Even if our understanding of it is limited, there is no denying that prayer is a mighty weapon gifted to us from our Father, Who calls upon us to wield it "without ceasing" on behalf of our Christian brothers and sisters:
Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
- Hebrews 13: 3
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
- Ephesians 6: 18
Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
- Galatians 6:2
And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.
- 1 Corinthians 12:26-27
...you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.
- 2 Corinthians 1:11
Today and Sunday, Nov. 8 are International Days of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. May each of us carve out time to "bear one another's burdens" out of love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. For great suggestions and verses to pray for the persecuted church, click the following links:
- International Days of Prayer for the Persecuted Church website http://idop.org/en/
- downloadable resources to help you pray http://idop.org/en/downloads/
- "How to Pray for the Persecuted Church" http://www.cru.org/train-and-grow/spiritual-growth/prayer/pray-for-persecuted-church.html
- "Why and How Should We Pray and Act for the Suffering Church?" http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-persecutedchurch.html#howtopray
- "As You Pray" by Voice of the Martyrs https://www.vomcanada.com/prayer.htm
- "Pray for the Persecuted" http://www.bereanbiblechurch.org/transcripts/hebrews/pray-persecuted.htm
- "The Persecuted Church Taught Me to Pray" http://www.lausanneworldpulse.com/perspectives.php/1205/10-2009
And as we go about our daily lives here in America, may we also remember:
"The persecuted Church needs our prayers. But we also need their example. Often, they have told me that they pray for the Western Church—that we will be faithful to Christ in the midst of our materialism and the numerous temptations of our culture. We need their prayers, not least because they need for us to be strong in our faith in order to stand with them. Together we are one body—suffering together and rejoicing together." - Al Jannsen
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