Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (3/8/20160

Just the other day, the Lord impressed on my heart that I had not faithfully prayed and fasted for all of the Asian nations. He then showed me the Middle East nations, which I had overlooked. So, for the next few weeks, I will fast and pray for these Asian nations.

SYRIA: 22.85 million people (90% Muslim and 6.3% Christian)

The civil war that erupted in March 2011 has killed more than 191,000 people, displaced more than a million people within its borders and has sent more than 2.9 million fleeing across the country’s borders, according to U.N. reports. One in every eight Syrians has fled the country, a million more than in 2013. The majority of these have fled into neighboring Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey. (Voice of the Martyrs)

In the above 4-minute video a Christian leader says: “We have something more important than anything else that makes us stay in the country, that something is the life-giving message from the Lord. We are ambassadors of the Lord…if heaven withdrew its ambassadors from our country, it is a disaster. Our privilege is not that we are able to leave Syria, but our privilege is that we are able to stay in this country for such a time as this.”

“Whatever you do in life, it begins with concern,” said Brother Andrew of Open Doors. “These are people who are a part of the Body of Christ. If you want something easy in life, I advise you not to get involved with the Syrian Church. There is a price to be paid. ‘Unless you deny yourself and follow Me,’ He said, ‘you cannot be My disciples.’ Nothing ever starts suddenly. Always one thing leading up to another, as long as you keep saying, ‘Yes to God.'”

My prayer today:

Lord, I pray that You strengthen the Christians who remain in Syria so that they hold fast to what they have received. May they all be overcomers who are clothed in white garments so that You confess their names before the Father and His angels. (Based on Revelation 3: 2-5)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners in Asia, according to Hebrews 13:3.

 Why Asia?

1. 4.4 billion people live in Asia.

2.. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

3. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

4. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

5. 600 million people live in abject poverty in the slums of Asia.

6. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)