7 Days of Prayer: Sunday, 21 July 2024

By Justin Long

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

7/21. We continue to pray for the situation in Israel, Gaza, and vs. Hezbollah in Lebanon. Pray Romans 8:28—that God would work in this for good:

• There has been a “flurry of talk” that could lead to a possible cease-fire. We continue to pray for an end to the violence and a lasting peace, as well as for the release of all of the remaining hostages.
• Likewise, we pray for peace on the Israel-Lebanon border and an end to the violence between Israel and Hezbollah. An outbreak of war between Israel and Hezbollah could be even more devastating than the warfare in Gaza.
• We pray in the midst of this situation for many hearts to turn to Christ. While there is a scattering of Messianic Jews in Israel, most Christians in the region are Arab believers. We pray for their endurance in their faith, and for believers of all kinds to be a blessing to the individuals and families on both sides of the violence.

7/22. We pray for the many churches and believers who are undertaking Gospel activities in the context of the Olympic Games in France, including welcoming events, KidsGames, and festivals. We pray for fruit from these efforts, and also for the safety of everyone involved: the Olympics are the “biggest security event outside of war.”

7/23. We continue to pray for the end of the war in Sudan; after 16 months, from a human analytics perspective, there is no end currently in sight, although the RSF has made significant gains. Hundreds of thousands are ‘trapped’ in North Darfur’s capital with supplies running low. Over 10 million – perhaps 20% of the total Sudan population – have been displaced from their homes. Even if the war were to somehow end tomorrow, the displacement and devastation would still have to be grappled with, perhaps for years. Pray for the believers, the churches, and the aid agencies trying to serve in the midst of this terrible situation.

7/24. We pray for the many young children in northern Mozambique, especially young girls, who are abducted when very young, kept to grow up among militants, and then forced to marry and bear children. We pray for their rescue, for healing from trauma, and for restoration. We pray for an end to the violence, and for justice. We pray that many of the Islamic militants in northern Mozambique will come to follow Jesus and repent of their ways. (Psalm 82:3-4—Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.)

7/25. We pray for Japan’s churches to have discernment and innovation in the midst of the changing demographic situation. The low birth rate means that Japan is aging; churches, like businesses, will have to find ways to reach out to older people (like this example of the elderly taking ballet classes). Additionally, Japan is seeking to fill its need for workers with more foreigners than ever before; this leads to opportunities to reach migrant workers, but also leads to cultural conflict over the role of foreigners. Pray for the churches and believers to have wisdom and influence the culture toward love and peace. Along with Matthew 9, we pray for God to send more workers into this harvest field.

7/26. We pray for the millions who are displaced in Ethiopia and Kenya, mostly in and around the Somalia, Oromia and Tigray regions. While the fighting in Ethiopia is done, the after effects are still being felt. Pray for believers and churches to find innovative ways to be a blessing to the many who are homeless and traumatized. (Psalm 10:17—You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them and listen to their cry.)

7/27. We pray for peace and justice in Bangladesh, in the midst of massive and widespread student protests in which some have been killed and many have been injured (NYT). We pray for the continued Gospel spread in the nation, and for the values of the Kingdom to permeate the entire culture like yeast in a dough. (Colossians 3:12—as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.)

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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.