7 Days of Prayer: Sunday, 16 February 2025

By Justin Long

Did someone send this to you? Sign up to get it each Sunday.
Please help us grow prayer—forward it to friends with your endorsement.

Join us in beseeching (δέομαι) the Lord of the Harvest this week for…

23 Feb. The Association of Protestant Churches in Turkey has called for a special time of prayer and fasting on 23-25 February, because of the more than 159 ‘foreign brothers and sisters who have been part of our churches, supported our ministries, and shared our lives who have received security codes that have forced them to leave the country.’ Pray for the men and women — and their families — who have had to leave Turkey, and for the churches, to find strength and consolation for the difficulties, and for new servants to emerge to fill the gap, including local leaders and servants raised up among local churches.

24th. We pray for the believers of West Africa, and especially for the church in Nigeria. This region’s population is growing rapidly. By 2030, half of all young people entering the global workforce will be African. Much of West Africa’s population is Christian; by 2050, more Christians will live in sub-Saharan Africa than anywhere else (projects the Economist). West African Christianity is young and energetic, with large overlapping streams of conservatives, Pentecostals, and the prosperity gospel. We pray for ‘workers for the harvest’ to be called from West African believers, and they will become part of efforts to spread the Gospel into the less Christian northern parts. Additionally, many West Africans, including West African Christians, seek to migrate to Europe and other parts of the world; there have been notable instances of Nigerians planting churches in the West. We pray that those believers who migrate will bring a fervor for Christ with them.

25th. We pray for the believers caught up in the midst of the conflict in DR Congo. The war between M23 and the Congolese is quite serious, and has the potential to bring chaos, state collapse, and virtual dismemberment of the nation. Millions could flee, additional new wars could flare up, and the country could possibly split apart, functionally if not in political fact. Violence and abuse are widespread. The churches of DR Congo are trying to play a role in peacemaking; we pray for wisdom, discernment, and boldness on their part. Likewise, we pray that believers in the east will stand up against the violent and the bullying, and rescue the innocent.

26th. We pray for believers in Syria, who are trying to navigate the changes in their country. Many political and economic struggles are challenging the nation, as they try to rebuild for the future. We pray that in the midst of this time, believers will be an immediate blessing to their neighbors, and that they will find opportunities to pray for others and have spiritual conversations. We pray also for believers, both Syrians and outsiders, to find innovative ways to be part of the long-term reconstruction of the batuib,

27th. China is aging. ‘End of life care is still developing, and spiritual care is often left out… China also has the world’s highest number of patients with terminal cancer… The current trend of one-man authoritarian rule makes reforms to health care systems challenging and elder care a low priority for most officials.’ Some believers are stepping into this gap, like the ‘Golden Apple Life Care Team’ which ministers to the rapidly aging population and the critically ill (see CT). Pray for these believers and others to continue to minister to the elderly, who seem left out of the plans of many. Pray that through these efforts many will come to know Jesus, and the Gospel will spread to them and to their families.

28th. Today, many around the world begin 30 days of prayer for the Muslim world, coinciding with the month of Ramadan. During this period of time, many pray especially that Jesus would be revealed to Muslims through dreams and visions. Let’s pray this today. If you want to join in the larger 30 days of prayer campaign, prayer guides are here.

1st April. In Thailand, where same-sex marriage has been legalized, Christians are ‘doubling down on evangelism.’ Christians make up less than 2% of Thailand. Most churches hold a conservative stance on LGBTQ issues, but ‘the shift in the law hasn’t affected any part of the local church that much,’ notes one pastor. Rather than debating issues of sexuality in the public square, believers and pastors are generally opting for conversations in the context of personal relationships. Pray for believers in Thailand to continue in discernment, boldness, kindness and wisdom to build relationships with non-believers, including those in the LGBTQ community, and for the Gospel to spread.ad compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, the harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

(Matthew 9:36)

Sign up to get this each Sunday

Where do these prayer requests come from? This is a weekly guide to beseeching (δέομαι/deomai, Matthew 9) the Lord of the Harvest for the unreached peoples and places of the world. It is based on the events listed in my Weekly Roundup, as well as on information received from disciple-making movements and other sources around the world. If you’re interested in my Weekly Roundup (out each Friday), you can see a sample and sign up for it here.