Co-ordinating prayer for persecuted Christians is a vital part of our ministry
Prayer is key to our relationship with God yet can often be one of the hardest spiritual disciplines. No wonder it is an area that the enemy attacks us on.
‘Our partners know this all too well, having seen many answers to prayer: people set free from prison, protection from the authorities, supernatural escapes from persecution and so on,’ says our Volunteering Ambassador Imtiaz.
‘But one thing that always amazes me is the Christians in the UK who not only understand the power of prayer, but, as our Prayer Co-ordinators, commit to pray for, and organise prayer for, those they have never met.’
These volunteers facilitate prayer groups that pray specifically for persecuted Christians either on a weekly, monthly or sometimes less frequent basis. ‘The important thing is that they continue to meet regularly to lift up our suffering brothers and sisters to the throne of the One who answers.’
We are now looking for more people to take up this vital role. The Bible says: ‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms’ (Ephesians 6:12). Can you support us in this?
Here is what one of our Prayer Co-ordinators, Lyn, says about the role:
‘It wasn’t happening locally, so I took the initiative. If I were the one suffering for my faith, how grateful I would be to know that others are praying for me!’ She adds: ‘It widens our perspective on the family of God and can prevent us from becoming too insular and focused only on our own church, neighbourhood and country. Care and concern for our brothers and sisters grow through praying for them. The Lord wants us to pray for one another in the body of Christ. The Bible says, “carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). We can learn so much through their faith and courage in adversity.’
Another Prayer Co-ordinator, Roberta, says:
‘Meeting each month enables us to mention individuals by name and focus on a particular country or part of the world. The needs are vast and we only cover a limited amount but there is a common desire in our praying. I would definitely recommend the prayer group to others because, as well as praying, we make participants more aware of the persecution that’s going on in so many parts of the world. Even in our churches there are people who have no idea what’s happening.’
Roberta adds: ‘It is important to have concentrated prayer [for the persecuted] from a committed group.‘
Could you support our suffering brothers and sisters in this way?
We will provide you with practical tips on how to set up a prayer group, as well as exclusive materials not available to others. Email volunteer@releaseinternational.org for more information or call us directly on 01689 823491.
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