In this Prayer Circular:
- The Tale of Two Worlds.
- Thank you for 2,184 Hours of Prayer during Ramadan!
- Praying for 7 Muslim Nations this Week.
1. The Tale of Two Worlds.
The story of Acts 10 depicts a tale of two different worlds during the early Church period.
First, the Gentile world, which, in their limited knowledge, prayed, fasted, gave alms and feared God. One of them was Cornelius, who was “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:1-2). While the Christian world had no interest or connection with them, God seemed interested in answering their prayer and sent an angel to direct them. This divine visitation was unique and has a special message for us.
Secondly, the Judeo-Christian world, consisting exclusively of Jews, and its leader Peter too was praying and fasting after celebrating a successful revival in Joppa. Through Dorcas’ resurrection, “many believed on the Lord” (Acts 9:42), a similar revival to Samaria in Acts 8.
However, God was more interested in bridging the two worlds than enjoying a Revival.
Therefore, He usually takes people out of Revivals, like Philip, taken out of the Samaria to meet the Ethiopian Eunuch, and here, wanting Peter to leave ‘Joppa revival’ to go to Cornelius’ world!
However, reluctant and indifferent Peter would not respond even after a vision was repeated 3 times!
Imagine what would have happened if Peter had not eventually gone – the Church today would be exclusively limited to the Jewish world, and we gentiles excluded!
Are you Standing in God’s Way?
Peter’s reluctance was due to his prejudice and the cost of being criticized by his own in Headquarters!
‘So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” (Acts 11:2-3)
However, Peter realized that human opinion and prejudice can only hinder God’s purpose and later acknowledged: “who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” vs 17.
Are Christians standing in God’s way in reaching Muslims?
Cornelius’ devotion, prayer, fasting, and good works represent the Muslims World druing Ramadan today.
Heaven is willing to send angels to direct them – yet, millions of Christians are hiding in their own world unwilling to cross to the Islamic world.
Do you know that 80% of the 1.9 billion Muslims in the world today will never have any contact with Christians in their whole lifetime?
Is it because 90% of Christians have been ‘standing in God’s way’ due to their prejudice and indifference to Muslims?
As a Leader, are you standing in God’s way?
Intercession helps the Church to change such attitudes as it did to Peter, giving greater compassion to cross the world.
Angels need Christians!
Although God could send an Angel to Cornelius’ world, they could not give them the Gospel Message!
Instead, their message was “send for Simon whose surname is Peter…He will tell you what you must do.”
There are many accounts of Muslims seeing visions, dreams, and angels directing them during Ramadan. Yet, it takes a Christian in their context to share the Gospel with them.
Therefore, during this Ramadan, let’s pray for both the Muslim and Christian worlds!
THE MUSLIM WORLD
2. Thank you for 2,184 Hours of Prayer for Ramadan!
We have received prayer commitments for 2,200 Hours for the 30 days! Thank You!
But this is only 1/4 of the amount of 8,000 hours of prayer needed!
We urge you to get more intercessors to sign-in for 15-minute prayer slots in the next 2 weeks!
Please click Here to Sign in: (Available in 14 Languages)
Please forward this link on email, Facebook, or Whatsapp to mobilize prayer!
3. Prayer for 7 Muslim Nations during Ramadan:
We invite you to pray for seven Muslim nations for the next seven days.
This information from Operation World will enlighten Muslim people’s conditions and the challenges Christians face in reaching them.
ASIA.
Afghanistan. 43.8 Million Muslims. Christians: .01%
Afghanistan is one of the least reached countries in the world. There are 48,000 mosques but not a single church building. The re-conquest of Afghanistan by the Taliban in 2021 came as a shock to many. These events led to the suspension of humanitarian aid to the needy people of Afghanistan, the reintroduction of much harsher Islamic laws, the flight of millions of Afghans from Taliban rule, the intensified persecution (and even manhunt) of Christians, and the emboldening of Islamist movements elsewhere against what they perceive as a weak and failing Western world. There is so much to pray for; above all, pray that God preserve the lives of Afghans so that they might hear the good news of Jesus. Read More:
Azerbaijan. 10.3 Million Muslims. Christians: 2.7%
The Church faces intensifying opposition, even as it grows. Many churches find intimidation, surveillance and obstructionist tactics increasingly common. Pray that Christian witness to the majority Muslim population may be with humility, wisdom and love. God raised up an Azeri Church, even amidst trials! Only 40 known Azeri believers lived in the country in 1991. Now there are more than 10,000, with the majority in Baku. Even more ethnic Azeris follow Christ inside of Iran. Some Azeri believers create their own music, literature, poetry, and other indigenous forms of worship. Even so, most Christians in Azerbaijan are primarily of foreign ethnicities. Pray for good fellowship among all the believers.
Read more:
Bangladesh. 170 Million Muslims. Christians 0.7%
The political situation offers little hope for significant change and seems a venue for feuding between two very wealthy clans rather than a means to improving the lot of the poor majority. Corruption is endemic and deeply rooted. Pray for governance that is just, transparent and effective at assisting those in need while thwarting those seeking to gain at the expense of the nation.
The churches have been growing faster than the population rate for the last 50 years. Pray specifically for: The people-movement tribal churches. Significant church growth (greater than 10% evangelical) has occurred among the following peoples: Santal, Munda, Khasi, Garo, Maramei, Ralte, Mizo, Poi.
Pray that these churches may become strong and full of vision for mission.
Read more:
AFRICA:
Egypt. 115 Million Muslims. Christians 3.9%
For over 1,000 years, Egypt was a majority-Christian country, even after the Arab Muslim conquest in AD 640. Egypt gave to the Christian world some of its greatest theologians and the monastic movement. Egyptian Christians may be more clearly linked to the original Egyptian civilization that pre-dates the coming of Islam. Some efforts have been made to minimize Egypt’s great Christian heritage, to downplay the size of the Church and to marginalize its contribution to society. But the Church survives. Pray for recognition of its history and role within Egypt and for an even greater role in the future.
Persecution of Christians has steadily intensified in the last 20 years. Harassment, discrimination on individual and communal levels and financial incentives for Christians to adopt Islam are all used to break the morale of Christians. Some areas, such as Upper Egypt, face more intense pressure than others. In most cases, the attacks that occur are carried out by vigilante Islamist groups – but often with the tacit acceptance of local security forces. Identity cards stating religion can be a huge challenge for believers from Muslim backgrounds, who tend to be on the receiving end of persecution more frequently than Copts.
Muslim-background believers are increasing in number and include a number of high-profile, former Muslim religious leaders. Conversion is not illegal, but some are imprisoned for “despising Islam” or under false pretexts; others have fled for their lives. It is thus far impossible for Muslim converts to change their identity cards and register as Christians. Read more:
Burkina Faso. 12 Million Muslims. Christians 47%
The rise – or arrival from elsewhere – of radical jihadist Muslim groups has brought great turmoil to Burkina Faso. Both Christians and Muslims have been targeted and murdered by these Islamist groups. Over 2 million people were displaced and at least 10,000 killed. These attacks, combined with existing ethnic tensions, rebel groups, and political instability, led to not one but two military coups in 2022. In December 2024, the military ruler removed the Prime Minister and dissolved the entire government. What comes next is uncertain. Burkina Faso is seen as a strategic key in the region. Violence here could easily spill over into the whole Sahel region. Pray for God to restrain those with wicked ambitions and intentions. Pray for wisdom and courage for the nation’s leaders, and for faith and fearless love for Christians in this land. Pray for:
Muslims, who are stronger in the north but continue to grow in nearly every ethnic group. Only a fraction of the missionary force in Burkina is specifically committed to ministering among Muslims.
Unreached non-Muslim peoples. Most of these groups are being steadily Islamized, and time is running out before they are inoculated against the gospel by Muslims.
Read more:
Chad. 12 Million Muslims. Christians 38%
The least-evangelized. There are more unreached peoples in Chad than in any other African country. A number of agencies, cooperating admirably, are making progress with previously unreached peoples.
The Saharan peoples (all Sunni Muslims) are politically dominant. They live predominantly in the northern deserts, Tibesti Mountains, northern shores of Lake Chad and the larger towns.
Missionary work continues despite the upheavals of the last three decades. Great needs remain for missions to continue and grow in the areas of church planting, evangelism, Bible translation, Bible teaching, leadership development and holistic ministry that will uplift and enable the national Church. Pray for missionaries with a pioneer spirit, perseverance in language and culture acquisition, and endurance to minister in hard places. Read more:
Cote d’Ivoire. 15 Million Muslims. Christians: 33%.
Islam spread and grew rapidly during the 20th Century, from 5% in 1900 to near 41.8% today.
Tribal groups in the north and pockets of tribes all over the country are becoming Muslim. Urban concentrations of Muslims are high as are conversion rates among new immigrants to the cities. Sadly, many southern Ivoirian Christians have aligned themselves with the president and his political agenda, and have thereby undermined their potential for genuine witness to northerners; foreign Christian witness may be the most effective way to reach the north.
The country has been essentially divided between Muslim north and multi-faith but predominantly Christian south. Although peace is established and the nation is moving forward, the loss of life, of infrastructure and of confidence in Côte d’Ivoire’s fundamental unity will leave scars on the nation’s psyche. Pray for political leaders who are visionary, non-partisan, free of corruption and able to boldly take the nation forward and past this unfortunate episode in Côte d’Ivoire’s history. Pray also for a satisfactory solution to the remaining challenge – how to handle the millions of immigrants from neighbouring countries, a problem at the core of the conflict of 2002-2007. Read more:
THANK YOU FOR MOBILIZING PRAYER FOR MUSLIMS DURING RAMADAN.
Read more about the ‘Cornelius Factor’ in Reaching Muslims: CLICK HERE.
Sources: Operation World, Pew Research.