International (MNN) — It’s a dangerous time to claim the name of Christ. According to the World Evangelical Alliance, one in seven Christians worldwide lives in a place where they face persecution for following Jesus.
You can pray for millions who share our faith but not our freedom on Sunday. November 6, 2022, is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, or Persecuted Christians. See a history of IDOP here.
(Photo courtesy of Jon Tyson via Unsplash)
“Pay attention to religious freedom; pay attention to blasphemy laws and things that affect our Christian brothers and sisters,” Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA says.
“Pray for Christians who are facing blasphemy laws, that God will encourage them and strengthen them to go forward in spite of the danger they face. This is one of the things that we can pray for as we approach the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians.”
Get prayer guides and other IDOP resources from The Voice of the Martyrs USA here.
One of the most dangerous things a person can do is turn from Islam to Christ. Renouncing Islam is a crime in 24 countries and often carries a death sentence. Pray that believers from a Muslim background will have courage and conviction.
Ask the Holy Spirit to guide all Christians as they share the Gospel with Muslim friends or family members. “I have interviewed many people working in a blasphemy law context, and they will often tell you, ‘I don’t talk to someone about what’s wrong with Islam,’” Nettleton says.
“‘I talk to them about Jesus. I talk to them about what’s right with Jesus, and let them come to the conclusion that Islam is wrong.’”
Header image depicts Rebecca, a Nigerian woman who watched helplessly with her daughter as Boko Haram militants killed her husband and son, and burned her home. (Photo courtesy VOM USA)
