Syrian Christians Ask for Prayer

Christianity in Syria dates back to the Apostle Paul in the first century, and holds some of the world’s most ancient churches and monasteries. But in recent years, Islamic terrorists martyred vast numbers of Christians, dropping their population from around 10% in 2011 to less than 2% today in what some countries have termed a genocide.

Now, with the fall of the Assad regime, some Syrian Christians are hopeful, as the Sunni Muslim leader of HTS Jihadist terrorist forces that conquered Damascus has made promises for greater freedom in Syria. But with its roots in al-Qaeda and a history of violence, no one knows if they will stay true to such promises.

“Under HTS control in Idlib, Christian clergy are not allowed to walk outside in any clothing that makes them recognizable as priests or pastors. Crosses have been removed from church buildings,” Open Doors U.K. reported on December 10. “However, there are no current reports of HTS-fighters threatening Christians or other groups, and public declarations from the group suggest they are trying to rebrand themselves as tolerant of minorities and human rights. The leader of HTS, Ahmed al-Sharaa (who previously went under an assumed name, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani), even told CNN that HTS has ‘gone out of its way to publicly tell Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities that they will live safely under its rule…. No one has the right to erase another group,’ al-Sharaa told CNN. ‘These sects have coexisted in this region for hundreds of years, and no one has the right to eliminate them.'”

“Syrian Christians have asked us to pray for peace, for wisdom, and for the new leadership of the country to be committed to reconciliation for all Syrians. In addition, the Syrian believers have asked us to pray that they will be lights of hope and peace amid a chaotic time in Syria’s history.” (Ryan Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Open Doors U.S., Christian Post, December 15)

• Pray Christians will find refuge in God and trust in Him during this time of transition.
• Pray they will seek the Lord to give them wisdom in their response, and that they will continue to be a light and a blessing to everyone around them.
• Pray there will be no restrictions on Christians, and they will be able to freely practice their faith. Pray other minorities who have been heavily persecuted will also now have freedom.
• Pray the lost will hunger for Christ, and He will make a way for every person to hear the good news in a way they can easily understand. Pray He will lift the veil from their eyes so they will see Him as He truly is and surrender to His love and grace.
• Pray God will meet jihadist terrorists in powerful ways, the chains that bind them to Satan’s purposes will be broken, they will tremble in fear of the Lord, repent of their heinous crimes, and choose Jesus as their Savior.
• Pray against further bloodshed in Syria, and that the promises of tolerance and freedom by the new leaders will be fulfilled and lead to greater stability, freedom and reconciliation for all Syrians.

For more prayer requests for Syria see this video from All Israel News.

For a free guide to knowing God’s voice, 30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening, Dare to Be a Mighty Warrior, Out You Go, Fear! and other powerful resources for prayer and fighting for what matters most, visit MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com.

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