Don't Pray For Persecution To End

D

dfella Aug 14, 2016

Blaine,

Have you seen this article? I found this article interesting and bear witness with the sentiments of the article that we should not pray for persecution to stop but rather Pray, Supplicate, and Intercede for those who are being persecuted to be Strengthened and Empowered through the Holy Spirit with a supernatural Grace, Boldness, and Witness and that their Faith may be increased to continue to Stand and Endure to the end.

During my meditation this morning after reading this article I see the persecuted church very much like David and the 400 men that pursued to retake their women and children who had been taken captive by the Amalekites in 1 Samuel 30. In this story you also see the 200 men that were left behind to guard their belongings because they were not up to pursuing or going to war.

When all was recovered David made sure that both who pursued and went to war shared all the spoils with those who were left behind. You can see similar thoughts in Numbers 31 and Joshua 22.

While God calls one to suffer persecution and even martyrdom for their faith He also calls another to pray, supplicate, and intercede on their behalf, both are equally important to God and His coming Kingdom.

Here is some portions to the article and links. What do you think?

"Middle Eastern Christian Woman Tells Americans Not to Pray for Persecution to End”

"We are not afraid or worried that the persecution will increase. We are just feeling that this is God's time," Maryam said. "God is working perfectly now in the Middle East. Even with all these crazy stuff happening, God is really working now."

"So, I want to encourage you that, of course, you need to pray for your brothers and sisters in the Middle East who are suffering for being Christians and for their faith, but I am asking you to pray a different prayer," Maryam encouraged the Alabama churchgoers.

"Don't pray for the persecution to be stopped. … But pray for the Christians there, for their boldness, their encouragement, for their faith and that they can all be witnesses for God's work and for God."

"Do not pray for the persecution to stop; that is to pray in the wrong direction of the Bible," Gunter recalled Paul telling him. "What God has allowed us to go through in the last five years is amazing. He has allowed a great shaking."
"We could see the shining face of Jesus in the midst of all the chaos," Paul added. "Christians had hope, whereas the Muslims around us did not."

Gunter argued that many Christians in the West have the "wrong concepts about the persecuted Church."

"Many view [persecution] as a destroying the Church, but historically and presently, God uses persecution to bring about the pure essence of hope and salvation within the Church," Gunter wrote in an email to CP. "Many Muslims and others are coming to faith because they are witnessing the love, forgiveness and compassion of the Lord's Church. Like all people, they long for hope. "

sermonindex Aug 14, 2016

David thank you for the links. I haven't seen this particular article. But I have seen other sources where the persecuted ask that they not be delivered from their persecutions. But they asked that in our prayers we pray that they be faithful in the midst of their persecutions. They asked that we pray they not deny Jesus or their Church Networks. They asked that we pray they be faithful Witnesses even to their persecutors.

Indeed the persecuted have a different perspective about suffering then we in the west do. But when are prayer call meets we honor their request that they be faithful and stand firm in Jesus in the midst of the evil that they are facing.

One other thing the persecuted also asked that we pray for their enemies. They desire to see their persecutors come to Christ period again a different perspective than what we have in the West.

Brother thank you for sharing. I will certainly check these links out.

Years from the foot of His cross.

D

dfella Aug 14, 2016

Thank you brother, what a blessed confirmation concerning the brethren who are suffering and Gods will. Again I bear witness that these dearest precious souls are not seeking that this cup pass from them but that our heavenly Fathers will be done.

May God bless you brother in tarrying at the stuff and holding up the arms of our brothers and sisters. May their faith and sacrifice reap a plentiful harvest.

I appreciate you brother, more than you know and not I only, God also knows.

Your Brother
David

D

dohzman Aug 14, 2016

1Ti 2:1-3
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior

I

InTheLight Aug 14, 2016

Some excellent thoughts here in preparing our hearts to pray for the Church. We need to see persecution from the same eyes as the first disciples, from the understanding that God is sovereign and our enemies can only do what God has determined before what they could do (see Acts 4:27-28).

When Peter and John were threatened by the rulers about preaching Jesus, the Church didn't fearfully beg for protection or angrily shout against their enemies. Instead they prayed for boldness to go on preaching Christ and for miracles to be done to accompany their preaching.

I believe that having a clear understanding of God's sovereignty is so important in these difficult days. He is absolutely in command at all times, and He works even through His enemies to accomplish His plans. Remember the Cross.

In Christ,

P

proudpapa Aug 14, 2016

So we should not pray for the ending of the thousands of Christian children and women being forced into the sex trade ???

P

proudpapa Aug 14, 2016

Is this What we are not to pray an ending of ??

The Islamic State's Christian and Yizidi Sex Slaves

edit add : Is

sermonindex Aug 14, 2016

1 Timothy 2:1-3

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

sermonindex Aug 16, 2016

Brother I just read the link to your article. Indeed the persecuted have a different perspective about how to pray for them.

I have read from different sources that the persecuted as if they not be delivered from their persecution. Or even that the persecution will stop. Often their prayer request will be like pray that we will remain faithful in the mist of our persecutions. Pray that we will grow in the midst of their persecutions. Pray that we will be a faithful witness to our persecutors. And so on.

I think I persecuted brothers and sisters have more the mind of Christ that we in the west do.

Thank you for sharing brother. Certainly we will pray that our brothers and sisters will remain faithful in the midst of the tribulations that they go through.

Brother Blaine

sermonindex Aug 16, 2016

One of my partner ministries just sent this article to me. Thought it would be appropriate in this thread. If anything, to give some suggestions on how to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in restricted nations.

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7 WAYS YOU CAN PRAY FOR THE PERSECUTED
Posted on AUGUST 8, 2014 Posted by CHRIS POBLETE

When members of the body of Christ suffer, the whole body suffers together (1 Cor 12:26). Even if we are geographically removed from those being persecuted, we can still draw near to them spiritually:

"Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body”
(Hebrews 13:3).

The apostle Paul himself was well acquainted with suffering and persecution. In fact, many of his pastoral letters were written while he was behind prison bars. Since Paul was a man acquainted with grief and persecution, we can learn how to pray for the persecuted by looking at his life, ministry, and pastoral letters. Here are 7 ways we can pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters, taken from the ministry of Paul:

1. Pray that they would see the grace of Christ as all-sufficient, magnifying God’s power in their weakness.

"‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
(2 Corinthians 12:9)

2. Pray that they would treasure Jesus more than life itself.

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
(Philippians 1:21)

"But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus”
(Acts 20:24)

3. Pray that their unshakable joy in Christ would be a witness to their persecutors.

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them”
(Acts 16:25)

"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.”
(Philippians 1:27-28)

4. Pray that their future glory would overshadow their present afflictions.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
(Romans 8:18)

5. Pray that they would trust in God’s wisdom, strength, and deliverance””not their own.

"Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”
(2 Corinthians 1:7-9)

6. Pray that God would give them the right words to say as fearless ambassadors for Christ.

"and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
(Ephesians 6:19-20)

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison”“ that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”
(Colossians 4:2-4)

7. Pray that God would protect and deliver them to safety, according to His good and perfect will.

"I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints”
(Romans 15:30-31)

"At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.”
(Philemon 1:22)