Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. It is this Sunday that we especially take time to pray for our Christian brothers and sisters around the world that are facing extreme persecution.
Our local church has a personal connection to the extreme, violent persecution of Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Below is a video that was shown in service highlighting what some believers there are experiencing now.
Because this is the day to pray I wanted to share some ways you can pray for the persecuted church using Psalm 3.
"O LORD, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
many are saying of my soul,
'There is no salvation for him in God.' Selah" v. 1-2
The psalmist, David, cries out to the LORD. In this particular time he was fleeing from a rebellion led by his son Absalom.
David cried out to God and laid out his situation before God. Did God need to be informed? Absolutely not, but we can and should pray like this. Get informed about a particular situation impacting the persecuted church and pray about it today. It's fine to for the persecuted church in general, but how much more fervent will your prayer be when you put your whole heart into crying out for a particular need!
"But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
I cried aloud to the LORD,
and He answered me from His holy hill. Selah" v. 3-4
Pray today that God would shield and protect those brothers and sisters in harms way. Pray that they would experientially know that the God of the Universe is their shield. Pray that God would lift their heads. Pray that they might be encouraged... because they need courage. Pray that God would hear and answer their cries. Ask God to encourage them with the truth that He always hears them.
"I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around." v. 5-6
Oh, that God would give these poor people good sleep. Can you imagine how sleepless you would be if you worried that your children would be chopped to death by a machete? Pray that God would given them peace in the crisis that passes all understanding. Pray that God would wake them in the morning. I never have to think about how vulnerable I am while unconsciously asleep. These men and women do. Even when out of harms way sleep is difficult. Pray that they would have unnatural courage. That they could be fearless even though the odds are seemingly stacked against them!
"Arise, O LORD!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked." v. 7
We are to be faithful in the midst of trial but we aren't asked to not desire physical salvation here and now. Pray fervently that God would save them. That He would use any variety of means to stop the violence and persecution. Many Christians would say that the only way to pray in regards to the oppressors is that they would experience a radical conversion like the Apostle Paul did. Please pray for that. That is a wonderful prayer. But we can also pray that God would beat the tar out of the violent, unjust people that are doing these terrible things. It is a Christian prayer to pray for God to strike the wicked.
For more context, Psalm 7:12-13 say this: "If a man does not repent, God will whet His sword; He has bent and readied His bow; He has prepared for him His deadly weapons, making His arrows fiery shafts."
Pray that the violent men be stopped and stopped suddenly by either radical conversion or holy violence.
"Salvation belongs to the LORD;
your blessing be on your people! Selah" v. 8
Earlier David said people taunted him by saying that there is no salvation for him in God. Here David proclaims that salvation belongs to the LORD. Pray that the persecuted people of God would know their soul's salvation and experience the temporary bodily salvation they desperately desire as well. Pray that their lives be a testimony against the lies the wicked spew. Pray that the people of God be blessed. Pray for an end of violence and ask for God to do abundantly more for them.
Please take time to pray for the persecuted church today.
