Christians from all over the world, particularly those living in the Middle East, are living in dangerous times. After Islamic extremists conducted an Easter attack at the Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park in Lahore, Pakistan, Christian author J. Lee Grady believes it is time for God's people to unite in prayer.
People might feel at a loss on how to pray after this horrific tragedy, but Grady offers five prayers in Charisma News that can guide Christians:
1. Pray that cowardly acts of violence will backfire.
Whenever Christians are persecuted for their faith, Grady believes that their blood becomes a "seed" for the advancement of the Gospel.
"Many nominal or liberal Muslims are deeply troubled by the actions of Islamic militants who belong to groups like ISIS or the Taliban," says Grady. In fact, liberal Muslims are condemning these acts of terror and have been doing everything they can to help Christians.
2. Pray that Muslim governments will pursue justice.
It's good that Pakistan's prime minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack on Christian and even vowed to fight terrorism in Pakistan "until it is rooted out from our society." But Grady believes that the United States and other Western governments should not stop pressuring Muslim nations to oppose extremist groups.
3. Pray that terrorist groups will be exposed and stopped.
"We tend to be fearful of militant groups like ISIS because their tactics are so cruel and intimidating," says Grady. But if we could see this situation through God's eyes, we would realize that these terrorist factions are fighting a losing battle. They are the ones who are afraid. Soon they will be defeated."
4. Pray for a continued release of miracles in Islamic nations.
Despite the threats posed by Islamic extremists, Christians are still standing up for their faith in Iran, Pakistan, and other Muslim countries, says Grady. Even Muslims themselves are coming to Jesus, often because they have dreams about the Son of God. Grady says these newfound Christians need prayers so that they will continue to grow in faith.
5. Pray that Christians will not be intimidated by persecution.
Lastly, those who follow Christ in Muslim countries often suffer job discrimination, social harassment, and lack of government protection. Grady is enjoining Christians to pray for their empowerment so that they will have "supernatural boldness to defend their faith even in the face of terror."
