EMERGENCY PRAYER ALERT – CALL TO PRAY FOR INDIA!
Youth With A Mission staff members have been among the thousands of followers of Christ in India who are suffering under violent persecution by Hindu radicals.
The violence has increased in recent months across the nation, most particularly in the states of Orissa and Karnataka, where thousands are fleeing their homes in an attempt to escape the persecution. In the state of Orissa alone, 51 people are confirmed dead, while over 40 000 have been forced to flee their homes as gangs of Hindu radicals storm through, beating up pastors, priests and nuns, burning churches and homes and vandalizing property.
Reports have come in from over a dozen YWAM staff and students who have suffered beatings and injuries, the loss of their homes and damage to personal and ministry property. Other teams are engaged in efforts to support the refugees who are often left with nothing. All are desperately praying for God to intervene, and they are asking YWAM International to join them.
A group of 90 Christian leaders meeting last week in Mumbai felt in prayer that the situation for Indian Christians is similar to that in the book of Esther, when God’s people were also being subject to a plan of extermination. YWAM leaders from India who were at the meeting explain, “Queen Esther appeals, through Mordecai, to the people of God to go on a three day fast. The rest is history. God intervenes. That's the objective of this call to pray and fast. Accordingly we are urging all our friends to declare three days of prayer and fasting for India from Monday the 29th to Wednesday the 1st of October. “
YWAM International Chairman, Lynn Green, echoes this call to prayer. “This coming Thursday is YWAM’s monthly Global Day of Prayer and our focus is on strengthening yourself in the Lord," Lynn says. "Our brothers and sisters in India are suffering in a way many of us have never faced and we must stand with them, strengthening them with our prayers as they pursue God’s purposes in that nation.”
Prayer Points for India :
1) Read Esther chapter 3 and 4 to see parallels between what is happening in India today and the enemy’s goal at that time to wipe out God’s people. Pray for “Esthers” to rise up and speak to influential people in India who can work to prevent further violence.
2) Pray that God will bless those who persecute, according to Jesus’ instructions and that they would come to faith in Jesus through the example of the believers and the supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit
3) Pray for believers across India to be strengthened in their faith and persevere through these hardships. Pray that God would use them especially in this time, to be salt and light in India.
4) Pray for the victims of this violence, and for intervention from the Central Government to prevent further attacks. Pray for relief efforts which are assisting those who have been hurt or have lost everything.
For updated news on violence against Christians in India, please go to the Evangelical Fellowship of India website at www.efionline.org
For this month’s Global Day of Prayer teaching, go to : www.prayerday.org
A full list of prayer points from the Esther fast and other information is available from : ict@oval.com. Please include your full name and location when requesting further information.
