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The recent news reports of wide spread protests in Iran combined with the reports from multiple sources over a number of years that Christianity is spreading among Iranians despite severe persecution have motivated me to pray for God’s people in Iran.
We don’t have to know people personally to pray powerfully for them:
NIV Colossians 2:1 I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.
Just as Paul struggled in prayer for Christians in Colossae and Laodicea, the Lord may place it on your heart to spend time struggling in prayer for our brothers and sisters in Iran.
While we can and should pray for all people, the example of the New Testament, including The Lord’s Prayer, does place special emphasis on praying for other Christians.
Here is my prayer, modeled on the Lord’s Prayer (in bold), for Iran. Pray it as written, or modify it in your own words as the Spirit leads:
NIV Matthew 6:9-13 "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Lord, since you are the Father of all Christians everywhere, we realize that we have brothers and sisters living in Iran at this moment. We ask that they will experience your Fatherly love, protection, and care.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for reports that many Iranians have come to Christ despite the strong influence of Islam and the threat of persecution. Now we ask that You will continue to cause Your Name, and the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to be honored, trusted, glorified, and praised among the peoples of Iran.
We don’t understand all the political forces at play, but we know that You are far above all such forces. We ask that You will intervene so that Your will is accomplished in Iran at every level and in every heart.
Give us today our daily bread.
Please provide all that our brothers and sisters in Iran need. Some of them may literally need food today. All of them need wisdom, courage, inner strength and faith in You in the midst of dangerous and difficult times. Provide them all they need, Lord.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Lord, forgive us for so often focusing so much on our own immediate comforts and desires that we forget about our persecuted brothers and sisters. Lord, we also pray for the persecutors. They do not fully understand what they are doing. Forgive them, and turn many of them to Christ for Your glory.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. '
O God, in the midst of all the pressures our Iranian brothers and sisters are facing, protect them from falling into temptation of any kind.
Keep them safe from the evil one and from all evil. Protect them from evil people and from harm.
Lord, let Your gospel spread quickly and powerfully in Iran and among Iranians wherever they live. Intervene to change the government there into a force for good. Let many see the emptiness of Islam and of secularism and turn to Jesus Christ for forgiveness, love, healing, and eternal salvation.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
I preached a series of sermons on applying the Lord’s Prayer to our lives and our world, which you may find here.
We don’t have to know people personally to pray powerfully for them:
NIV Colossians 2:1 I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.
Just as Paul struggled in prayer for Christians in Colossae and Laodicea, the Lord may place it on your heart to spend time struggling in prayer for our brothers and sisters in Iran.
While we can and should pray for all people, the example of the New Testament, including The Lord’s Prayer, does place special emphasis on praying for other Christians.
Here is my prayer, modeled on the Lord’s Prayer (in bold), for Iran. Pray it as written, or modify it in your own words as the Spirit leads:
NIV Matthew 6:9-13 "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Lord, since you are the Father of all Christians everywhere, we realize that we have brothers and sisters living in Iran at this moment. We ask that they will experience your Fatherly love, protection, and care.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for reports that many Iranians have come to Christ despite the strong influence of Islam and the threat of persecution. Now we ask that You will continue to cause Your Name, and the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to be honored, trusted, glorified, and praised among the peoples of Iran.
We don’t understand all the political forces at play, but we know that You are far above all such forces. We ask that You will intervene so that Your will is accomplished in Iran at every level and in every heart.
Give us today our daily bread.
Please provide all that our brothers and sisters in Iran need. Some of them may literally need food today. All of them need wisdom, courage, inner strength and faith in You in the midst of dangerous and difficult times. Provide them all they need, Lord.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Lord, forgive us for so often focusing so much on our own immediate comforts and desires that we forget about our persecuted brothers and sisters. Lord, we also pray for the persecutors. They do not fully understand what they are doing. Forgive them, and turn many of them to Christ for Your glory.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. '
O God, in the midst of all the pressures our Iranian brothers and sisters are facing, protect them from falling into temptation of any kind.
Keep them safe from the evil one and from all evil. Protect them from evil people and from harm.
Lord, let Your gospel spread quickly and powerfully in Iran and among Iranians wherever they live. Intervene to change the government there into a force for good. Let many see the emptiness of Islam and of secularism and turn to Jesus Christ for forgiveness, love, healing, and eternal salvation.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
I preached a series of sermons on applying the Lord’s Prayer to our lives and our world, which you may find here.
