Displaying items by tag: Africa

‘They threatened to kill me.’ ‘They’ are not jihadist groups, they are A’s family. When A committed his life to Christ in 2000, his Muslim family from the ethnic Kotoko people acted as if he had pointed a challenging dagger at them. The Kotoko take pride in the fact that they are one of the few tribes in their region with no known Christians. A said, ‘When all their spells and curses with the help of the local medicine man failed, they tried to kill me themselves.’ More than once, his family tried to poison his food. One night, strangers kidnapped him and took him to an unknown destination. ‘On the way there, I prayed for God to confuse them so that they could release me. And He did! They just let me go without saying anything.’ A and others face constant insults, exclusion and danger from their families when they become Christians.

Since the end of apartheid the African National Congress (ANC) has dominated South African politics. The people struggle with 30% unemployment, 55% live below the poverty line, and the 75-year-old president faces serious corruption charges. Amid calls for him to resign, Zuma still has many supporters, including two of the six ANC leaders even though he is no longer the party leader. He is widely blamed for the corruption, misrule and economic stagnation that now afflict the nation. Charges of corruption - always vehemently denied - appear to be catching up with him. Zuma refuses to step down, but opposition parties are discussing the possibility of taking to the streets on 22 February‚ the day of a no confidence vote in parliament.

South Africa has the worst drought in 23 years. Climate change and massive population growth are blamed for the crisis. They are extracting water from underground springs and developing wastewater treatment and better water conservation, but the crisis worsens. By November 2017 schools were urging students to bring water from home, and asking them to attend school in sports gear so that parents do not need to wash two outfits. It is expected that on 12 April taps will be turned off in the Cape Town area, leaving residents to use 200 water collection points. Commercial areas, hospitals and settlements will be exempt. The city is getting tougher on people who stockpile water and unlicensed stores selling drinkable water. A plant to turn seawater into 15 million litres of usable water every day is planned, but it is not built yet. See

Last November Mr Kenyatta was officially inaugurated as president, but his victory was not recognised by Raila Odinga, who argues that Mr Kenyatta was elected by a small section of the country. On 31 January he declared himself the people's president, at a controversial swearing-in ceremony that the government warned is treason. Authorities shut down TV stations to prevent live coverage of the event. Holding a Bible in his right hand at a Nairobi park, he declared he was answering a ‘higher calling to assume the office of the people's president of the Republic of Kenya’. He said that people had had enough of election rigging, and the event is hoped to be a step towards establishing a proper democracy in the East African state. Mr Odinga turned up for twenty minutes, signed a statement, swore an oath, and left the low-key affair. His deputy, Kalonzo Musyoka, was not at the event.

An Urgent Request to keep those in South Sudan in our daily prayers with those on the ground there has been requested.

You may remember recently a new ceasefire was put into place. PRAY it holds. Join with them, in prayer. “We are persuaded that it is the prayer of God’s children that is keeping this nation”. “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, and all who live in it.” Psalm 24:1.

• PRAY for the Intercessors worldwide to catch the urgency to pray for the stability of South Sudan.

• PRAY that the Almighty God will divinely and quickly intervene in the situation of the nation.

• PRAY and ASK the Father to send His angels to defend the nation against internal conflicts and instability.

• ASKING all Intercessors to pray prophetically over South Sudan.

We are persuaded that it is the prayer of God’s children that is keeping this nation. “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, and all who live in it.” Psalm 24:1.

South Sudan is on a serious spiritual battle field, please cover us daily with your prayers. Jesus reigns over the earth including South Sudan.

Please circulate this to urgently mobilize prayers for this nation.

See some of the USA testimonies from Florida, South Dakota and Tennessee.

We are cheating a bit to say 50 countries because Puerto Rico is part of USA but they seem to regard themselves as another country. These countries included in the 50 are Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, China, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Fiji, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Liberia, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria. North Korea, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Russia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, USA and Vanuatu.

Check out more testimonies HERE - There are many more still to come!

Suffice to say from small beginnings in 2016 the New Year’s Sunrise Prayer Relay is exploding. There were 23 NATIONS where locations were confirmed in 2017 for the New Year's Day Sunrise Prayer Relay, so we have had a huge multiplication of people, locations, and nations praying in 2018. We believe that when people pray God moves and we are expecting Him to move powerfully in 2018 in EVERY NATION as we continue to pray for awakening, revival, and transformation in the name of Jesus.

This year we had 141 REGISTERED GLOBAL PUBLIC LOCATIONS with hundreds more that are private. This was an increase from around 100 on New Year's Day 2017, we are still going through the global registrations to confirm but at this stage we can say there were over 400 valid registrations worldwide this year, it was very difficult to confirm some of the locations and we are currently looking into more effective ways to register locations globally.

We also know of many locations globally that were not registered, or informed us via email or message that they were praying with us, we did not count these. We believe that the number of unregistered locations is greater than the number of registered locations. We need to simplify to multiply in other nations, and we would love to get prayer networks in nations like USA, UK & South Africa more involved to help with getting the word out and administration in their countries the way National Day of Prayer & Fasting has done for Australia.

The beauty of the New Year’s Day Sunrise Prayer Relay is that it is short (30 MINs),easy to do, easy to promote, requires minimal effort, is organic in nature, rides on an existing established event (New Year’s Day Sunrise) and has a proven track record of encouraging and reproducing more daily, weekly and monthly prayer events.

Warwick Marsh & Pat Steele
Global Coordinators Sunrise Prayer Relay
www.sunriseprayerrelay.org

From: Pastor Austen Ukachi, Lagos, Nigeria | IPC Leadership Team

You are probably as shocked as I was to learn of the spate of attacks and deaths that greeted the New Year in Nigeria.

Worshippers who had just had Crossover Service in their church in Omoku, Rivers State, were gruesomely murdered by heartless cultists. Over 15 people, including innocent women and children, were cut down in a hail of bullets. As if that was not enough, the following day, we heard how Fulani Herdsmen invaded villages in Guma and Logo Local Governments in Benue State and killed several people (some speculate over 50!) and destroyed houses and properties.

The government seems to be powerless and have been accused of being impervious to the sufferings of the people. The security agencies appear to be so desensitized that you wonder if they still have value for human lives. But we cannot fold our hands and let this continue, it’s time to rise as intercessors and pray.

The following prayer points are only a guide. May the Lord bring us to the depth of prayers that will stem this rising tide of violence in our nation.

1. Fulani Herdsmen are rated as the 4th most deadly terror group on the Global Terrorism Index, yet the government does not seem to be concerned about the daily destruction they cause to lives and properties. Let’s pray that God will stir up a national and international outcry against this group.
2. Ask God to release His plans to reverse wicked evil political actions that have led to the murder of innocent lives across the nation (especially government’s inaction concerning the destruction of lives and properties by the Fulani herdsmen)
3. People in Guma and Logo Local Government in Benue State have been thrown into mourning following the invasion by the herdsmen, which led to the death of tens of people. Let’s pray that those who carried out this attack will be caught and judged.
4. The activities of the herdsmen now extend to virtually every part of the country. There are speculations that it is a modern form of jihad. Let’s pray that God will expose community leaders in the South who are conniving with them
5. Let’s pray that the Middle Belt states would be undeterred in implementing the anti-grazing bills that have been passed in some of the states. Pray that they will not be intimidated by the antics of the herders
6. Pray for the prosecution of the leaders of Miyetti Allah in Benue State who promised to cause mayhem in the state. Pray that the government will be bold enough to bring this man and his group to justice
7. Let’s pray that the National Assembly will now see the need to pass laws that will curtail the activities of the Fulani herders. Pray that the Open Grazing Bill will be frustrated and thrown out.
8. Let’s pray that these communities will not be intimidated. Rather, may the Lord strengthen their resistance against the Islamic agenda
9. Pray concerning the state of insecurity in Rivers State, especially Omoku and its environs. Let’s pray that the group that carried out the recent massacre will be arrested and judged
10. These were people returning from Crossover service in a church. Let’s pray that God will arise and judge those who perpetrated this mayhem on innocent worshippers
11. The violence in Omoku (and most of Rivers State) has their root in cult conflicts. Let’s pray that God will rain judgment on these cults and those behind them
12. The acrimonious politics of Rivers State has created an environment that engenders violence. Let’s pray that God would restrain Governor Nyesom Wike and Hon Chibuike Amaechi, that they will begin to work for the peace and welfare of the state
13. Let’s pray that God will comfort and encourage families who lost loved ones in the carnage. Let’s pray that God would use this situation to bring salvation to the community.

More at www.pray4nigeria.org

Pastor Austen Ukachi

Many Churches have been ordered and faced closure of their meeting places. These pressures signal a coordinated campaign of the intensified action against Churches by the governing authorities.

So far, two Churches, the House of Hope and the Church in the south have been closed for meetings and activities. Nine others have been visited by local authorities and it seems like this is their first step before ordering of their closure.

All the accusations leading to the Church closures have been unfounded. The arguments of the authorities are that the local Church buildings are inappropriate for worship and the Church licences that was granted in 2011 are incompatible to the 2012 new law concerning the different associations, and that includes the EPA (The Algerian Protestant Church Association).

They seem to be trying to weaken the Church and render it ineffective. Pastor Mourad of the Church in the south which was recently closed said, “The Church of Jesus is not the walls or the roof, but it is Jesus’ people, His living Body!”

Pray: that ‘no weapon that is formed against God’s people will prosper; and every tongue that rises against them in judgment shall be condemned.’ (Isaiah 54:17)

Pray: for persecuted Christians in the Algerian Church – that they may remain steadfast in their faith despite these challenges.

Pray: strength and wisdom for Pastor Mourad as he continues to lead, teach and nurture his congregation as the ‘Living Body’. (Psalm 17:8)

PrayerCast Video and Profile on Algeria

A respected Lagos church leader reports that worshippers in their church in Rivers State were gruesomely murdered by heartless cultists. 15+ people, including women and children, were cut down in a hail of bullets. The following day Fulani herdsmen invaded villages, killed an estimated 50+, and destroyed houses and properties. The government appears powerless, and has been accused of being impervious to people’s sufferings. The security agencies seem so desensitised that you wonder if they still value human lives. But we cannot fold our hands and let this continue, it is time to rise as intercessors and pray. For suggested prayer points to guide your prayers for Nigeria please click the ‘More’ button.

The Christian Association of Nigeria has urged the government to declare the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) a terrorist organisation. Stating they should be prosecuted for genocide against the Christian minorities, Rev Dr Musa Asake said, ‘We make bold to say that Nigeria’s security system has become dysfunctional. This is shown by the inability of the various security arms to wrestle to the ground those threatening the existence of Christians and other innocent citizens in Nigeria. They have not produced an efficient system to overwhelm the resurgence of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen who are prowling villages, shooting and killing innocent Christians.’ Asake said MACBAN is not a business group; it combines bloodshed with enterprise, and the Fulani herdsmen are clearly associated with it. For the full press report see