Pray for Afghanistan

The Father’s Heart for Afghanistan

From across the long room, a tall man with a mile-wide smile called out, ‘Can you get me Bible correspondence courses so I may share them with Muslims here?’ I knew this man had great faith. Zia was a Pashtun from Afghanistan who was physically blind, but he had spiritual eyes that were keen on the truth of the gospel. Years later, he lost his life because of his choice to set his eyes on Christ and to boldly share him with others. Zia knew that salvation is by grace through faith in the atoning death of Christ on the cross. However, the cross of Christ is a monumental stumbling block for Afghanis. The endless Islamic teaching of ‘do good to earn heaven’ starkly contradicts the teaching of ‘Christ crucified for our sins’.

Persecution is the cross Afghani believers are called to bear for placing their faith in Christ and for sharing the Gospel. Pray that the cross of Christ will be a source of comfort and courage for them.

*Used with permission from “The Father’s Heart: 31 Days of Prayer for the Pashtuns”

30 Ways for Muslims to encounter Christ

In many parts of the Muslim world, Islam is passed down more through tradition, family, and society than in formal education. Prayer, fasting, and going on the Hajj are mostly done in a communal context. Today we pray in faith for our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan to find community and family in your Church. We pray they would have vision for sharing what they are learning about Christ in their community, families, and networks.

Liberty to the Captives

Each of us who comes to Christ must repent of and renounce every pact, promise, or identity we held before faith in Christ. Join us in praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ from a Muslim background as they repent of their former identity as Muslims. This prayer is inspired by chapter 7 and 8 of Liberty to the Captives by Mark Durie

Our distinctive marks are not humiliation or inferiority, but Christ’s victory, unity in Christ’s love, and the cross. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

Pray for Christians from a Muslim background in Afghanistan to be freed from every need to self-promote, boast, and compensate for any sense of inferiority. May they embrace Jesus’ example of self-denial and follow Him.

Praying Scripture

“And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ’Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of Afghanistan!’” (Rev 15:3).

Father, this scripture speaks truth: one day, Afghanistan will sing the song of Moses, the song of Miriam (Exodus 15:20-21), and they shall dance before the Lord as a once-captive people now walking across a dry sea, a once-imprisoned people now liberated from the brutality of Pharaoh. The truth is that all the people of Afghanistan shall sing: great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty; just and true are your ways, O Lord, King of Ages!

Praying for the Church

Christians are often persecuted by friends and family. Sometimes they have a hard time finding people who are willing to learn and grow with them. Pray that God will guide new believers in Afghanistan to those they already know who are searching.

Claiming Our Hope in Christ and His Heart for the Nations

Lord of compassion, would you rise and deliver your imprisoned people. Have mercy on those whose attention is captured by distractions and cheap thrills; have mercy on those whose time is consumed by workaholism and mindless activity; have mercy on those whose energy is sapped by the toxic effects of addiction, over-consumption, and escapism. Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy.