Friday, October 28, 2016

It is estimated that more than 25 million people in the world are called by the name of the prophet of Islam, Muhammad, or one of its variations (Ahmad, Mahmoud, and so forth). When you add to that all those who use it as a middle or family name, the number rises to more than 150 million people. This makes it the name most used in the world.

This is one of the ways Muslims perpetuate and immortalize the memory of their prophet whom they consider “the best of God’s creation, the seal of the prophets and the lord of every servant.”^[1]

Prayer

Majestic God, high above all others, this prayer is for many millions of individuals whom I do not know. Yet, you know each one of them and are able to touch their lives with your grace and liberating power.

Set them free, Almighty Lord, from Muhammad’s powerful influence in their lives. Reveal to them Jesus Christ in his eternal love and divine power. He is the Way and the Truth and the Life. May they, by your Spirit, acknowledge that God has exalted Jesus to the highest place and given him the name that is above every name. May they bow their knee to him and confess that he is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).

Remove the veil that hinders them from seeing the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:16). Take away the shroud that enfolds them (Isaiah 25:7). Open their eyes and their hearts to accept Christ’s love and sacrifice for them. Bring them into your eternal Kingdom and give them power to live for you and do your will.

Promise

From the nations where the sun rises to the nations where the sun sets, my name will be great… At the name of Jesus everyone in heaven, on earth, and in the world below will kneel (Malachi 1:11; Philippians 2:10, GW).

Footnotes

^[1] Quran 33:40.

Friday, October 21, 2016

The underground church in China is persecuted and abused even today. Yet, it has a desire to take the Gospel to the whole world. Leaders of that church believe that just as the Gospel originally came out of Jerusalem and went to the West and from there to China, now the Chinese need to take it back to Jerusalem through Central Asia along the Silk Road.

Their goal is to bring multitudes of Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists to Christ. The movement lists more than 50 countries in Asia and Africa as its geographic target to plant churches. Their dream is to train and send 100,000 missionaries to the rest of the world.

Prayer

O Christ, Head of the Church and her Redeemer and Master, we thank you for the courage of the leaders and members of the house churches in China. We are grateful for such holy audacity and boldness! Thank you, Lord, for helping them to see and understand your plans and purposes for the lost.

I pray for these brave and daring brothers and sisters; help them to continue to draw strength and wisdom from you. As they themselves have experienced persecution, may they in turn be well-equipped to minister to the Muslims who come to Christ and suffer persecution.

Use them as agents of transformation in many nations and societies. Help them to be culturally sensitive as they move from their familiar customs at home to face a world with cultural traits and traditions that are strange to them. Help them to adapt gracefully and be effective messengers of the King of kings.

Grant them unity and love. In your name, by your Spirit, for your glory, amen.

Promise

In that day deaf people will hear words read from a book, and blind people will see through the gloom and darkness. …Those in error will then believe the truth, and those who constantly complain will accept instruction (Isaiah 29:18, 24, NLT).

Friday, October 14, 2016

Islam does not allow its adherents to convert to any other religion. Those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord find it very difficult to worship openly. They gather in small groups behind closed doors or in parks or any other place where they can study God’s Word and worship together secretly. These are the underground churches, the fellowships of suffering believers.

There are many vibrant underground churches in various Muslim countries. It is hard, as a matter of fact impossible, to identify the number of such secret believers or their groups.

It is regretful that some armchair detractors and censures criticize the underground church as unbiblical for lack of boldness and for not abiding by the laws of the land! Living in ease and comfort, such critics have never experienced persecution.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Savior, our shield and shelter, our deliverer and strong tower, our very present help in time of need, we pray for brothers and sisters meeting in hidden places away from the eyes of persecutors. They believe in you and confess you. Many of them are willing to die for you.

Build up their faith, O God. Encourage them by your Word. Take away their fear. Fill them with the Holy Spirit and courage. Protect them from denying you or turning their backs on you because of the terrible difficulties they encounter. If any of them have not received water baptism, help them to do so in total commitment to Christ. May they be able to gather around the Lord’s Table to commemorate his death and resurrection. Help them to win others to the Kingdom. Let their light shine brightly and steadily for others to see.

Promise

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

Friday, October 7, 2016

Under the power of the Spirit of God, the prophet Ezekiel was carried in a vision to a valley full of dead, dry bones (Ezekiel 37). Many of us who work with Muslims see the Muslim world as a valley of dry bones. No life. No breath. No motion. No joy. Only death. Yet, we are praying, prophesying and believing that the Spirit of the Lord will come upon those dead bones and they will become a mighty army of Bible-believing, God-worshipping, Christ-glorifying, Spirit-filled people!

Prayer

O Sovereign King of heaven and earth and the whole universe, Almighty God, the God of miracles and wonders, I come to you because you are also my Heavenly Father!

I believe it is time for Muslims to experience a breath of life from you at a magnitude never known before in the history of humankind. We have around us the skeletons and remains of a vast number of people who are spiritually dead—they have long been slain by the enemy of our souls.

O Spirit of the living God, breathe upon the Islamic valley of dry bones and grant them life in Jesus Christ the Lord. Give them spiritual flesh and nerves to become children of the living God. Give them spiritual backbones to stand firm in their faith.

Send your life to a people that some Christians have written off as impossible to bring into the Kingdom of God. Defend your honor, and prove that such voices of despair are wrong!

O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! The Lord God says to these bones: I am going to put breath into you, and you will live (Ezekiel 37:4-5).

Lord God, you are able to accomplish far more than we ask or imagine, according to your power at work in us. Glory be to you in the Church, and in Jesus Christ in all ages forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Promise

Come from the four winds, spirit, and breathe on these corpses that they will live…the spirit came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an extremely great army (Ezekiel 37:9-10).