Why Pray for the Muslim World?
- FACTS ABOUT ISLAM:
- Islam dominates a territory from West Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, to Indonesia.
- Islam grew from 12.3% of humanity (1900) to 24.3% (2020).
- Most Muslim growth comes through high birth rates, but conversion plays a big part in West Africa, Indonesia, and the USA.
- Muslim countries and regions – the rise of extreme Islamist interpretations of the Muslim faith and the association of Christianity with “the Great Satan” have made Christians vulnerable to heightened religious violence coming from radicalized Muslims.
- It is illegal to have Bible in many Muslim Nations.
Countries with large Muslim Populations
- There are 50 Muslim Majority Countries.
- There is a massive shortages of Workers among Muslims. Only 2 workers for 1 million people!
Differentiating between Islam and Muslims.
When praying for the Islamic World, Rev. Fouad Masri, a Lebanese Pastor notes that we must first separate Muslims from Islam. He says that Islam is a religious system which keeps Muslim people in bondage.
But Muslims are victims of that system who are are sincerely seeking the Truth.
They as a people need to be loved and cared for. When we love Muslims just as Jesus loves them and pray for them, only then they can be delivered from the system of Islam.
Islam faces significant internal crises. The violence and terror tactics of Jihad (holy war) of radical Islamists horrify the world, including many of the peace-loving Muslims who make up the majority of Islam.
Love for the Muslim People:
Therefore, despite the socio-political and religious issues and prejudices involving Islam, Christians must ask the Holy Spirit to give them a love for the Muslim people. We must pray with the burden for them like Paul prayed for his people, the Jews:
“I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed from Christ for my brethren’s (Muslim people) sake… my heart’s desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they (Muslims) may be saved. For I bear them witness that they (Muslims) have a zeal for God…being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own…” (Romans10:1, 9:2-3)
It was such a prayer of dying Stephen who : “kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge…” that brought that radicalized religious fanatic Saul to Jesus.
As we pray during these 30 days of Ramadan, let us believe for such supernatural encounters for millions of sincere Muslim People. More Muslims have turned to Jesus in the last few decades than during all the 1400 years of Islam put together!