As the situation of the church in China continues to fluctuate, prayer for brothers and sisters in sensitive and fraught situations remains important. This week’s prayer guide comes from a Chinese sister who requests prayer for a church undergoing tension with officials. As always, remember that there are many ways to praise God for his work China, even while praying against attack and suffering.
Join your hearts today and throughout the week in lifting up the needs of the Chinese church. Many of our Chinese brothers and sisters pray at 10:02am every morning, reflecting upon the words of Luke 10:02. Would you consider setting your clock to join them this week?
“And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
– Luke 10:02
How to pray for persecuted churches from a Chinese sister:
1. When pastors and church leaders are detained, “Pray that God would protect and shepherd his church, and guard their heart of unity. Ask that God would prepare servant [leaders] and a place for gathering for the church.”
2. When churches are forcefully closed, “Pray that God would strengthen the courage of the brothers and sisters so that they would not stop gathering.”
3. Ask God to “protect the faith of those detained, and pray that they would receive fair treatment during their detention. Pray that no dark power could harm them over the Lord’s gracious hands. Please also pray that God would use them to open doors for the gospel, so that they will boldly spread the truth of the gospel.”
4. Pray for God to strengthen the husbands, wives, parents, and children of those detained.
5. “Although the Lord uses hardship as bread and tribulation as water, he still guides his church to walk in the way of righteous.” Ask God to “…discipline his church, and purify his church for the Lord’s use. In order to keep [the church] on the way of sanctification, pray that all full-time workers and communicants will continue in prayer.”
6. “Pray for the government’s religious policy, and that the Lord would show mercy to those holding authority. They do not know what they are doing. Pray for the many churches that are going through persecution. Through fire and water, they must arrive in a place of abundance. [Ask God to] please use these persecutions to press his church to take root in the gospel, to be renewed in grace, and to call more workers to follow the in footsteps of church planting.”
7. “Pray that God would disrupt the schemes of the evil one, protect all brothers and sisters so they may return home safely and avoid further detentions. Please also pray that the Lord would give special guidance to churches in their paths forward.”
