-2008 revealed deep fault lines among various political parties, the military and the royalty. Protests brought the country to a standstill.

b) The violent insurgency in the southern areas near Malaysia has claimed thousands of lives. It is a result of some discrimination against the predominantly Malay Muslim minority and the radicalization of the same.

c) Tensions with other neighbors, including disputes with Cambodia and more notably
Myanmar, from which over a million have fled disaster and persecution into Thailand.

d) Structures of sin and vice continue to prosper, despite increasing efforts to combat them. Corruption allows unscrupulous men – in business, politics, the military and police – to enrich themselves while oppressing others. The moral blights of the sex trade, drug networks, crime syndicates and ecological degradation will remain as long as they are profitable and tolerated.

Pray for the breaking of these structures of sin by God’s power.

Thailand means “Land of the Free” because it successfully retained its freedom when
surrounding countries were colonized by Western powers. Yet the land is held captive in
a complex web of Buddhism, traditional culture, spirit appeasement and even occult practices, with a social cohesiveness out of which few have dared to come. The Buddha is the object of people’s adoration, but the spirit world is deeply ensconced in Thailand. Phra Sayam Devadhiraj, the venerated guardian spirit that protects the land, has a golden idol in the capital’s Grand Palace. For many Thai, their nationality and religious identity are inextricably linked.

Pray for spiritual breakthrough so that, in the Lord Jesus, the Thai may be free indeed.

20. Timor Leste:

Timor’s traumatic birth left deep scars. The vindictive destruction and forcible removal of many Timorese by the departing Indonesian military and its Timorese militia
allies left a legacy of hatred and trauma that will take decades to heal. Internal tensions –between Eastern and Western, disaffected armed gangs and rival political factions – cause violence and unrest to persist, despite the presence of international (mostly Australian and some Portuguese) peacekeepers.

Pray for peace for Timor, that grievances might be laid to rest and that reconciliation might begin to take root.

Timor appears caught in a descending spiral of poverty, poor health and illiteracy.
It is the poor who suffer most from the violence and destruction wrought by various
factions. With a shattered infrastructure and ill-equipped public servants, the nation needs
transformation in all spheres of life. Major investments are needed in education, job creation, health care and training of leadership. The oil and gas fields of the Timor Sea will hopefully bring the finances required;

Pray that Australia will be fair and generous in sharing the revenues, and that the income will be justly and wisely invested into projects that benefit the whole population and not just enrich a few.


21. Togo:

Political injustices continue. The illegal appointment (by the army) of the former president’s son, the series of rigged elections and the political system tweaked to serve the ruling party all perpetuate resentment and bitterness between southern and central people clusters.

Pray for leaders to emerge who fear God, respect the constitution and serve the people justly.

Pray that God breaks down walls of enmity between the Guinean and Gur people clusters In raising up such leaders.

The economic situation remains precarious. With little foreign investment and few
natural resources, poverty is widespread and people are vulnerable to exploitation. Such
poverty makes prostitution common and drives many orphans and unwanted children into the arms of human traffickers. Rich Muslim businesses entice young Christians to work there and eventually convert to Islam.

Pray for Christians, locally and internationally, to stand firm despite such problems and to invest in creating ethical employment for the people of Togo.

Unity in the Togolese Church has made progress, under the auspices of reaching every
home and planting a church in every village in the country. But there is a long way to go.
Barriers of mistrust and denominationalism must be broken down, and the recently arrived churches must be willing to work with each other and with the more established churches.

Pray that this vision might unify the Church and call all believers to action.

22. Tonga:

Tonga’s rich Christian heritage is a blessing, but has reached the point of oversaturation. The proliferation of denominations generates competition among churches, as newer groups entice believers away. Isolation and the difficult economic situation complicate issues further.

Pray that Tongan Christians would seek ways to contribute to the Kingdom of God
rather than seeking the church that benefits them the most.

The past century has been one of spiritual decline. There is a long and sad history of bitter schisms within Methodism. Politics and Church are inextricable; even the newer denominations’ apolitical stance assumes acceptance of the status quo.

Pray for a true spirit of unity among all believers and churches

Pray for leaders who will exemplify unity with gracious and humble spirits.

22. Trinidad & Tobago:

Many social challenges face Trinidad & Tobago. Increasing crime and gang violence associated with the illicit drug trade are worsened by endemic weaknesses in the policing/justice system. Alcoholism, kidnapping, armed robbery and theft are dangerously common and a high percentage of children are born out of wedlock and to teenage mothers.

Pray that righteous and effective solutions might be found through both the public and faith sectors.

Christianity is professed by nearly two-thirds of the population, but true disciples
faithful to God’s Word are not so common. Many Christians are nominal; many others are polluted by witchcraft, Afro-Spiritist beliefs and Hinduism-influenced worldviews. Family life and morals within the Christian sphere often do not demonstrate the lordship of Christ. Greater theological training – for leaders as well as laity – is needed and a discipleship mentality must be fostered. Thank God for the minority who do live to please God

Pray that purity and passion might be restored across all denominations.

23. Tunisia:

In earlier centuries the Christian Church was widespread, producing such leaders as Tertullian and Cyprian. Schism, heresy, failures to put roots deep into the local culture and to translate the Bible into local languages, foreign invasions and finally Islam brought about its demise. There are about 500 committed indigenous believers today, but only one-third of those meet together regularly for worship.

Pray that a living, growing Church might become a reality again in this land.

Tunisia is one of the most progressive and open societies in the Arab world. However,
the economic transformation is not as widespread as many feel it should be. The rapid
change to a social, demographic and economic existence resembling Tunisia’s European
neighbors (more than its African ones) is offset by the greater influences of Islam and a pan-Arab media in terms of Tunisia’s collective identity.

Pray that the advancement of both materialism and the practice of Islam might actually serve to illuminate a deeper need in people’s hearts.

The government still prohibits indigenous churches from owning their own
property and having their own bank accounts.

Pray for the government to officially recognize the Tunisian Church.

Pray for the return of buildings and land that were previously taken by the state; may these provide space for the Tunisian Christians to establish their own places of worship.

24.-26. Turkey:

Turkey is a nation torn in different directions. Straddling Europe and Asia, neither Middle Eastern nor Western, Turkish society is secular yet Muslim. Critical to shaping the nation’s future are several issues that must be addressed.

Pray for leaders who will act justly and wisely, focused on the welfare of all who call Turkey home.

Pray for:

a) The rivalry between secular Turkish nationalism and Islamism. Legality of the hijab
(Islamic headscarf) has been a flashpoint for this division. While the constitution, judiciary and military are secular and notionally meant to uphold religious freedom, secular Turks can be as anti-Western, anti-minority and anti-Christian as any hard line Islamists. Wahhabist influences help to fuel fundamentalist Islam, while hard line nationalism is also strong and rising.

Pray that Turkey might steer a moderate path between these twin dangers.

b) The issue of membership in the European Union. Some strive to introduce necessary
reforms for greater integration with Europe (especially on human rights, religious freedom and Kurdish, Armenian and Cypriot issues). Others aim towards leadership of a Turkic bloc of nations and an increased role in the Middle East. The tension between introducing modernity and retaining traditional roots is difficult to resolve.

c) Challenges facing the political realm. The role of the military within the state needs
adjusting to allow for democratic functioning of the civil government. Recent moves
toward multi-cultural and multi-religious democratization have ushered this challenge to
the fore, with the resulting national identity crisis provoking a notably reactionary response. A power struggle rages between the secularists and pro-Islamic/freedoms groups. Serious failings in human rights must be addressed, and likewise for the Kurdish issue which has cost the lives of thousands of soldiers and civilians.

27. Turkmenistan:

The new government and leadership face difficult decisions about continuing Niyazov’s legacy, about domestic policies and about the awkward relationships with Russia (its main buyer of gas), Iran, Afghanistan and China.

Pray for godly wisdom for the new leader, for a departure from oppressive policies of the past and for the respect of constitutionally guaranteed human rights and religious freedoms.

Expatriate Christians concerned for Turkmenistan continue to pray from a distance,
mobilize and prepare for the day when the country is open again.

Pray for openings for humanitarian organizations to operate and bless the people in ways both practical and spiritual. Expatriate Christians found to be doing religious training are expelled.

Pray for the small handful of foreign Christians still in Turkmenistan – that they might be delivered from harassment by secret police, that they might be able to continue to work in the country and that they might soon be joined by an increasing number of Christian workers.

28. Turks & Caicos Islands:

The inflow of immigrants – most are illegal and from Haiti. They are poised to outnumber natives, or “Belongers”.

Pray that believers might meet these newcomers with biblical love and share with them the gospel.

Poverty is an issue – 25% live below the poverty line, despite a growing economy.

Pray that God might open new opportunities for the economically disadvantaged and that any social and economic advancement would be for the betterment of the whole population.

28. Tuvalu:

Tuvalu faces an uncertain future. Very limited resources, possible rising sea levels and modern/global external influences make this traditional culture fragile, both environmentally and socially.

Pray that wisdom would prevail in preserving Tuvalu as a nation and culture, and that the long-standing presence of the Church would play a major role in this.

Tuvalu was first evangelized by Cook Island missionaries and then the LMS. The Congregational Church (Tuvalu Christian Church) is effectively the established church, but decline has set in on the back of nominalism. Newer works such as the more dynamic AoG see significant progress.

Pray for renewal and biblical faith for all who identify themselves as Christians.

29.-30. Uganda:

The Church has seen both wonderful breakthroughs and immense obstacles:

a)Unity. There are numerous divisions in the Church, and the proliferation of independent and single-congregation denominations makes true unity a massive challenge.

Pray for reconciliation and fellowship among Protestant and Catholic, charismatic and non-charismatic, denominational and independent.

b) Superficial Christianity. The majority of Ugandans identify themselves as Christian, but materialistic attitudes, polygamous practices and non-biblical worldviews – all affecting lifestyle – are common. For many, being “Christian” simply means not being Muslim.

Pray for renewal that would turn nominal Christians into disciples.

c) Syncretistic practices and false teachings are multiplying even as the Church grows. The lack of biblical and Christian literature in local languages plays a part in this. The prosperity gospel is spreading rapidly. Many of the fastest growing groups have the fewest ordained pastors, the lowest training standards and the fewest accountability structures. The National Fellowship of Born Again Churches plays a crucial role in this area. The Africa Centre for Apologetics Research works to address the challenge of syncretism and cults.

Pray that the Holy Spirit might lead Christians into all truth and that all falsehood might be cast aside.

d) Training leaders for the Church. Solid biblical formation for pastors is a key issue – training that is affordable, relevant and empowering. There are numerous Pentecostal Bible schools and a Baptist Seminary. YWAM provides short-term training, and Uganda Christian University serves strategically to educate professionals using a Christian worldview.

Pray for the preparation of spiritual, godly leaders.

We know that the Lord is faithful to hear the cries of the intercessor for the nations. Let us continue to believe for a move of God across the nations of the earth in the coming months. Jesus Christ is Lord!

Blessings,
Lane

Sources:
Mission Info Bank. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2011 Global Mapping International. All Rights Reserved

Use and reproduction subject to User Agreement.

© Operation World 2001
With thanks to Dawn Ministries and Operation World
Hosted by 24-7Prayer.com, Edited by Eloise Armstrong
This information is only about 20% of what is available in the ‘Operation World’ book and CD-ROM.
To find out more click here, to buy the book click here.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

2011 Atlanta Prayer Conference: A Call to Prayer

October 3, 2011

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Youth Camp 2011 done and one for Children approaching

August 16, 2011
Dear Friend,
 
The World Missions budget of Word Ministries is created from your financial gifts. We prayerfully and financially support the Gospel in several countries, including our own nation. When you give to Word Ministries you are investing into the world’s harvest fields, participating in the Great Commission given in Matthew 28. 
 
Included in this message is a report and prayer request from our friends in ministry, Rufus and Dee Whynot who live in Romania. You can read more about them and their ministry, Yielded Vessels, at http://faf.ro/
 

Germaine Copeland

President of Word Ministries :

Equipping the Body of Christ to be effective Intercessors and fruitful workers in the Vineyard. 

 

The Report and Prayer Request:

 Greetings from a warm Transylvania; though was not that warm last week, 
Atti/Corina and Dorin/Carrie took 16 youth to the wide outdoors – only 45 minutes from Alba Iulia – all last week. Tenting by a slow-moving stream in the bottom of the valley.  No distractions from civilization.
Though it rained some every day they had a great time.  Here is a quote from Carrie: “One of the greatest youth camps yet!!! Rained about everyday, but did not ruin or stop anything. God is good and we are blessed.   Next stop- kids camp.”  Photo shows that the cooler weather does not stop people from enjoying themselves.  A couple youth were relatively new to our
group ; but, it took only a few hours for them to ‘fit in’ and realize that God was there with them.
 Please agree with us for warm weather and little to NO rain 18-20 August.
45 children will go with our leaders for three days away with good food,
games, and a wonderful time in the presence of the Lord. Most of the Roma children never experience anything like this, except when we are able to take them to camp. We thank God for the opportunity to be blessings to so many children and youth.

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Prayer Assignments for August 1-15

August 3, 2011

PRAYER ASSIGNMENTS FOR AUGUST 1-15, 2011

In the closing days of summer and vacations we here at Word Ministries take time to say thank you for being willing to spend a few moments each day alone or with your prayer group covering the nations in prayer. We believe part of our mission and vision is to see the whole earth filled with the Glory of the Lord.

We pray that the Lord of the Harvest will continue to send forth laborers into the darkest parts of our world and that the light of Jesus Christ will penetrate the hearts of men, women and children.

1-2 Kenya

Kenya’s long-term stability cannot be taken for granted. Droughts in the north caused the deaths of 80% of the livestock, and the decrease of pasturelands causes violent clashes among various ethnic groups claiming the resources. Fragile ecosystems, overdue land reform, widening gaps between rich and poor, increasingly scarce water, rapidly expanding urban slums and burgeoning populations of street children/AIDS orphans all point to future tensions. Many of these issues were components of the ethnic violence and political crisis of 2007-08.

Pray for peace, for wise governance and for practical solutions that can be implemented effectively.

Islam is an increasing challenge. The coast and the NW have been Muslim for
centuries. Islam is still a relatively small minority, but it is growing in size and ambition.
Muslims seek to Islamize the regions where they are prevalent, to implement shari’a law, to increase their presence in civil services and the government and to convert non-Muslims through financial inducements. Christian-Muslim tension is at an unprecedented level, and violent outbreaks are increasingly common. Although there are many converts from Islam to Christianity, they are subject to harassment, persecution and violence.

Pray for peace between the communities, for those ministering to Muslims and for truth-seekers to find the Messiah.

 

1-2 Kiribati

The once-strong Congregational Church (Kiribati Protestant) is in slow decline and losing members to other groups. The theological college in Tarawa is not evangelical. Nominalism and syncretism with traditional spiritist practices are all too common.

Pray for a return to the Bible.

The needy that require prayer:

a) I-Kiribati migrate for work on Nauru and as seafarers on foreign ships. Their remittances are a key part of the economy, but many return home with AIDS or drug problems.

b) Young people. Overpopulation and unemployment combined with increasing alcohol abuse create a difficult environment in which to grow up.

Pray for a revival among young people, for wholesome lives with godly purpose.

c) The entire nation faces eradication if sea levels rise.

Pray that this possible impending disaster would remind residents that our eternal home is in heaven and that they would live with this in mind.

3-4 North Korea:

The “Hermit Kingdom” is a repressive nightmare, where the populace are kept ignorant of the outside world and forcibly indoctrinated into the bizarre doctrines and policies of the “Dear Leader”. He has made 70 bronze statues (total value over $1 billion) – and literally tens of thousands of other monuments, towers and figures – of his father Kim Il-Sung, the Father in the twisted Cheondogyo trinity of Father, Son and Juche spirit. The nuclear threat of this rogue nation is only surpassed by the nation’s great suffering and deprivation.

Pray for the leader and his cadre that the Holy Spirit might bring them to repentance and belief.

Food shortages are often severe. With only 15% arable land, low yield from medieval
agricultural practices and regular floods caused by massive deforestation, more than three million have starved since 1994.

Pray for:
a) Starving North Koreans, forced to desperate measures to feed their families. This may
include theft, foraging for edible grass and plants, hazarding the dangerous passage to China or even black market cannibalistic activity.

Pray that, in some form, food might arrive to sustain their lives without their resorting to crime or sin.

b) Aid agencies, many of them Christian, have been able to offer food but never with permission to share the gospel.

Pray that this food might get to the population – much is diverted to Mr. Kim’s inner circle and the military.

Pray for wisdom on the part of foreign governments and NGOs in handling this tragic and delicate situation.

North Korea’s economy and environment are in states of disaster, the former propped up only by illicit money-spinner ventures outside the country and by Chinese and South Korean generosity, which ebbs and flows with ever-shifting North Korean politics. Yet the cost of continually propping up North Korea will eventually tally up to more than the cost of rebuilding a crumbling nation after a regime change.

Pray for a watershed moment in God’s timing that will bring thorough change, freedom and complete transformation to this land.

5-6 South Korea:

Society and culture in Korea saw great change in the last generation.

Pray for the following issues:

a) Economic growth has been remarkable in the last 50 years. But the global success of some Korean brands has exposed corruption in politics and industry. The economy is highly dependent on exports, and inequity between rich and poor is accelerating.

Pray for wisdom for leaders and justice for those most vulnerable.

b) Moral foundations appear to be eroding. This traditionally conservative society must face increasing materialism, a growing generation gap, greatly increased suicide rates, Internet addiction and, as with most developed nations, a rapidly rising sex industry, a vanity-driven cosmetic surgery industry and decreased sensitivity to violence in the media.

c) Traditional religious faiths increasingly co-exist with Christianity and modern-day
agnosticism. A spectrum of Buddhism, Confucianism, Korean shamanism and New
Religions (usually a blend of Christianity, Buddhism and Eastern mysticism) accounts for
most of the population, although the majority do not faithfully practice. In recent years,
however, there has been an awakening of religious sentiment among non-Protestant faiths, which has happened to coincide with a relative decline in Protestant growth.

The looming spectre of North Korea must not be ignored. With Seoul only 30 miles
from the demilitarized zone, any conflict would immediately affect millions. More likely
than an invasion is the collapse of North Korea’s state structure, bringing with it massive
humanitarian needs and a huge challenge to the South. Mission to the North is almost impossible, but many in the South prepare and pray for reunification and for the opportunity to share the gospel. OMS/KEHC is pursuing ministry among North Korean refugees as a first step. Other initiatives include the Open Doors prayer campaign, CCK’s SaveNorth Korea campaign and initiatives by OMF, the Methodists and others.

Pray that political and Christian leaders may be ready for such an occasion and make wise decisions for the healing of all Korea.

7. Kuwait:

Kuwait’s material wealth has answered few problems. The government is divided between modernists and traditionalists. Islamist activity is increasing. Young people are frustrated and very bored. Materialism still holds powerful sway, since many have no greater vision about how to use their wealth for good.

Pray that Kuwaiti leaders and people might embrace the Savior.

Part of Kuwait’s tolerance for other faiths is based on the
reality that foreigners comprise most of the workforce. Few expatriates are permanent
residents – most are men on short-term work contracts who must leave their families back home. Poor and unfair treatment of these laborers is all too common; this, combined with loneliness, opens many to sensitive Christian witness.

Pray For The Following Expatriate Ethnic Minority Groups:

a) Arab groups. Palestinians were the largest group in the past, but Palestine’s support for Iraq in the Gulf War resulted in discrimination against Palestinians and expulsion of many. Egyptians make up for the decrease in Palestinian numbers, as do Lebanese, Iraqis and many other Arab groups. There are many nominal Christians among them all – and many opportunities to minister the love of Christ.

b) The Bidoon (literally “without”) are stateless Arabs originally from the Kuwait region, but now adrift in the Middle East. They are present in Kuwait in significant numbers. They have no known believers and almost no ministry to them.

c) Asians. South Asians and Filipinos predominate, but there are also many Indonesians, Chinese and Koreans. They are largely contract laborers or domestic servants. A large number of Kuwaiti families leave much of the child raising to the maids and nannies who are often committed believers. Increasing numbers live and work in difficult circumstances, since they are considered beneath Arabs and there are no official channels handling the mistreatment and abuse that regularly occurs. Fortunately, the situation is beginning to improve through changes to the law. Precisely because of their humble occupations, many of these Asians have amazing access to the homes and lives of Kuwaitis.

Pray for God to encourage the many believers and, through them, break into the lives of those from other faiths.

8. Kyrgyzstan:

The government needs courage, resources and even miracles to right the economy and society in general. The regimes subsequent to Communism have thus far only brought about greater corruption, crime and poverty; frequent demonstrations point to widespread disillusionment, and the 2010 protests and coup were a most poignant illustration of this. The swiftness and intensity with which such fierce violence broke out points to deeper-lying ethnic, political and communal tensions in the country. Hope and optimism for the future are scant, even though some positive foundations have been laid.

Pray for a just and righteous government that will oversee the genuine transformation of the Kyrgyz nation.

 

The less evangelized who need prayer:

a) The rural and semi-nomadic pastoralist Kyrgyz who usually live in more remote villages. Few have heard of Christ, and the majority of the nation’s unreached live in rural areas.

b) The Fergana Valley in the south is shared with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The Tajik and large Uzbek minorities (770,000 combined) are mostly unreached. This is where Islamic insurgents flow in across the borders and where Islam is more strident. The few successful church plants here are meeting significant opposition.

c) The Dungan are descendants of Chinese Muslim refugees who speak Chinese but use a Cyrillic alphabet. In 2000, a significant multi-agency effort to reach them began.

d) The many smaller ethnicities blanketing the country who have little to no specific outreach: Tatars, Chinese, Uyghur, Jews and many others.

9. Laos:

Much of Laos remains unevangelized. The remarkable growth of the church is still
dwarfed by the size of the task remaining. Most peoples remain unreached, and the gospel has not easily crossed ethnic barriers. Buddhism and tribal religions are often blended together and prevail throughout; compare 5,000 temples to the 250 church buildings.

Pray for the gospel light to shine throughout Laos and to draw many to Christ.

The suffering Church has recognized that persecution is one factor in its growth –
persecution keeps them praying and relying on God. The situation has improved very
slightly; but at the local and village levels, Christians still find themselves to be targets. Persistent social pressure and the prevention of building new church buildings are two primary opposition strategies. Persecution takes personal forms as well, with strong spiritual opposition compounding family and social pressures to continue practicing traditions.

Pray for:

a) Perseverance and grace for those who must endure, especially those singled out by persecutors. Property has been seized, and ministers arrested and even killed.

b) Increased openness to evangelism, church planting and building – not illegal, yet still
obstructed by the government. Much growth, by necessity, takes place “underground” in
house groups, since the more formal congregations are watched and must be cautious.
Pray for continued boldness to share the gospel.

c) Discipleship, teaching and biblical literacy for all who respond to Christ.

Pray that believers will grow strong in faith and not fall away.

Pray also that they become salt and light in their own society, and in a way that is truly Lao.

10. Latvia:

The general social climate has changed since independence. The Soviet departure left a moral vacuum, which many negative influences rushed to fill. EU money has also brought EU-style social problems. Alcohol, drugs, a rapidly growing sex trade, high abortion rates, the world’s fourth highest suicide rate and notable corruption in government all indicate that something is not right. Despite economic growth there is a prevalent attitude of spiritual apathy, even of hopelessness.

Pray for society to awaken to this challenge and to build a nation characterized by hope and righteousness.

Unprecedented unity in the churches was caused in part by challenges to biblical
morality in society. The aggressive lobbying by homosexual and anti-family agendas in
particular elicited joint statements and coordinated activism by the churches. But more
important are the prayer and worship summits attended by the leaders of almost every
denomination and confession – these meetings are the foundation for revival in Latvia.
Pray that this unity might reverse the moral tide in Latvia, and that the laity might emulate their leaders to worship and work together for the Kingdom.

Ministry to young people is strategic – this includes campus, youth and children’s
ministries as well as summer camps. IFES and Agape (CCCI) are having an impact on
Latvian and, increasingly, international students. CEF is reaching up to 40,000 primary students every week through religious instruction in school. SU, YWAM, Latvian Christian Mission and others hold summer camps/events and minister to youth from Latvia and indeed all Eastern Europe.

Pray for more workers with the vision to reach young people.

Pray that this generation might be reached before they lapse into the irreligion or atheism of their forebears.

11. Lebanon:

Lebanon’s tragic history over the last 70 years, with communal wars, foreign interventions and hostage-taking. With adequate political stability, Lebanon has demonstrated great resilience and potential to rebuild.

Pray specifically for:

a) The government and its leaders. There is a lot of disillusionment with the traditional political elite.

Pray for a government that rules for the common good, balancing traditional
values and demographic realities.

b) Full political freedom to be gained and religious freedom protected. Lebanon, for all its troubles, remains unique in the Middle East for its freedom.

c) The healing of deep hurts in communities, families and individuals. Over 80% of the
population were displaced at one time or another during the wars. All have lost loved ones; many lost homes and jobs.

d) A spirit of forgiveness. All have suffered and there are countless opportunities for bitterness and hatred.

e) The rebuilding of the South after multiple wars and occupations. Many unexploded
munitions from 2006 make rebuilding dangerous.

Pray that the Holy Spirit might do His work of reconciliation.

12. Lesotho:

Lesotho faces a tough future. The nation is both protected and imprisoned by its isolated geographical location. Dwindling agricultural returns, an underdeveloped economy, widespread HIV/AIDS, urbanization, family breakdown, endemic poverty and unemployment for much of the population, and limited access to water all combine to place great burdens upon both the people and the government of Lesotho.

Pray for wisdom in leadership and for new, creative and sustainable ways to improve the quality of life of the population.

AIDS is the greatest challenge facing Lesotho. It has devastated the population with an
HIV infection rate of 23.2% (now stabilizing, but among the world’s highest), already
leaving 100,000 orphans. The 20-40 age group, so vital to the economy, is also the most afflicted. A host of agencies, missions and church ministries are answering this challenge in many ways (education, prevention, care). But the risk of reductionism is present as spiritual ministry to needy souls is at times taken over by the overarching specter of HIV.
Pray for a balanced ministry approach that brings life to the whole person.
The Basotho were Christianized generations ago, but most were never fully converted.
The social pressure against becoming bapholosoa, or born again, is wielded by traditional
religious forces, mainline churches and family members alike. All the factors have reduced the mainstream church to maintaining the religious status quo with marginal redemptive impact on society.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to sweep out impurities from the churches and bring new life.There are two issues of particular importance:

a) Traditionalism and nominalism are common in the Catholic Church and in the Lesotho Evangelical Church. The latter is the fruit of the great pioneering work by French missionaries of the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society.

b) Many AIC churches compromise with African traditional religious practices and beliefs. Sometimes this is due to a lack of biblical teaching; sometimes it is a deliberate syncretization. Practices like balimo (ancestor worship), curses and charms, and the Sephiri (a secret society involving African traditional magic rites) are all an affront to the holiness of God and the purity of the gospel.

13-14 Liberia:

Ministry to young people and children is possibly the most strategic issue in Liberia. Nearly half of the nation is under 15 years old. This whole generation has been deeply traumatized and robbed of its family life, its chance for normality, its very innocence. Over 50,000 children were killed in the fighting.

Pray for churches and agencies seeking to minister in this difficult context. The restoration of normative family life is a crucial challenge for prayer.

Cry out to God for:

a) Former child soldiers. The 15,000 who survived have little chance of a normal life. Memories of the atrocities they witnessed, endured and committed haunt them. Over 30% have already attempted suicide at least once. As terrible as their past experiences were, the prejudice and stigma they face in post-war Liberia is nearly as bad.

b) Thousands of fatherless children of West African peacekeeping forces. Thousands more children were fathered by rebels or soldiers; they will grow up never knowing their fathers. Most of these are children of rape. They face a stigma that will be hard to overcome, while usually living in abject poverty.

c) Victims of sexual abuse. During the war, thousands of girls were taken by military troops or rebels to serve as maids, porters and, ultimately, as sexual slaves. Even in the post-war era, girls are being sexually used by peacekeepers, aid workers, teachers and others in positions of power.

Pray that the initiatives taken by the government and NGOs to stop and to prevent
such abuses would be effective.

d) Students. Not a single Liberian child was spared from the disruption and destruction war visited upon the education system. Following years of civil unrest, a strong ministry has been reintroduced among university students, who are living out the gospel among their friends. The Liberia Fellowship of Evangelical Students (LIFES) has 4 groups with 250 students.

Pray for the ministry of SU, YFC, YWAM and the churches to children and young people.

15. Libya:

Libya’s long isolation is ending. Sanctions have ended, foreign investment and trade are increasing and the government is becoming more moderate. Libyan nationals have distinguished themselves as gracious and friendly;

Pray that they might be open to the gospel as it is shared sensitively.

Pray also for Libya’s future; its ruler will not live forever, and whoever succeeds him could shape the nation profoundly.

Large numbers of migrants pass into Libya, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa,
looking for economic opportunities. Some find work in Libya, most are trying to get
into Europe. Migration drains Libya’s coffers and human resources and often ends in
disillusionment or even tragedy for those braving the deserts and seas to find a new life. A significant portion are believers.

Pray that these tens or even hundreds of thousands would find salvation and not just earthly treasures.

Pray that they might have a powerful spiritual impact on Libyans and fellow migrants.

Libyan believers are increasing in numbers and faith and enjoy surprising freedom
as a Christian community, but they still face many obstacles to fellowship, including fear
of infiltrators. Libyans remain off-limits for evangelism, and approaches to them are risky for all involved. Continued state surveillance and family/social pressures are strong disincentives.

Pray for greater religious freedom so that more might hear the gospel and be able to follow Jesus openly.

Pray also for Libyan believers to stand firm in their faith and to find spiritually edifying relationships – including suitable marriage partners in a society where marriage is typically arranged with extended family.

May you know the joy of seeing the Lord answer your personal prayers as you sacrificially spend time in prayer for the nations of the earth. May your life be blessed this month!

Blessings,

Lane

Sources:

Mission Info Bank. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2011 Global Mapping International. All Rights Reserved

Use and reproduction subject to User Agreement.

© Operation World 2001

With thanks to Dawn Ministries and Operation World

Hosted by 24-7Prayer.com, Edited by Eloise Armstrong

This information is only about 20% of what is available in the ‘Operation World’ book and CD-ROM.

To find out more click here, to buy the book click here.

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Prayer Assignments for July

July 6, 2011

PRAYER ASSIGNMENTS for July 19-31, 2011

The Word of God is true and we pray based on its promise that:

“…If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land…” II Chron. 7:14 (Amp.)

5-13 Indonesia:

Indonesia’s vast diversity is both its strength and its peril. With 17,500 islands strewn across nearly 10 million sq km of ocean, 33 provinces, 722 languages, even more ethnic groups, myriad religious expressions and deeply divided political agendas, holding this nation together is a monumental task.

Pray for political strength for the maturing democracy to stay balanced between national unity and regional identity.

Pray also for the government to act with righteousness in honoring all peoples and communities; Indonesia’s history, especially recently, is characterized by discrimination, exploitation and favoritism.

The fledgling democratic government faces a daunting task. Its first years were
marked by powerlessness in the face of extremist demands from strident Islamists and
manipulation by the powerful former regime and military. Positive signs see moderation and democracy taking root and displacing the old culture of extremism, corruption, cronyism and nepotism. There is a long way to go, however, to see political, economic and social renewal.

Pray that the president, vice-president and the People’s Consultative Assembly may be courageous, decisive and fair in bringing betterment to the whole nation.

A spiritual conflict rages for Indonesia. Ancient and strong occult powers seek to
oppose the influence of the gospel, while modern Muslim stratagems seek to eliminate
Christianity and remove the presence of the good news.

Pray specifically for the binding of these powers and for continued growth of the Church in the midst of intense opposition and growing persecution.

The creeping Islamization of Indonesia is eroding religious freedom and the long prevailing communal tolerance. Islam itself is remarkably varied – the santri puritanical
Islam; the abangan, a more Sufist interpretation heavily influenced by pre-Islamic Javanese mysticism; the Islam of modern secular-moderate Muslims. However, it is generally the more conservative, aggressive, fundamentalist groups that continue to grow in power, partly by intimidating other Muslims into acquiescence.

There are many reasons to pray:

a) The Islamist vision of an Indonesia without Christians generates pressure and persecution, often yielding violence, destruction and atrocities. This is manifest through:

i. Domination by presence. Massive mosque-building programmes – paid for through
petrodollars – introduce a Muslim presence on every corner of the nation and are usually
associated with the more radical, aggressive splinters of Islamic practice. Transmigration
programmes deliberately relocate Muslims into traditionally non-Muslim areas. This is
ostensibly due to overpopulation, but demonstrably includes religious colonization.

ii Domination by eradication. The aim is the complete elimination of Christianity in the
country. An orchestrated Islamic jihad against Christians destroyed thousands of churches in the last decade, and some areas with large Christian populations (such as parts of Maluku) are subject to attacks. A Christian presence has been eradicated from whole towns and regions, with great loss of life and property.

Pray that these plans might be frustrated and come to ruin, that what some intend for evil
God may turn out for good.

Pray for their own religious hatred and violence to discredit Muslim extremism and cause many persecutors to become believers.

b) The more than 45 million abangan Muslims and even greater numbers of moderate and nominal Muslims are often victims of extremist intimidation. Tens of thousands of abangan (still influenced by pre-Islamic animism and Hinduism) have been killed over the years by Malay- and Arab-influenced santri.

Pray for many Muslims to grow disillusioned with the violence and oppression – so that they may seek a true relationship with God through Christ.

c) The secular government and national leaders require great courage to actually oppose the excesses of the Islamist agenda.

Pray that they would intervene to stop religious violence when it occurs; pray that they would be strong enough to withstand and even to limit the influence extremists exert over the country.

d) The courts, legal systems and constitution still guarantee religious freedom and offer the foundation for a stable, diverse society. Shari’a-inspired laws are being passed in more and more communities and even in entire provinces. This imposition of such religious apartheid spells disaster for non-Muslims.

e) The Christian response to Islamic aggression is as crucial as the aggression itself.
Pray for Christians to respond with tact and love, but also firmness, and in all ways to commend the gospel.

Pray that fear of witnessing might be replaced by courage to share about Jesus.
Pray also for heartfelt repentance among all Christians for the ways they have damaged their witness by attitudes and actions of enmity and reprisals toward Muslims.

14-16 Iran:

The many promises of the Islamic Revolution, made over 30 years ago, have yet to
materialize. The peace and prosperity that strict adherence to Islam was supposed to
deliver have never materialized. Instead, a legacy of bloodshed, cruelty, injustice, extremism and economic deprivation discredits the conservative religious leaders and the narrow brand of Islam they promote. Repression, corruption, injustice and human rights abuses are frequent; religious leadership controls the police, army and judicial system. Strong allegations of fraud in the 2009 elections sparked widespread and continued protests, an indication of the frustration felt by millions.

Pray that corruption and repression might end and a government that provides
true justice and safety for all be established.

Evangelical churches before the revolution were generally small and struggling, and they contained very few Muslim-background believers. The traumatic changes and suffering that followed the revolution gave churches a brief period of renewal, outreach, literature distribution and many conversions. Barriers among denominations broke down. The hostility of the regime toward evangelicals caused much greater interest in Christianity among Persians – Presbyterians and Assemblies of God, especially, grew as a result. Intimidation, infiltration and martyrdom of several church leaders, and pressure from the government to not welcome Muslims into services, have caused many churches to adopt house church models. Most churches that meet publicly now tow the government line and do not overtly evangelize Muslims.

Pray for:

a) Adequate income for Christians who face poverty both from general economic decline and from religious discrimination in the workplace. Emigration is a solution for pressured Christians, but their vital witness in needy Iran is then lost. Pray that believers may break through this economic pressure and resist the temptation to leave.

b) Courage and fortitude such that their persecutors are won for Christ. While Armenians and Assyrians are discriminated against, Muslim-background believers are actively persecuted.

Pray also for greater freedom for churches to minister, as they long to do.

c) Protection and deliverance for all MBBs. The large majority meet secretly in small house groups. There is always a danger that such meetings could be discovered and those involved punished, especially the leaders. A decentralized cell structure and the use of techniques honed by the underground party-circuit help house groups avoid detection and arrest.

d) Churches outside of Tehran often face more intimidation as fundamentalist forces exercise more control in less-urban areas. Many towns and villages lack any churches at all. However, this is changing due to the increasing influence of the Internet and satellite TV as well as the enthusiasm of young Iranian Christians to evangelize their countrymen. House church movements are spreading throughout the country.

Young people are particularly responsive to the gospel. With nearly two-thirds of
the population under age 30, with disillusionment at an all-time high and with frustrated
desires for freedom, there is a unique window of opportunity to impact this generation with the liberating good news about Jesus. Political, economic and social frustrations are often expressed in resentment against the regime and in increasing hedonism and materialism.

Pray that the unmet longings of their hearts might be fulfilled as they meet Christ. Already, much of the underground church is made up of this younger generation.

17-18 Iraq:

Iraq’s future remains uncertain. Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship was removed, but a
host of problems still plagues the country.

Pray for:

a) The establishment of a national government that fairly balances the conflicting expectations of the various religious and ethnic communities, and provides an environment that promotes accountability to the people, economic growth and religious freedom. Without these, the future is bleak. Anarchy, civil war, fragmentation of the country and further suffering for the people – especially Christians – could follow.

Pray therefore for anointed national leaders who can act with wisdom, courage and integrity.

b) Healing after decades of suffering. Nearly every person bears some scars of traumatic
experiences – from Hussein’s cruelty, from the US-led invasions or from the sectarian
violence that has followed. Only the gospel can provide a full solution;

Pray that this maybe freely proclaimed.

c) The elimination of corruption. Iraq is ranked as one of the world’s most corrupt nations. This has significantly held back the nation from repairing damage and achieving development.

d) The suffering the Iraqi people have endured. The number of lives lost as a result of
invasions, insurgencies and deprivation may be as high as 600,000, with nearly two million people displaced. More than half of the population lives in poverty.

i. Women suffer forced marriage, abduction, honor killing, violence and rape, used as a
threat and weapon against them. They have almost no recourse to legal protection, and the religious establishment does little or nothing to protect them.

ii. Children live in a context of instability and uncertainty. Many do not attend school, less than half have access to safe drinking water and some even face malnourishment. Hundreds of thousands face life as refugees in neighboring, and often unwelcoming, countries.

19 Ireland:

Transformation has rapidly overtaken Ireland, led by the economic boost of EU
membership, heavy foreign investment in a well-educated, English-speaking workforce,
and increased contact with Europe and the world. But this new affluence has benefitted only some, and many were left downcast from the effects of the recession. This shift has also radically affected immigration/demographics, spirituality and culture.

Pray that amid the change, the nation’s leadership might also focus on protecting the vulnerable, providing for the needy and building a lasting infrastructure and legacy that will be a blessing to all.

Ireland’s ancient Celtic Church strongly shaped society 1,500 years ago through its
dynamic and holistic spirituality. Then followed centuries of suffering, oppression, violence and bloodshed at the hands of the Vikings and the British. Sadly, the long conflict has, in the eyes of the world, been portrayed as religious in origin.

Pray that:

a) Irish society might be made whole. Progress is made on this front with violence reduced and formerly opposing parties now cooperating on certain issues. The political future of Northern Ireland remains a sensitive issue, but healing, reconciliation and forgiveness can occur nevertheless.

b) All Christians might work toward shared Kingdom-goals. Encouraging signs are apparent; the bipolar nature of Irish Christianity (Catholic versus Protestant) is an increasingly outdated understanding of Irish spirituality, as outside groups arrive and post-denominational churches arise.


20-21 Israel:

The return of Jews to Israel was a watershed period in Jewish history; it is finally likely
that Israel is the nation with the world’s largest population of Jews. Many see this as a
fulfilment of prophecy (Ezekiel 20:32-34, 36:16-24). The majority returned to their ancient land in unbelief, but a movement to Messiah Jesus is occurring mostly among returnees from Eastern Europe, Russia and Ethiopia.

Pray for the nation’s spiritual restoration (Romans 11:25-31). There is currently an increased intensity in Israel’s spiritual life. Many thousands of Jews are turning to God, fervently praying and turning to Scripture.

Israeli-Arab conflict in the Holy Land moved to a new level over a century ago,
intensifying since 1948. Resolution is elusive due to competing claims and agendas. Both
sides lay claim to the land, and all human efforts to resolve this conflict have failed. Pray that both sides will find true reconciliation and genuine Shalom through Jesus the Messiah.

a) The threat of violence and war from outside persists. Between the 2005 withdrawal of settlers and soldiers from Gaza and the controversial 2009 invasion, over 3,500 rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza. Hezbollah’s growing strength, Al Qaeda’s threats and Iran’s increasingly strident rhetoric all point to potential trouble on the horizon.

b) The as-yet-unfinished security barrier is planned to effectively separate Palestinian and Jewish areas, making movement and access very difficult and exacerbating tensions.
Pray that it would not unduly restrict free movement of Palestinian citizens of Israel. Pray that Jesus, who destroyed the wall of separation of hostility between God and man, might also bring reconciliation between Israeli Jew and Palestinian Arab.

Followers of Jesus in Israel are likewise a mix of Messianic Jews, foreign believers and
Arab-Israeli Christians. All three groups have grown recently – especially Messianic and
expatriate believers – the result of both immigration and conversion. There are over 120 Hebrewspeaking gatherings. Russian-speaking congregations are the next-largest number (as many as 50), followed by eight Amharic-speaking (Ethiopian) congregations and a smattering of fellowships in various European languages. Israeli-born Messianic Jews are around 1,000.

Pray for:

a) Boldness in witness and perseverance of faith despite difficulties and opposition. The Haredi regard evangelicals as subversive and a threat to Judaism, and therefore malign and occasionally harass them. Tolerance of Christians and Messianic Jews is high, but proselytism is increasingly opposed, especially by the ultra-Orthodox.

b) Full legal rights of immigration and social acceptance in the face of national, social and family pressures. Israeli law states that national identity and religious identity of Jews are one; secular Jews can become citizens, but Christian Jews cannot.

c) Clarity of teaching and understanding about their Jewishness – there needs to be a cultural identity without compromising New Testament truth. There are now Bible training colleges in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Nazareth for the formation of capable leaders.

d) Arab evangelicals are more numerous in Protestant and Independent denominations – but total fewer than 4,000. Of these, only a few dozen are Muslim-background believers. Thenumber of those coming to faith is growing at an encouraging rate, but they emigrate to the West just as rapidly.

22-23 Italy:

This great and gifted nation has contributed much to the world – legal systems(Roman law), language (Latin), culture (Renaissance, art, music) and innovation (fashion,cars). Christianity flourished here, but soon became a formalized state religion. Italy was virtually untouched by the Protestant Reformation and has never seen widespread biblical revival. The majority of Italians remain culturally Catholic but increasingly cynical about the Church.

Pray for the removal of the multiple barriers that limit understanding of the gospel.
Protestantism has an 800-year history in Italy. The world’s oldest Protestant
denomination, the Waldensian Church, developed in northwest Italy, but for centuries was subjected to terrible persecution. Italian Catholic bishops officially apologized for this in 1997. The Waldensian Church – now part of a federation with, among others, Methodists and the mainline Baptist Union – is openly dominated by liberal theology. The broader Protestant witness is weak and divided, polarized and fragmented. Traditional Pentecostalism is strong, particularly in the south. The fast-growing and diverse charismatic churches are increasingly numerous, dynamic and holistic in their outreach. The relationship between Pentecostals/charismatic’s and conservatives, deeply opposed in the past, shows small and encouraging signs of progress. Strategic
church planting is rare; bitter splits are still more common. Many congregations are small, insular and resistant to change and to mission. Larger congregations at times battle with superficiality, the need for discipleship and the challenge of nominalism among second- and third-generation believers.
Pray for revival that breaks down barriers of individualism, mistrust and doctrinal
extremes, and leads to fellowship and cooperative outreach.
Signs of hope for the Church. Many challenges and difficulties remain, and progress
is invariably painfully slow.
Some encouraging glimmers of hope, however, need to be earnestly prayed for:
a) Cooperation among churches. Division and polarization have been the legacies of
Protestantism, but things are beginning to change. Several different church networks are
beginning to foster trust, respect and even collaboration across the denominational divide.
The Evangelical Alliance works to this end, as do various network initiatives.
b) Evangelism and outreach. Relational evangelism is an effective approach, as are the cell groups and house churches that often result. These and other new expressions of fellowship are increasingly popular. Also, groups such as Christ Is the Answer, Italy for Christ, the Brethren and some Pentecostals continue with larger-scale, event-based evangelism.
Christian TV has an impact, but largely by promoting prosperity teachings.
c) Missions vision is still in its infancy. The churches in Italy are supporting holistic projects (Compassion, AMEN, <iMissione Evangelica contro la Lebbra, Missione Possibile, to name a few) and developing short-term sending (OM, NTM, WEC, YWAM, GLO). Few Italians, however, are involved in long-term career missions whether in Italy or beyond. Italian Ministries is committed to facilitate a vision for mission and has also developed a mission agency option for interested Italians. Denominational initiatives continue. International mission groups (among these: OM, YWAM, NTM) operate in Italy and seek to facilitate Italians’ involvement in mission. Encouraging developments among youth bring hope for the future; “9.37” is one such group.
d) Immigration of believers into Italy – particularly from Eastern Europe and Africa but also from Latin America and Philippines – infuses new vitality and openness into the churches, and it opens Italians’ eyes to the needs on their doorstep and abroad. It is now conceivable that the majority of evangelicals in Italy are no longer ethnic Italians.
Pray that this new reality might spur indigenous churches to greater faith, cooperation and good works.

24 Jamaica:

The country finds itself in the midst of moral and social collapse. Powerful South
American drug cartels, using Jamaica as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for the USA, wield great influence. This fuels violence, putting Jamaica fourth globally for murders per capita. Rape and domestic abuse are widespread. As part of an anti-corruption drive, the government has invited greater participation from churches.

Pray that government and church leaders may reject compromise.

Pray for courage, moral integrity and determination to turn the country back to God. The National Leadership Prayer Breakfast brings church leaders together with leaders in politics, business and the security forces to address and pray for these issues.

The less evangelized who need prayer:

a) The very poor have little exposure to the gospel except by radio. There is a large underclass, including the pseudo-orphaned “barrel children”, among whom mostly Catholic and Anglican ministries work. These gospel-neglected people have little by way of moral foundations; pray for the whole gospel to touch their lives and communities.

b) The Rastafarians began as a protest movement that mixed Christian beliefs with Black consciousness ideas and deified the Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selasse I. They are well known for their reggae music and use of ganja (marijuana), as well as for their non-violent “peace and love” philosophy. They have considerable influence in Jamaica and have spread to Europe and North America. In recent years, a few prominent Rastafarians have professed Christ as Saviour and become active evangelicals.

25-27 Japan:

Japan is a nation facing many crises and is a culture with no apparent direction.

Accompanying this drifting is its lack of hope or confidence in the future.
Pray for the
following issues, all profoundly felt by Japanese society:

a) A lack of a moral centre. Japan’s own leaders called it “a superpower without a moral
compass”. This is most notable among young people, who struggle with particular challenges such as social phobia or social anxiety (Hikikomori), a suicide epidemic (over 30,000/year), bullying and teenage prostitution. High rates of suicide in other age groups and divorce also reflect this challenge.

b) Political leadership is characterized more by factional dynamics with self-seeking parties than by nation builders. The legacy of WWII hangs over and holds back the government in many ways. A recent, rapid succession of prime ministers has relatively paralyzed urgently
needed reforms to address economic and birth rate issues.

c) Major economic transitions. The world’s third-largest economy, rocked by recessions in recent years, stands at a crossroads. The job-for-life salarymen are becoming outdated, and the younger generation is uninterested in the type of lifelong commitment that forged Japan into an economic giant. Lack of natural resources, increasingly competitive high-tech markets and demographic changes make for an uncertain economic future. The inability (or unwillingness) of many of the younger generation, even well-educated ones, to get full-time career jobs is another recent phenomenon.

d) The percentage of the aged in Japan’s population is rapidly increasing (faster than any other nation), with one of the world’s lowest birth rates and highest life expectancies. By 2055, half of Japanese will be pensioners – an unprecedented demographic situation and a monumental economic challenge. Caring for the elderly already accounts for the majority of the health budget.

e) Crime rates have significantly increased in recent years. Japan used to be one of the world’s safest places, but the recent influx of foreign criminal elements, the influence of the yakuza mafia, the rapid growth of random, meaningless violent crime and the unpreparedness of the state and police to counter these changes combine to cause many Japanese to feel stressed and no longer safe.

28-29 Jordan:

King Abdullah’s rule began with promise and hope. But war in Iraq and the resulting
turmoil have placed great pressure on the nation. Over a million immigrants fleeing from
the two wars in Iraq have intensified Jordan’s economic and political stresses. Half of them still remain. The tourist industry is a bright spot, but Islamist suicide bombings in 2005 demonstrated Jordan’s fragility. Rising tensions between moderate and Islamist sentiments portend further difficulties.

Pray for the peace of this land and for the king and government.

Christians are a community under pressure. Since Jordan’s independence, lower
birth rates and high emigration rates have contributed to the Church’s numerical decline.
Additionally, a huge influx of Muslim refugees and the rise of politicized Islam place increasing pressure on Christians, especially evangelicals. From 1980-2010, Jordan’s Christian population dropped from 6.5% to 2.2% of the population. Yet, Christians are found in all walks of life, including in Parliament, and often in positions of influence. Christianity needs to be seen as an important component of Jordanian society and history.
Pray that Christians may be salt and light in Jordanian society and find ways to witness to nominal Christians as well as non-Christians.

The unreached comprise the vast majority of Jordan’s population. Upheaval in
Iraq and the lethal violence of Islamism open many hearts to examine Isa al-Masih. Pray
that every Jordanian may have opportunity to hear the gospel.

Pray especially for:

a) The Muslim majority. Many have still not heard the clear gospel.

Pray for a sensitivewitness to Muslims. Several successful methods include literature, media ministry, friendship evangelism, development programmes, home meetings and camps.

Pray for the protection of converts amid persecution.

Pray also that the growing number of Muslim-background believers might have the legal right to convert from Islam.

b) The millions of Palestinians, who are a majority in Jordan. Many are the second or third generation after those removed from their traditional homeland. Some integrate into Jordanian life; others suffer from disillusionment, bitterness and frustration which only the Man of Calvary can heal.

c) Iraqi refugees. During and after the two Gulf Wars, around one million Iraqis fled to Jordan.Years later, nearly half of these are unable or unwilling to return home. Christian work among them (Jordan Evangelical Committee for Relief and Development, CMA, WVI, Tearfund) elicits a very good response. Equally, Jordanian churches have effective and widespread ministry to these people. Though the welcome that Jordan extended to these refugees is strained, Iraqi Christians nonetheless benefit from training and resources available to them in Jordan.

Pray that churches may be granted permission to provide education to refugees; this is a ministry on their hearts.

d) The 300,000 Bedouin. Many are still nomadic; others (fellahin) are settled and more easily reached. Believers are very few, but there is some ministry among them. Pray for more specific outreach to these, the “true” Arabs.

e) Dom Gypsies are a hidden, poor and marginalized people. Cousins of the European Romani Gypsies, the Dom Gypsies have a great need for holistic ministry and for Scripture (especially in audio format) in their language.

f) People of many nationalities present in Jordan. Saudi and Gulf Arabs visit for the summer. Many nationalities come to work. Adygei, Druze and Chechens form proud minorities.

Pray that they all may encounter the gospel while in Jordan.


30-31 Kazakhstan:

Economic boom times from the bounteous natural resources are starting to transform
Kazakhstan, as new buildings spring up and industries grow. While there are many public
works going on, a few privileged elite are becoming incredibly rich, while most are being
bypassed by this wealth, especially in rural areas. With new money comes increasing
corruption, materialism and a strong urban pull. Pray that Kazakhstan will have a government with the best interest of all its citizens in mind and that it will use the newfound wealth on works that benefit all. Pray that the failures of secular materialism might not be repeated in Kazakhstan as in the West.

The revival of Kazakh identity. The government’s deliberate policy on this issue sees
a notable increase in both the use of the Kazakh language and a renaissance of Kazakh
traditional culture. Despite having a very diverse population, social cohesion is quite good

Pray for continued stability.

Pray also that a healthy appreciation of cultural minorities might strengthen and not undermine the nation.

“To be a Kazakh is to be a Muslim” – but theirs is a folk Islam strongly influenced by
shamanistic practices. Other Muslim countries (Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan) invest huge amounts of money to send Muslim missionaries – some are effective even in converting Russians to Islam. The number of registered mosques grew from 46 in 1989 to 1,282 in 2002(quite apart from many unregistered ones). Traditional Islam is on the rise, even trendy in some sectors, despite the government actively opposing radical Islam. Orthodox Christianity is perceived as the religion of Russians, and evangelicals are often regarded as dangerous sects.

Pray for this misconception to be broken; pray for freedom from historic spiritual bondages and prejudices.

The Christian population in Kazakhstan is slowly shifting from an ethnic European
majority toward an Asian one. Korean churches have grown, as have most charismatic,
Pentecostal and some Baptist groups among Central Asian ethnicities. The challenges are
manifold:

a) Training is vital. There were a healthy number of Bible colleges and seminaries as well as discipleship schools; all have had to shut down due to changes in the law, and none have been allowed to re-register. TEE and distance learning have potential, if churches are willing to invest in the concept. Appropriate models of training that can be implemented on a wider level are essential as budding leaders need mentors and spiritual fathers.

Pray for programmes that develop informed, well-trained, godly leaders.

b) Culturally helpful forms of following Jesus communally. Spirit-led expressions of Kazakh, as well as multicultural, worship, prayer, discipleship and teaching are necessary for the Church to go to the next level. Only 26% of believers are men; clearly some cultural preconceptions need to be shifted.

c) Persecution is increasing. Harassment from authorities, from strident Muslims and from unbelieving family members makes life difficult, especially for converts outside the two main cities. Unconstitutional laws on registering churches are complicated by obstructionism for those who try to register and heavy fines for those who don’t.

d) The level of unity and partnership is encouraging. The Evangelical Alliance of Kazakhstan is at a growing stage but has great potential to draw the many groups together.

Pray that in the face of increasing opposition and growing theological diversity, believers may stay united.

Once again I want to thank you for joining us as we cover the earth with our prayers. May you know the peace and joy of the Lord as you continue to serve Him through your intercession.

Blessings,
Lane

Sources:
Mission Info Bank. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 Global Mapping International. All Rights Reserved

Use and reproduction subject to User Agreement.

© Operation World 2001
With thanks to Dawn Ministries and Operation World
Hosted by 24-7Prayer.com, Edited by Eloise Armstrong
This information is only about 20% of what is available in the ‘Operation World’ book and CD-ROM.
To find out more click here, to buy the book click here.

Blessings,
Lane

Sources:
Mission Info Bank. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2011 Global Mapping International. All Rights Reserved

Use and reproduction subject to User Agreement.

© Operation World 2001
With thanks to Dawn Ministries and Operation World
Hosted by 24-7Prayer.com, Edited by Eloise Armstrong
This information is only about 20% of what is available in the ‘Operation World’ book and CD-ROM.
To find out more click here, to buy the book click here.

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Prayer Assignments for June

June 1, 2011

JUNE-JULY 4th, 2011 — PRAYER ASSIGNMENTS

Summer begins in a few weeks and we will have more daylight and opportunities for time with family and recreation. Please remember those who don’t know the Creator.

Our list of nations is small but the different people groups that inhabit this part of the world is very large. They need to experience the love of God in their lives. Let us choose to be diligent in prayer and believe for a visitation to the nations of the Living God!

The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.

Psalm 113:4

2-3. Ghana:

Although statistically Ghana enjoys a strong Christian presence, reality presents a much more significant challenge. The GEC conference in 1989 not only set ambitious evangelistic goals, but it also offered great insight into the real evangelistic status of Ghana.

Pray for a Christian vision for the nation.

These are continuing prayer challenges:

a) The 1.7 million who call themselves Christian but have no link to a church.

b) The millions of Christians who may attend church but whose worldview and values more reflect traditional animist beliefs than biblical truth.

c) Church planting throughout the nation, but especially in the north. There is significant
impetus through the GEC and National Church Survey of 2007–08. Thousands of villages in Ghana remain unchurched. A third NCS is due out in 2010.

Mature Christian leaders remain at a premium. As churches multiply, biblical faith
is challenged and doctrines become confused. Compared with some other countries,
however, Ghana is blessed by the number of training institutions. Among the many schools are Christian Service University College in Kumasi started by WEC, Maranatha University College (SIM), Ghana Christian University College and Good News Theological College & Seminary. There are over 30 other accredited denominational and interdenominational Bible schools as well as a range of TEE and lay training programmes run by different denominations and agencies, including a growing number in the AICs.

Pray for the instructors and students at these educational institutions.

4-5. Gibraltar:

Gibraltar is well placed for outreach – there are many tourists (especially Spaniards coming for duty-free goods), several thousand Moroccan guest workers as well as a Jewish and a Hindu community. The lack of churches for both southern Spain and North Africa makes Gibraltar a key position for regional outreach.

Pray that local congregations would gain a passion for outreach.

Muslims working in or visiting Gibraltar are very open to receive Christian material
and to hear about Jesus.

Pray that this opportunity might be utilized sensitively but decisively.

Pray for effective methods of reaching them and for more workers for this rare opportunity.

4-5. Greece:

Ethnic Greek evangelicals are few.

Please pray for:

a) Courage to witness in a society where the extreme majority claim to be Christian yet do not have a living faith and relationship with Jesus. Greek society is not just secular and post-Christian, but is subject to a faith that is syncretistic – the amalgamation of Christianity, inherited superstition, atheism, paganism and such.

b) Wisdom in outreach and witness. Greek Protestants acknowledge that proselytism is
unnecessary, but that evangelism is. Greeks are more likely to experience new life in Christ through a revitalization of the Orthodox Church than through Protestants drawing Greeks away from their Orthodox background. Pray for ways that allow evangelicals to urgently communicate the need for salvation while respecting the great legacy and heritage of Orthodoxy.

c) Unity in the Spirit. Unfortunately, divisions still exist even among the various Protestant denominations; division can compromise the message they preach. The Pan-Hellenic Evangelical Alliance works as a mouthpiece for all evangelicals and challenges illegal discrimination.

Pray for all believing churches to join together and for the Evangelical Alliance to represent them with wisdom and clarity.

4-5. Greenland:

The culture of Greenland, so finely tuned to the inhospitable environment, is devastated by modernity. The dire results are widespread immorality and sexual abuse, alcoholism, mental illness and suicide. Deep emotional and spiritual healing are necessary for many to move beyond their pain and hurt. Thankfully, some indigenous believers, missionaries and short-term workers minister in counseling, healing and deliverance and see wonderful fruit as increasing numbers are transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit. Many of those working in Greenland, including many indigenous people, are newly empowered to minister as a result.

Pray for this to continue and for those receiving help to get plugged into communities of faith.

Indigenous believers and forms of church are growing. With input from faithful
Caucasian missionaries and indigenous Christian leaders, the Greenlandic Church is
expressing itself in ways that are culturally compelling as well as biblical.

Pray that the unique worldview and culture of the Inuit people might be made complete in Christ.

6. Grenada:

Christianity in Grenada accounts for the vast majority, but most are nominally Catholic because of the earlier French legacy. However, several mainline, conservative and emerging denominations enjoy a healthy existence.

Points for prayer include:

a) Unity among denominations. The mainline denominations enjoy strong connections
through the Conference of Churches of Grenada. Evangelicals are taking steps toward greater unity and cooperation through a recently formed Evangelical Alliance. Pray that such unity would be genuine and effective rather than superficial.

b) Moral and family decline, even in evangelical congregations. Sexual promiscuity and teen pregnancies are widespread; around 45% of households are led by women, with men absent (often abroad in search of employment).

c) Lack of vision in churches. There is very little missionary vision or evangelistic impetus, although there are signs of improvement in this area.

d) Support ministries. There are two Christian bookstores, one in St. George’s run by the
Berean Bible Churches, and an independent one in Grand Anse. Radio ministry includes
Good News FM broadcast from Grenada and Harbour Light, a Christian radio station that
broadcasts on AM and FM to Grenada and the Windward Islands. Churches consider the six Christian and church-run schools to be important ministries.

7. Guadeloupe:

The grim legacy of slavery has left its mark in the endemic economic disparity and in the lack of meaningful marriage relationships. Over 40% of households have only one parent; 90% of these are led by the mother. Racial tension and class envy are other marks left by slavery’s long history.

Pray that the gospel may transform and uplift this society.

Christianity, especially Catholicism, is a cultural veneer for most. The rapid
growth of sects and evangelical groups highlights the spiritual emptiness. Occultism and
magic are widespread influences.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to convict of sin and bring many to true repentance.

Evangelicals hardly existed before 1946, but through the work of World Team,
Southern Baptists and AoG, a strong network of churches has sprung up, supplemented
by several other recent denominational arrivals. Many evangelical groups practice strict, even legalistic, codes of conduct in order to avoid moral compromise and occult influence.

Pray for a greater degree of unity, collaboration and a profound understanding of the freedom to be found in Christ.

8. Guam:

The indigenous Chamorro have a long history of oppression and, more recently,
disorientation with the influx of US culture. The majority are nominally Catholic and
historically resistant to the gospel. Chamorro worldview is also rooted in animistic traditions.

Pray for the emergence of a true Chamorro Christian witness and culture:

Expatriate missionary work focuses on church planting among indigenous and
immigrant peoples, Bible teaching and development. Major missions are SdA, Korean
Presbyterians, LM, CoG( Anderson), CoN, Elim Fellowship. There are three Bible colleges, the main one being Pacific Islands University with about 100 students on site. Practical ministries include addiction recovery centers and vocational training for individuals with disabilities.

Missionary outreach from Guam is beginning to occur. The churches have the
capacity and desire to send missionaries to the Pacific nations, and the increasing influx of tourists from Japan, Korea and elsewhere makes for witnessing opportunities right at home.

The Prison Fellowship of Guam has a ministry to prisoners that is also penetrating
the indigenous population in a small but significant way. It has fostered a cooperative unity
among evangelical churches (with 85 volunteers), which is sadly lacking elsewhere.

Pray for resources to teach and train converts who remain in prison.

8. Guatemala: Sins of the past must be recognized, repented of and reparations made. Most notably this includes the terrible mistreatment of the indigenous population and a generation of war with atrocities on both sides. The part played by the USA in arming the oppressors and turning a blind eye to human rights abuses has only been partially acknowledged. There must also be recognition of the multicultural character of the country. Progress is being made in these areas.

Pray especially for evangelical leaders from both Mayan and Spanish-speaking
communities as they work toward the healing of the nation.

Violence is a present-day plague caused by the upheaval and ruin of the last few
decades. Murder is common, and life is cheap. Guatemala has the highest murder rate in
all Latin America. The causes: maras (youth gangs), drug traffickers, organized crime and “social cleansing” – a.k.a. death squads. Government forces can do little to tackle these issues, and private armed guards outnumber police two to one. Pray for a binding of the spirit of murder and for the peace of Christ to prevail.

The Catholic Church has declined in influence and number. Defection to
evangelicalism or to the revived Mayan spirituality is massive. Efforts by the Church to
limit the impact of the large, charismatic renewal movement have only further hastened the decline, with many Catholic charismatic’s leaving to start new churches or to join evangelical denominations.

Pray for new life to permeate the Church, and that charismatic’s may be rooted
in Scripture rather than in subjective experience.

Widespread evangelism occurs by many means – city crusades, nationwide efforts,
148 Christian schools and institutes, two Christian television channels, more than 50 local
Christian radio stations, numerous Christian magazines and newspapers as well as the fervent personal witness of individual Christians. Shallow professions of faith and an increased rate of backsliding are becoming common as evangelicals become more “popular”. Nominal evangelicalism is a new challenge facing the churches.

Pray that the fruit may be retained, the believers matured and the new generation won for Christ.

9-10. Guinea:
Leadership training for pastors and laymen is a great need. Guinea has three Bible schools, two run by EPEG/CMA and one by AoG. Six leadership training schools for laymen are run by the EPEC for the Kissi, Toma and Kpelle churches. PAoC and EPEG/CMA/MPA both run TEE programmes. Despite all of this, there is still an overall lack of leaders in most areas, which delays church growth and evangelization. Pastors and leaders also need to be trained as mission mobilizers.

Pray for more godly leaders to be raised up and trained.

The Church suffered serious numerical setbacks in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Some established denominations shrank significantly, and evangelism and church planting slowed – probably largely due to nominal Christians falling away.

Pray for believers who will persevere, and pray against the enemy who seeks to destroy these young or weak Christians before they can grow.

The Christian population is still a small minority and concentrated in Conakry and
the southeast forests. It is overwhelmingly Kissi, Kpelle and Toma in composition. The
Evangelical Protestant Church (EPEG) – primarily affiliated with the CMA and MPA – has long been the largest Protestant group.

Pray that their influence might be toward Spirit-led godliness, outward focus and genuine unity.

Over 37 peoples are still unreached; pray for their evangelization.

11. Guinea-Bissau:

The less-reached groups for whom prayer is needed:

a) The Muslim Fula/Fulbe and Mandinka. Both are large, dominant groups in many West African countries with a rich history and much influence. They are largely responsible for bringing Islam to Guinea-Bissau; may they instead become responsible for spreading the good news. The Fula are increasingly responsive to the gospel, and in a few locations, groups of believers are forming. The Mandinkas are more resistant but have some individual believers in the cities.

b) Smaller-population peoples of mixed Muslim and animist beliefs. The Biafada, Nalu,
Masoanke, Jahanka, Jola-Fonyi, Soninke, Susu and Badyara have had very little, if any, work concentrated on them using their language and culture. Pray for ministry among them, and that fruit might be forthcoming.

c) Traditional-religion peoples are much more evangelized than the Muslim peoples. Praise God that there are Christians from almost all of these groups. These include the Balanta, Papel, Bijago, Manjaco, Mancanha, Jola-Felupe and Bayote.

Pray also for the gospel to reach the other smaller, and often overlooked, peoples.

12. Guyana:
Guyana seems to exist precariously on many levels. It is constantly under threat
from persistent claims on its land by Venezuela and Suriname. The political sphere is
defined along racial lines. The economy is vulnerable to the climate, as the disastrous floods of 2005 attest. Large-scale emigration has denuded the country of much of its population, including many of the most gifted. Pray that an enduring hope might come to Guyana, most expressly through the transformation that only the gospel can enact.

There is a vital, vibrant, growing evangelical witness, and evangelicals are found
in all levels of society. Pentecostal, charismatic (“clap-hand”) and evangelical denominations and fellowships continue to grow despite negative population growth. Churches are still largely divided along racial lines, but the multiracial congregations that do exist are some of the few ethnic bridges in the country. The cross-denominational work of the Guyanese Evangelical Fellowship is vital in this area.

Pray for all believers to demonstrate the power of the gospel in their unity, in their words and in holy living.

13-14. Haiti:
Haiti must find release from the bondages of its past. The Spanish genocide against
the indigenous Arawaks, and the cruel slavery instituted and maintained by the Spanish
and then the French, form a tragic background. The tyrannies, cruelties and use of voodoo as a means of control have fostered a spirit of fear that permeates every level of society. More recent interventions by foreign powers have not banished the endemic problems.

Pray that:

a) The powerful spirits underlying voodooism might be bound in the name of Jesus. Pray that the ubiquitous influence and enduring legacy of voodoo might be made subordinate to the authority of Christ – especially in the lives of Christians.

b) Haitians who call themselves Christian might experience the transforming nature of a personal relationship with Christ. Only through the regeneration and power of the Holy
Spirit will the heritage of voodoo be overcome.

c) This nation might enjoy stability, safety and sustained development by removing the systemic evils holding it back and by instilling biblical values and practices on every level of society.

The spiritual outpouring of faith in God in the aftermath of the earthquake
also shook the nation and moved the entire world. When the president called for three
days of prayer and fasting during Mardi Gras – traditionally a time of partying and excess – no one expected one million people to turn out. Throughout the country, churches were filled to overflowing and services were held amid rubble and in the ruined streets.

Pray that this spiritual shaking would not merely be an expression of grief, fear and desperation, but would shape itself into an unprecedented turning to God that redefines the spiritual life of Haiti.

Numerous traditions allege that Haiti was dedicated to Satan through its voodoo past;

Pray that today it might be known as a nation wholly dedicated to the Lord Jesus.

16. Holy See:
The Pope is head of the single largest religious body on earth and of a state that
is the outcome of a long history and of a unique conception of what the role of the
Church in the world should be. He exercises an enormous influence within and beyond the Roman Catholic Church.

Pray for the right man to fill the post for the right time.

Pray for the redemptive use of the Vatican’s formidable politico-religious influence.

Catholic charismatic renewal has an impact far beyond the 235 countries and 120 million involved.

Pray for spiritual renewal.

Pray for them to be a bridge to believers in other denominations and to not be absorbed or rendered ineffective by the system.

A large proportion of the Catholic missionary force is charismatic. At the same time, the Roman Catholic Church is expanding in many spiritual directions – theological conservatism, charismatic renewal, Marian devotion, folk religious practices and others.
Pray for nominal Catholics – many millions strong– to experience the radical conversion and cultural transformation that their pontiff insists is
essential to faith.

16. Honduras:

Catholicism’s influence is rapidly declining. In some polls, the 80% affiliation rate is reportedly as low as 47%. The greatest factors contributing to this decline include the lack of indigenous personnel, widespread nominalism, the influence of animism/paganism within the Church and large-scale migration to evangelical churches. Only about 20% of Catholics are actively involved in the Church. There is considerable agreement between Catholics and evangelicals on communal and social issues.

Pray for a Holy Spirit-driven revival to sweep through the Catholic Church; the impact of this could still transform Honduran society.

The growing number and influence of evangelicals is praiseworthy, as is the greatly
increasing number and size of many congregations. La Cosecha (“The Harvest”) is a
Foursquare church with a weekly attendance of 20,000, despite being founded only 20 years ago. Sadly, much of the progress among evangelicals in Honduras is undermined by their fragmentation into countless denominations and the resulting jealousies and isolationism. In part, this is due to the imported divisions and rivalries brought in by missionaries.

Pray for the Confraternidad Evangélica (founded in 1987), which represents 90% of evangelicals in the country. It works to cultivate fellowship and cooperation across denominations.

Leadership training becomes ever more vital as the number of congregations continues
to grow. Many seminaries and Bible schools face difficulties (costs, staffing, cooperation), enhancing the importance of networks of TEE programmes run by various denominations.

Pray that the trainers might impart biblical knowledge and be models for spiritual ministry.

17. Hungary:

Hungarians have lost contact with the gospel, despite enjoying a rich theological history. They seek answers in many places: materialism, hedonism, alcohol and, increasingly, false religion. Postmodern mentalities predominate. In recent years, public spiritual life is characterized by an alarming rise in occult activity and eastern mysticism, including pagan witchcraft, ancient Magyar shamanism and Tibetan Buddhism. Most common is a pick-and choose spirituality that is effectively non-religious, with some personal sentiment.

Pray for all falsehoods and empty philosophies to be exposed as such and for Christ to be exalted as the truth in this historically Christian nation.

Pray that Hungarians might see the truth of the gospel and the freedom it brings through Jesus.

The openness of the post-Communist 1990s has passed. It is now increasingly
difficult to openly witness – restrictions forbid teachers, doctors and such from sharing their faith in the workplace. The Church failed to respond adequately to the window of opportunity that is now largely closed. Christianity, while present and active, does not quite have the impact it should on society, politics, ethics, education and the economy.
Pray for a new revival in the Church – following on those from 1939 and 1946-50 – that gives birth to a new spirit of witness and activism.BR>
There remains a great need for evangelism, despite the increasing amount and types
of outreach and public ministry. Christians need to acquire confidence in the power of the
gospel and its effectiveness when shared in the right way and in the Spirit. The number of
nominal Christians is high, and millions of people have only cursory contact with the good news. There is still resistance to the gospel in much of Hungary. Thank God for increasing levels of collaboration in outreach among churches and denominations.

Pray for Spirit-led, creative forms of witness and for wisdom in how, when and where to reach out.



17. Iceland:

Traditional Icelandic life can be considered under threat. High-profile disputes divide opinion between conservationists wanting to preserve the environment and industrialists wanting to cash in on the resources. Although the total number of immigrants is not massive, Iceland’s relatively small population has seen possibly the largest migration rate in Europe, bringing other faiths and cultures into a traditionally guarded society.

Pray for wisdom for leaders and the people in dealing with these new challenges.

The Lutheran and the smaller, but similar, Free Churches are suffering the same
challenges as much of Europe – declining and aging congregations, low attendance and a
general lack of spiritual vitality. There is, of course, a segment of Lutherans who faithfully follow Jesus.

Pray that their numbers might multiply. And, there is actually a surfeit of young trainees – so much so that churches may “export” them to serve in Lutheran or Anglican congregations abroad!

Pray for a surge of new life in the congregations and the leadership.

Pray also for the theological faculty where all pastors are trained.

19- July 4: India:

India has more human need than any other nation – largely by virtue of its massive population, but also due to many areas of suffering that must be addressed through considered action and sustained prayer.

Over the next 14 days ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray for these States in India for a move of God and an increase in laborers for this area of the Vineyard:

Andhra Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh

Assam

Bihar

Chhattisgarh

Delhi

Goa

Gujarat

Haryana

Himachal Pradesh

Jammu & Kashmir

Jharkhand

Karnataka

Kerala

Madhya Pradesh

Maharashtra

July 4th…….To those in the United States….Happy Fourth of July!

I believe that every time we pray the Lord hears, for it is His desire that all nations receive the news of His extravagant love for us. Thank you for praying.
Until next month.

Blessings,
Lane

Sources:
Mission Info Bank. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 Global Mapping International. All Rights Reserved

Use and reproduction subject to User Agreement.

© Operation World 2001
With thanks to Dawn Ministries and Operation World
Hosted by 24-7Prayer.com, Edited by Eloise Armstrong
This information is only about 20% of what is available in the ‘Operation World’ book and CD-ROM.
To find out more click here, to buy the book click here.

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Hidden Lights

May 20, 2011

Once you were darkness now you are light. Has the light been dimmed or hidden?
Jesus said: You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. His intent is that our light will shine before men when they see our good works and give glory to our Father. (Matt 5:14-16) Often the light is hidden behind strongholds or barriers we use to protect unhealed hurts, unacknowledged anger and unresolved issues. At the close of this writing we will look at four major self-made walls of protection.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 from The Message Bible:
The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. 4 The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. 5 We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. 6 Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

Most of us have build self-made walls of protection, which the Bible calls “strongholds.” These walls of protection may have served us well when we were children, but often we bring them into our adult live reinforcing them to avoid painful feelings we have buried alive. All the time Jesus is present to heal and restore us to wholeness. He is the Good Shepherd who brings restoration to our souls. These walls (barriers or strongholds) affect our relationships. His love in our hearts will enable us to receive and love others. There’s a song that says: I can risk love you because the one who knows me best loves me most. People know and will listen when they know that you really care and love them.

In A Global Call to Prayer I write: We do not attract others to the cross of Jesus when we try to manipulate them or insist on changing them according to our personal desires, usually for our comfort. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you recognize any strongholds of rigidity, denial, emotional isolation, or silence. Confess any sins with true repentance to the Father. Let’s submit to the Holy Spirit and the Living Word of God and pull down these strongholds that hinder our spiritual growth and emotional wholeness…and denies healthy relationships.

Rigidity renders a person inflexible, suppressing the ministry of our constant transformation. Love Georgia’s quotation that she shared with us: Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape. Worshiping God in spirit and truth will keep you flexible.
Denial opens the door for self-deception, repudiating the truth that sets us free. A person may listen to the preaching of the Word, read his Bible daily, and pray but never become a doer of the Word deceiving himself or herself.
Emotional isolation leads to hardness of heart, overruling our compassion for others. He who willfully separates and estranges himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire and pretext to break out against all wise and sound judgment. (Proverbs 18:1 AMP)
Silence stops the communication of our faith, preventing our true fellowship with God and man. Fellowship with one another requires communication! But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations]. (I John 1:7 AMP)

Make the decision to remove the barriers that your light may shine and when others see your good deeds they will glorify our Father who is in heaven.

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A Word of Encouragement

May 16, 2011

All is Well

Standing at the window in the prayer cottage above the garage a tall oak with its intricately woven green leaf dress blocked my view of the eastern skies. The song, “Sweet Hour of Prayer,” softly flowed through my being and I sensed the Presence of the Lover of my Soul. Bowing my head in worship, a gentle voice instructed me to make my requests known with thanksgiving.

Lord, I asked, please send Good News this day to those whose worlds have been turned upside down. Keep them by your power so their faith will not fail. Please create a desire for salvation in the hearts of those who do not know Jesus as Lord and Messiah. Father, you said to give honor where honor is due; create in me an attitude of honor and respect for others. My requests were simply spoken. Only the Spirit of the Living God can draw others to the cross of Jesus, and only He can complete His work in the hearts of those who are in the midst of crisis. I thanked the Holy Spirit for helping me pray when I didn’t know what to pray.

Opening my eyes I saw the majestic tree branches adorned with shiny sparkling jewels. It was the sun behind the trees making an appearance, and in a short time this brightness arose above the giant oaks outside my windows; the land as far as I could see became a canvas of light and shadows among the trees. The sun was there all the time!!

The morning has passed. I no longer see the sun, the winds trouble the surface of the water, the temperature is cool, but I know the sun is there in the heavens behind the rain clouds. Prayers are being answered because our God hears and answers prayer that He might be glorified!!

Ask and you shall receive is a promise from our Savior.

It is well with my soul. All is well…the Son has risen with healing in His wings!

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