Irene Ibrahim Shehata, a 21-year-old Coptic Christian medical student at Asyut National University was abducted by Muslims on January 22 and is still missing. She managed to call her family on the phone of one of her kidnappers and told them she was in Sohaj, but when they traveled there to report the kidnapping, police threatened to arrest the family. (Christian Daily International, March 14)
At the end of April, hundreds of Muslims vandalized and torched homes in two mostly Christian villages in Minya, Egypt, because of rumors that Christians were to gather in a home to worship and wanted to build a church. (Morning Star News, May 2)
Egypt is 86% Muslim, with 26 unreached people groups, all of which are Islamic. “Christians who have converted from Islam experience the most severe persecution. They face enormous pressure from their family and community to return to Islam. And Egyptian security services are known to detain and intimidate converts to keep quiet about their conversion. The state also makes it impossible for converts to officially be recognized as Christians,” writes Open Doors, who ranks this country bordering Gaza as one of the world’s most dangerous for Christians.
Nevertheless, Christianity is growing in Egypt at a rate nearly double that of most of the world.
“I am a Christian now, but I was born a Muslim,” a convert told Open Doors. “If I showed you my face, it could cost me my life. Fanatics, or even my own family, would kill me if they saw my picture online and read I rejected Islam.”
Lord, please be a Shield around Irene and other Egyptian Christian women who have been abducted and forced into Islam. Heal their minds, hearts and bodies, and comfort them with Your love. Meet them in the dark hours of the day and night, showing them Your love, keeping them safe from rape and other abuse, and opening the way for their safe escape so they can be reunited with their families. Surround Irene, Raina, those from Minya who have fled their homes because of persecution, as well as all Christians in Egypt with Your angel armies. When those who seek to harm them come against them, open the eyes of the lost to see You there guarding Your people. Strike them with fear of the Lord such that they drop their weapons, repent and seek Your salvation. Meet them in their dreams and show them Jesus is the only Way, Truth and Life. Break the chains that bind Muslim extremists to demons of hatred, violence and evil, and lift the veil from their eyes so they will see You as You truly are. Give every Muslim such a hunger for You they will seek You with all their hearts and be saved. Awaken Egypt to Your truth and love, O God, and increase Your church by the thousands this year. For every Christian who is persecuted, bring 100 Muslims to faith. Open the way for multitudes of churches to be planted in every community all across the land, and increase Your flocks by the thousands, spreading Your gospel throughout the Middle East. We ask this in the name of the One who is the Resurrection and the Life. Amen.
Don’t miss a day of prayer. Be an integral part of seeing the nations come to Christ. Enter your email address below to get free daily prayer guides delivered to your inbox in time for your morning quiet times with the Lord:
Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through a donation, or by shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, click the buttons below:
For the prayer devotionals 30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening, Vol 1-2, the children’s book for freedom from fear and panic, Out You Go, Fear!, the spiritual warfare manual, Dare to be a Mighty Warrior, and other powerful devotional Bible studies for all ages on walking as one with Christ and defeating the enemy, visit MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com.
Any proceeds this author receives from the sale of the deep devotional Bible studies and other MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com books mentioned in this post go to shining Christ’s light in the darkness and seeing the nations come to Him.
Thank you for your support! If you have any questions or want to help with this ministry, please contact Mikaela.
PRAYER WALL 