Thank you for your prayers – they really do make an enormous difference for our church family
Since the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan last year, it has never been more dangerous to be a secret Afghan believer – and our persecuted church family there are crying out for us to join them in prayer. It can be hard to know how to pray, but we serve a mighty God who hears our prayers and draws near in the darkness.
Join with the church in Afghanistan as we pray through four of God’s names in the Bible – El Roi, Jehovah Shalom, Jehovah Jireh and Jehovah Nissi – throughout the month of February.
Jehovah Nissi – The Lord is Our Banner
“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14
Tuesday 22 February
Despite their circumstances, secret believers in Afghanistan are still trusting in the sovereignty of God. Even with the loss of his livelihood, Sharifullah says, “We will never let hope be silenced…We will make sure the world hears the gospel through every breath we take. And we know you will help us by living the gospel, using your freedom and sharing Jesus with those who have come to your neighbourhoods. Please continue to stand with us.”
Praise God for the faith of believers in Afghanistan!
Wednesday 23 February
Secret believers in hiding are desperately seeking a safe community where they can live out their faith and be fed spiritually.
Ask God to keep the faith of Afghan believers alive through His Word. Pray that He will lead them to churches and communities of faith where they can grow in Jesus. Pray that the promises of God will take root in their hearts and bear fruit, and pray that He will provide pastors, ministers and Bible teachers to encourage them.
Thursday 24 February
A local source says: “In the Asian context, family ties are very close knit. Many believers who leave the country have left with their close families who don’t know Jesus yet. Pray that they would have the courage to share the truth of Christ within their families. However, when they do so, they must be prepared for the consequences. There is no guarantee as to how their loved ones would respond.”
Today, pray for the secret believers to have courage to be a witness for Christ despite the high risks.
Friday 25 February
Open Doors partners have already been able to help many refugee families with the basics that they need to survive. For the future, our partners are already looking for ways to help refugee families for the long term – possibly with small scale businesses like variety shops, or with tuk-tuks or local taxis.
Praise God for the overwhelming support and generosity of the global church towards Afghanistan, and for the kingdom work He is doing in their midst!
Saturday 26 February
Even against the backdrop of violence, a health crisis, and shortages of every kind, secret believers in Afghanistan remain confident in Jesus. For Saad and his wife Fatimah, the birth of their daughter is a sign of hope: “The birth of our baby girl is a sign that God has not given up on our country.”
Praise God for the hope He gives Afghan believers to persevere. Pray that, despite their situation, secret believers and Afghan refugees would stand strong in their suffering. May they
put their hope and trust in our God who provides victory.
Sunday 27 February
As Afghanistan fades out of the headlines, it could be easy for us in the global church to forget about the suffering of our brothers and sisters in this country. Or it could also be the opposite – as news of terrorist attacks in the Gulf constantly bombard us, our hearts could grow weary and overwhelmed.
As we approach the end of our month of prayer, ask the Lord to renew the hearts of His people with compassion for their brothers and sisters in Afghanistan and around the world who suffer for following Jesus.
Monday 28 February
Thank you for joining in prayer with our Afghan brothers and sisters this month. Knowing that you remember them means so much to our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan. As one believer shares, “Knowing I am God’s beloved reminds me that no matter what someone does to me, the church will not forget me because Jesus will not forget me."
Please keep holding Afghan believers before God in your prayers – we will continue to provide the latest prayer information to help you do this throughout the year.
*Names have been changed throughout for security purposes.
Photo credit: IMB.ORG
More ways to pray for Afghanistan >>
