7 Days of Prayer: Sunday, 29 September 2024

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…

9/30. We pray for the many who are caught in the terrible upsurge of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hundreds have been killed, thousands of have been wounded, and tens of thousands have fled (especially from the south) toward northern areas, especially Beirut. Fear is rampant. Many think the strikes are a prelude to war; and, indeed, the Israeli government has told its troops to prepare for ground action. The less fortunate (like migrant workers from other nations) are often in difficult situations, virtually stranded and homeless due to the attacks. The UK is sending troops to Cyprus in anticipation of mass evacuations. Some think a war between Israel and Hezbollah would be far worse than the one with Hamas; others, that Hezbollah will quickly bow to pressure. Regardless, many have been hurt and many more will be. Pray for the churches, believers and Kingdom efforts in the area to be a blessing in this difficult time.

• “Remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” (Hebrews 13:3)

10/1. We pray for the believers and churches and various kingdom efforts in Pakistan. Blasphemy allegations have, in the past, been used for revenge, as they could stir up mob violence against specific people or families. Now, disturbing new stories about people accused of blasphemy being killed by police have been reported. Pray for the church to endure the widespread and systemic persecution and oppression aimed at them, and for the Gospel to spread widely in the country. (NYT, Khaama)

• “If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then he will. But even if he doesn’t, Your majesty may be sure that we will not worship your god, and we will not bow down…” (Daniel 3:17-18)

10/2. We continue to pray for the war in Sudan. The living and health circumstances of the people is difficult; workers on the ground say “the outbreak of sickness is terrifying.” Cholera is one example, spreading widely. Famine is another. Pray for the church, enduring this difficult situation. Pray also for the Christian workers and priests who have been kidnapped by the RSF, and whose locations remain unknown. Pray for God’s protection over the workers in the combat zones. Pray for those workers who are laboring in the Darfur area, and others in nearby countries where refugees are found. And pray that the church worldwide will continue to speak out against the war, and speak up on behalf of the refugees fleeing it.

• “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8-9)

10/3. Pray for Bangladesh. We are thankful the army continues to strongly back the interim government, but elections have to be held soon and reforms still need to be made. Pray that Bangladesh does not revert to a political cycle of vengeance, which has dominated it for so long. Pray for the believers and churches in Bangladesh to continue to use this time to be a blessing and to spread widely.

• “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

10/4. Pray for the many believers who live and work in India’s slums. India has been urbanizing rapidly: the population in cities grew from 460 million in 2018, to over 875 million in 2050–doubling. As these millions moved into the cities, it was nearly impossible for housing and infrastructure to keep pace. Slums–inadequate housing, sometimes illegal–were the result, and grew exponentially (Diplomat). Pray for believers to find innovative ways to be hospitable, helpful, and a blessing in these difficult living environments, and for the gospel to spread.

• “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” (Matthew 25:35)

10/5. China’s border police have been given quotas to identify and expel undocumented migrants; surveillance is being intensified; making it harder for N Korean defectors to evade capture (Reuters). Pray for ministries that normally would be reaching out to North Koreans. Pray for those who would prefer to leave North Korea, to have wisdom on the right routes. We continue to pray for something to change in North Korea–peacefully! And above all, pray for the Gospel to spread in the midst of this very difficult environment.

• “Whoever welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.” (Matthew 18:5) Pray that God will lead China to welcome North Korean defectors and help them, rather than expelling them back to the dangers they came from.

10/6. Pray for the churches and believers in Singapore and South Korea. Singapore has been called the “Antioch of Asia,” and many missionaries have gone out from there; South Korea has been legendary in its sending of mission workers. Both now see a significant aging in their missionary force, and a decline in new numbers being sent out, and are questioning what next steps to take. Pray for a revival of mission vision among the believers in these nations. (Singapore, South Korea)

“When he saw the crowds, he had 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.