We found out Hank and Violet are expecting a baby. Please ask for a healthy baby and for continued good news interactions with them and their whole family. Several of the extended family have had exposure to the good news and have questions. May they all come to accept the one who is the way!
Soften hard hearts
Pray that hearts that have been previously hard would be softened by the Spirit. We ask that God strip away the arrogance and self righteousness, that people would become poor in spirit and bow before the cross. Lord, break up the fallow ground, may the painful gorges clear a way for seed to be sown and bring a harvest.
Healing
Our friend Rose comes weekly to clean. Her mom had heart surgery last week and needs prayer for recovery. Ask that Rose and her family would have their eyes opened to the Father.
Second trial
Continue to pray for believers in prison. May they endure faithfully and be victorious by the blood of the Lamb and the word of his testimony. Some will stand trial again: Nov 19. No verdict was given at the Oct 1 trial.
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
New trial date
The believers in prison for their faith are going to trial Oct 1. Please pray the trial would go ahead (and not be postponed again) and the judge would rule for their immediate release.
Oct 1 trial date
The trial has once again been postponed. The new date is Oct 1. Please pray for encouragement for the brothers and sister in prison for their faith. May they know the precious presence of the Lord Jesus in a profound way. Pray God would care for their families. And pray for their deliverance!
Soft heart
Pray for our dear friends Iris and Karl and their 4 kids. Iris asks me lots of spiritual questions, recently specifically about Jesus. Ask that her heart would soften to the truth and that their whole family would come to know Jesus Christ.
Trial Sept 3
Pray for the Lord to go before the believers going to trial tomorrow, Sept 3rd. Pray for courage and peace for them to stand strong. Pray for the Lord to trouble the judge and that he would hear and obey the Lord, “Let My people go!”
Pray the trial would not be postponed and all would be released.
Holy Father, these prisoners are your true children. Please give them patient endurance. Purify their hearts from any doubt or fear that the accuser has spoken. Fill them with patience and kindness. May the presence of your Holy Spirit be so clear to each one who sees them. Let sincere love shine from their countenances, for their brothers and sister, for those trying them, for the lawyers, for their oppressors, for Jesus. Remove any thought of speaking self-protecting lies. Let each one faithfully preach the truth. We know that your resurrection power is working in them.
Know His presence
Pray that those persecuted for Jesus would know the presence of Jesus as they wait for the trial on September 3 and that the believers who are not imprisoned would remember their brothers in their suffering, and that they would be bold and courageous to speak the gospel.
Drought
Lift up our country as it’s been in drought for 6 years now and in our area specifically, most of the farmers didn’t even plant last year because there wasn’t enough rain and reservoirs are very low. Bath houses and car washes have been forced to close for 3 days a week. May the lack of rain and the hard times push people so seek the one who has living water that never dries up!
Update on trial
The hearing did not happen on Tuesday. It’s been postponed until 3rd September. Reason given was that not all the defendants were brought to the court and the hearing cannot happen if one of the defendants is missing. Pray for encouragement for the prisoners and their families after this disappointment. Pray the Lord will trouble the judge until he lets His people free.
Trial Aug 13th
The prisoners’ trial was postponed to Aug 13. Pray for comfort and courage for the believers as they face the judge. Pray for the judge to be convicted by the Lord and for all the prisoners to be released.
Still in prison
Pray for those still imprisoned to know the presence of Jesus, the fellowship of his suffering, to declare their unwavering decision to keep following Jesus… (even if in pain or doubt they recanted in the past)… and pray for the court case Aug 13 … for the kingdom of God to advance and Jesus’ name be lifted high and families reunited.
Prisoners
Pray for the prisoners, that the God of hope fill them with all joy and peace as they trust in Him, so that they may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom 15:13). Pray for their families. And pray for the captors- that God would trouble them until they let His people go.
Small business
Joy’s candy floss cart is now up and running and she’s been able to finally earn some money to support her family. It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to get a job as a believer (she was fired from her last job for talking about Jesus), so this little bit of financial independence has been a real blessing. Pray for the Lord’s blessing on her business and encouragement of her faith.
Focused engagement
We recently carried out a focused engagement time in our community with the aim of sharing the Good News. It was such a joy to work alongside other workers from our city and surrounding area including three local believers! Pray for those who heard the Good News for the first time, that the Father will continue to draw them to Himself and that they will bow their knees to Him.
Pray again for the young man who was kicked out of his home because of his faith in Jesus; ask God to work in the hearts of his family and to provide for his needs.
Feast of Sacrifice
The Eid al-Adha (the ‘feast of sacrifice’, when Muslims remember Abraham sacrificing a ram in place of his son) was celebrated last weekend. Many meaningful conversations were had around the subject of sacrifice. Pray that as these seeds were planted, they would find good soil and many follow up conversations would take place.
Prisoners
Pray the God of hope will fill the prisoners and their families with all joy and peace as they trust in Him, so that they would overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom 15:13)
Pray the judge and other officials would have no peace and would be troubled by the Holy Spirit until they repent and free the Lord’s loved ones.
Trial update
Thank you so much for praying for those who went to court yesterday. I know that God is so delighted to hear his children praying in unity, remembering those in prison, choosing to identify with those who are suffering. The court refused the lawyer’s request to release them and set a new court day for August 13. Pray for those in prison, for their families, for the believers outside of prison, to be still and wait on the Lord in hope. May He lift up their heads and give them peace.
Trial
Pray for the believers standing trial for their faith tomorrow. They have been in prison for over a year. Pray for the peace of God to overflow in their hearts and give them courage to honor Him and stand firm. Pray the Lord would cause the judge to have favor on them and release them. May the Lord’s presence be tangible in the courtroom so that the believers are comforted and the Muslims are afraid.
Going to trial
Please pray and fast with us on June 11. One of our imprisoned brothers is going to trial that day. We pray that he will have a settled heart knowing God is sovereign, God is powerful, and God loves each one. We are asking for families to be reunited and fear to be removed from the church.
If you would like to sign up for a slot to join the 24 hour prayer and fasting group, please click on the link:
https://imprisonedlibya.pray4movement.org/
Gospel is powerful
Pray that those living in slavery to sin would feel the weight of those chains and meet believers who speak the gospel. Pray for hearts of stone to be softened to hear and believe the gospel. We know the veil is lifted only in Christ and that the gospel is powerful to change hearts completely.
Teresa
Teresa came with her sister one night last year to ask questions about their belief and ours. She is spiritually hungry and on a journey searching for truth. She appreciates scripture and songs I send. She sees many fallacies in the belief system here. Please pray that she reads the word that is on her phone and that we can study together. Ask that she has a dream of a man in white calling her to follow Him. She loves the fact that our belief refers to followers as sons & daughters, not slaves.
For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:8
Ask that Teresa would continue to “seek until she finds”.
Prisoners
Continue to pray for those imprisoned in Libya for speaking and believing the gospel. It has been one year. Pray for lawyers who were courageous enough to take the case and for authorities and guards in the prisons to see the light of Jesus in His children. Pray for breakthrough for the church in Libya, for fearlessness and Spirit-filled resurrection power as well as fellowship in suffering.
Be strengthened
Pray for believers under pressure to recant their faith to be strengthened with might by God’s spirit in the inner man. (Eph 3:16)
Night of Power
April 5th or 6th is a night known as the “Night of Power.” Many Muslims will pray through the night hoping to gain special favor with God. Pray for the Holy Spirt to reveal Himself to many, and for revelation that we can receive special favor with God through His Son Jesus Christ.
Hope
Please continue to pray for the believers in jail for their faith. Pray that the God hope fills them with all joy and peace as they trust in Him, so that they may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13) And pray they will be delivered!
New brother
We have a new brother! He’s been having dreams about JC for about 5 years, has been reading the Word and sharing with his sister. And he has decided to follow Jesus!
Since he chose to follow JC on Sunday, Sam’s family kicked him out of the home and he wasn’t able to get any of his belongings. He said beforehand that he knew his family would persecute him, and that JC is worth it, but now he is actually experiencing it. Please lift this new brother up. Ask for the Father to miraculously provide for his needs, and to fill him with joy and strength. Ask for wisdom and discernment for the team as they walk this journey with him. Pray for his family to soften and his sister to continue seeking Truth.
Prisioners
Pray for all those in prison because of their Savior, Jesus Christ. May they know His comfort, His freedom despite chains, and in the lonely times apart from family, may they know the companionship that only God can give. Remember their families, as they miss and long to be together. “Release them Lord!”
Repent and believe
Pray for humility to listen to God, to believe that He has authority and speaks the truth in Scripture. Ask for repentance from rejecting God’s grace and from oppressing the weak.
Pray for those in prison
Pray for those who are still in prison for the sake of the gospel to have sweet intimate times with Jesus, be used mightily to reveal the glory of God… and that God would reunite them with their families soon!
Isolation
Pray for local brothers and sisters as they feel the isolation poignantly if they don’t have anyone to celebrate Christmas with.
Emmanuel
Many teas and Christmas parties happening these coming weeks. As people ooh and ahh over the decorations and sweet treats, ask for opportunities to share the story of Emmanuel.
Real story of Noel
Joy, a local sister, has invited her neighbours for tea this afternoon and hopes to tell them the real story of “Noel” and how it is different from New Year (which they often assume is what we are celebrating). Please pray they come and she has the opportunity to share Truth with wisdom and winsomeness.
Hungry for Truth and Love
We’re seeing people are hungry for Truth and Love. Seekers are finding us! Pray for one seeker in particular, Faith, that the Father would continue to draw her to Himself and that we could read the Word together.
Meeting together
Praise God for two local believers meeting together. Pray God will protect their times together and bless their fellowship.
Heard the gospel!
The team went out Friday and Saturday from noon to midnight looking for people interested in talking about spiritual matters. The Father enabled them to engage with 99 people and 76 of them heard the full gospel message! Lots of them are interested in follow up conversations to discuss further. Praise the Father with us and ask that the HS would water the seeds that were planted. All glory to Him!
Find Jesus
Ask for repentant humble hearts that feel the weight of sin and long for grace and the yoke of Jesus. May they have visions and find websites and meet believers who reveal Jesus clearly and truthfully.
Kicked out
A new believer has been kicked out of the house by her mother and brother for her faith. Please pray for Celia as she looks for a new place to live. May this experience strengthen her faith and cause her mom and brother to have a ‘Saul-to-Paul’ experience with the living, loving God!
Vibrant churches
Praise Jesus for the vibrant house churches who pray fervently for those persecuted for righteousness’ sake in nearby countries. Pray for the Lord’s encouragement and that He would answer their prayers.