It was a Pentecost bloodbath and most Christians never heard about it. More than 50 Christians were killed in one of the deadliest terror attacks on Nigerians this year. Scores of gunmen rushed in to kill Christians in the midst of worship.
All told, more than 360 million Christians suffered high levels of persecution and/or discrimination for their faith between November 2020 and September 2021, according to Open Doors’ World Watch List.
In the 2022 World Watch List top 50 countries alone, 312 million Christians suffered high or extreme levels of persecution and/or and discrimination for their faith. That’s one in seven Christians, worldwide, one in five in Africa, two in five in Asia and one in fifteen in Latin America.
Nearly 6,000 Christians were killed for their faith in that same time period. That’s an increase of 24 percent over the 2021. Seventy-nine percent of the killings were in Nigeria. Pakistan came in second with 11 percent. Over 5,000 churches or Christian buildings were attacked. Nearly 5,000 Christians were detained for their faith, and almost 4,000 were abducted for faith-related reasons.
Afghanistan is number one on the 2022 World Watch List, the first time in two decades North Korea hasn’t been number one. This is because of the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021, making a deadly situation for Christians even worse. For the second year in a row, Nigeria was the most violent place in the world for Christians. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the place where the most Christians are attacked or violently abused for their faith.
Awakening Prayer Hubs is praying for the persecuted church in July. Please join us for July and beyond. Launch a hub, join a hub or sponsor a hub at www.awakeningprayerhubs.com. You can also join our monthly prayer call here.
Here are 37 prayer points.
Repent for apathy in praying for the persecuted church. Rend your heart and ask God to forgive you (see Joel 2:13)
Surrender afresh and come with willing, obedient hearts to stand in the gap for the persecuted church (see James 4:10; Galatians 2:20; Ezekiel 2:30).
Thank the Lord that He upholds the persecuted church with His Righteous Right hand (see Isaiah 40:10).
Pray God would mantle the persecuted church with His Spirit of might (see Isaiah 11:2). Pray He will strengthen their feeble arms and weak knees (see Hebrews 12:12).
Pray intercessors would be persistent in prayer, staying alert with all perseverance for those in the midst of persecution.
Pray that as the persecuted church continues to open their mouth, words would be given to them to boldly make known the mystery of the Gospel (see Ephesians 18-20; Hebrews 13:3).
Pray persecuted Christians would keep their hope and trust in Jesus through the fire of persecution (see Eph. 1:18; 1 Pet. 5:10)
Pray the hearts of those who make up the persecuted church will not fail them for fear. Pray they will keep their hands to the plough and not look back (see Luke 21:26; Luke 9:62)
Pray the Lord fills the persecuted church with His joy and peace in being steadfast in believing (see Romans 15:13).
Pray for the ministry of angels around the persecuted church (see Hebrews 1:14; Psalm 34:7). Pray God’s protection over their lives (see Psalm 91).
Pray the Lord provides His supernatural provision for every need the persecuted may have (see Philippians 4:19)
Pray the persecuted church will be drawn by Holy Spirit to remain in a mindset of prayer and worship despite their circumstances like Paul and Silas (see Acts 16:25).
Pray that we the church will bear one another’s burdens and in so doing we fulfill the law of Christ (see Galatians 6:2).
Pray believers who are being scattered because of persecution will find homes and shelter. Pray they are blessed going out and coming in (see Psalm 91; Acts 11:19).
Bind every hindering and harassing spirit coming against the persecuted church. Pray demonic spirits would not succeed to disrupt the prayer movement, prophetic flow, and advancement of the church (see Acts 13:50).
Pray that the church is blessed in her persecution with a greater revelation of Jesus and the comfort of the Holy Spirit (see Matthew 5:10).
Pray the Body of Christ gains understanding of the revelation of persecution in our day and prepares its heart for the days ahead. Pray that the church uses wisdom about where to go and what to do in this hour (see Proverbs 4:7-8).
Pray for those who have left homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields amidst persecution so that they may receive eternal life and abundant blessing in this age and that to come (see Mark 10:29-31).
Pray those experiencing persecution would find a way of escape in a dream or vision just as you showed Joseph and Mary and others (see Matthew 2:13).
Pray those suffering from persecution would continue to run their race and to not grow weary nor give up. Pray they would keep their eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of their faith (see Hebrews 12:1-3).
Pray the persecuted would love and do good to their enemies, bless those who curse them, and pray for those who mistreat them. Pray that they would continue praying, singing, and praising the Lord by faith in the face of persecution, which would draw unbelievers’ hearts to the Lord (see Luke 6:27-31; Acts 16:16-36).
Pray for the strengthening of the faith of believers enduring affliction. For the momentary light affliction is producing an eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:16-17).
Pray His perfect love would cast out all fear among those suffering for Christ’s sake (see 1 John 4:18).
Pray the Church would grow throughout the nations despite persecution. Pray that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (see Matthew 10:18; Philippians 2:10-11).
Pray the persecuted 5-fold would walk in His wisdom and courage as they continue to preach the word, proclaim the gospel, exhort, and endure suffering (2 Timothy 4:1-2; 5)
Pray Bibles and other resources would be made available to the persecuted church worldwide (see 2 Timothy 3:16–17).
Pray for justice and vindication for those enduring persecution (see Luke 18:1–8; Romans 12:19).
Pray leaders in nations would make wise decisions regarding religious liberty (see Proverbs 29:2).
Pray those persecuting the church would have a Damascus Road encounter with Jesus that turns them into preachers of the gospel (see Acts 9:3-6).
Awakening Prayer Hubs is looking for 1,000 prayer warriors to raise up as prayer leaders—prophetic solutionists to problems in your city and nation. Start a hub or launch a hub. Find out more at awakeningprayerhubs.com.
