Sunnyside Nazarene



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Day 1 – Sunday, Nov. 5 

Afghanistan
Afghanistan is #1 in rank among the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith. It is impossible to live openly as a Christian in this country. Most Afghans have never heard of
the Gospel. Evangelism is forbidden. Beatings, torture, and kidnappings are routine for Christians. Afghanistan’s population is around 38,914,000. As of 2022, there are more than 10,000 Christians in Afghanistan; almost all are converts
from Islam.



  • Pray that Taliban leaders will have encounters with the Lord our God that will transform not only their lives but the lives of people across Afghanistan



  • Pray for secret believers that they will be protected from the violence of the Taliban.



  • Pray that isolated Christians will be able to find secret fellowships and be encouraged.



  • Pray for around 200 Afghan refugees in the Portland area since Nov. 2021, that they will come to saving faith.







Day 2 – Monday, Nov. 6

China
China is #17 in rank among the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith. To date, there are around 96,700,000 Christians in China, from a total population of 1,428,481,000. Surveillance
in China is among the most oppressive and sophisticated in the world. The government has installed more than 170 million facial recognition cameras, many in or near churches, to identify those who attend worship services. Church
attendance is religiously monitored, and many churches are closed.               



  • Pray that despite intense surveillance, faith will flourish in China and more people will discover the love of God.



  • Pray for strength and perseverance for Christians in China to enable them to stand firm against persecution and opposition, that the authorities will see Christians as a force for good and harmony in society and stop the persecution of the Church.



  • Pray for the authorities in China to recognize the importance of religious freedom and allow the churches to gather and worship without restrictions.




Day 3 – Tuesday, Nov. 7

India
India is #10 in rank among the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith. The persecution of Christians in India has intensified, as Hindu extremists, local governments and nationalists
Hindus seek to “purify” India by making it entirely Hindu. Many pastors have been beaten and jailed and several are martyred each year.



  • Praise the Lord that despite persecution, the number of Christians in India continues to grow. Pray for
    believers to have courageous and bold faith in the face of rising persecution.



  • Pray for healing of the many victims of religious violence injured in recent attacks in India. Ask the Lord to heal both hearts and bodies.



  • Pray for protection for India’s Christian community. Pray that Christians model God’s love across religious, regional and caste barriers.



  • Pray that hearts of Hindu extremists in India will be softened and that they will come to know Christ.



  • Pray that India grows into a community that is committed to caring for the weak, the discriminated, and the marginalized—such as the homeless, the immigrants, the elderly, the orphans, the outcasts, and the poor.



  • Pray for greater access to aid and education for millions suffering in abject poverty.




Day 4 – Wednesday, Nov. 8

Iran
Iran is #9 in rank among the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith. There are no church services permitted in Farsi, the national language of Iran. Converts from Islam
are most at risk of persecution, especially by the government. If discovered as Christians, they may be banned from education, lose their jobs and find it very difficult to get back into employment. Women are likely to be
violently punished or divorced by their husbands and have their children taken away from them.



  • As of 2019, it is recorded that the fastest growing church in the world is in Iran! Praise the Lord for the 10,000 Iranians who came to faith within 1 year! Pray for their spiritual growth!



  • Pray for Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-Khamenei, and other religious leaders of Iran, that they would have their hearts changed to recognize Jesus as Lord.



  • Pray that Iranians who have dreams and visions will come to faith in Jesus Christ.



  • Pray for believers who are in prison because of their faith. Pray that the Lord our God will give them hope and faith.



  • Pray that our brothers and sisters be protected, and given their rights, so that they do not have to flee the country.



  • Pray that house churches will continue to grow and powerfully equip believers for serving Jesus.




Day 5 – Thursday, Nov. 9 

Israel-Hamas war



  • Let’s pray for God’s grace and comfort for those imprisoned, kidnapped, injured, and mourning and for Jews and Arabs alike to find hope in Christ. Pray for true forgiveness to replace longstanding hatred and bitterness, and that the love of Jesus will capture the hearts of Hamas members.



  • Pray for the hostages according to Isaiah 49:24-26 – “Can plunder be taken from warriors, or captives be rescued from the fierce? But this is what the Lord says: ‘Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save….Then all mankind will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.’”



  • Pray that the Lord will use this tragic event to cause people to seek him about their own eternal destiny.



  • Pray for GOD’s guiding wisdom and righteousness for Israel’s leaders.



  • Pray that God will restrain Iran, Turkey, Hezbollah, and others who openly threaten to exterminate the Jews.



  • Pray for our Palestinian brothers and sisters who are deeply impacted by the ongoing conflict. Pray for their protection and that they would somehow see God at work amid so much devastation.



  • Pray for God to use Palestinian Christians as a bridge for peace between Arabs and Jews.



  • Pray that Christians—whether from Arab or Jewish backgrounds—will be a powerful witness for Jesus.