As we prepare for this Sunday’s International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, let’s lift up our brothers and sisters facing extreme violence, persecution and hunger in Eritrea, ranked #6 on Open Doors’ World Watchlist of most dangerous countries in the world for Christians to live.
Praise God, more than 400 Christians have been released from prison in the last year! This is an amazing answer to prayer, as the number of Christian prisoners has now reduced to perhaps 220, the lowest in the past two decades! No explanation was given for their release.
Among the Christians still in Eritrea’s prisons are seven church leaders who have been incarcerated without trial for more than 22 years: Haile Naizge, Kuflu Gebremeskel, Meron Gebreselasie, Futsum Gebrenegus, Tekleab Menghisteab, Gebremedhin Gebregiorgis and Kidane Weldou.
Last month, a Christian woman passed away in prison after nearly three years of incarceration. The cause of her death is unknown, but torture and starvation are common methods used against Christians to try to force them to renounce their faith.
Earlier this year, police raided a house church gathering in Adi Keyh and arrested 13 Christians, while 30 were arrested in home meeting in Asmara. (Church in Chains, April 22)
“The government recognizes only four religious groupings. These exclude most Evangelical and Pentecostal groups, who are treated as illegal. Christians who worship outside state-sanctioned churches face intense surveillance, violent police raids and indefinite imprisonment – often in brutally shocking conditions. Converts from Islam or the Eritrean Orthodox Church also risk rejection by their families and social exclusion, in addition to state persecution,” writes Open doors.
“The militarised nature of society compounds repression. People who are forcibly drafted into the military face an indefinite period of service. There is no leniency for anyone unwilling to serve, and Christians in the military caught worshipping are punished severely. Christians face a devastating dilemma: endure persecution and forced service or flee the country through routes made hazardous by trafficking, danger and the risk of torture.”
“We live in fear of who will be arrested next. Will it be another brother in Christ? Will it be me? But we must continue to walk with God. We build upon what others have done before us.”
“PAULOS” AN ERITREAN CHRISTIAN
Read this beautiful story of a young woman’s faith, even in the midst of torture and imprisonment:
- “There are many Christians stuck in Eritrea’s notorious prison system – some detained simply for practicing their faith. Pray they will keep their hope alive and be set free.
- “Ask God to protect and provide for the daily needs of Christians who are arrested or detained for their faith. Pray they will know they aren’t forgotten, and that their families will be comforted.
- “Eritrea is ruled by a brutal dictatorship. Pray that President Isaias Afwerki’s heart would be turned away from oppression and towards the love of Jesus.”
Father, please have mercy. Release from prison those held captive. Protect them from harm. Provide for all their needs. Strengthen their faith. Remind them of Your Word, and let them feel You near. Speak comfort to them, and empower them to share Your love, even in the face of hunger, thirst, fatigue and torture. Be Light in the darkness of Eritrea, so bright that every heart is drawn to You like moths to a flame. Hide believers from those who wish to do them harm. Deepen their love. Teach them all the more how to trust in You. Empower them with Your Spirit. And SHINE. Fill Your people with such peace and joy, even in the midst of terrible persecution, that everyone around them will wonder in awe and ask questions that lead to their salvation. Surround every Christian with Your angel armies. When persecutors raise a weapon to beat or harm one of Your precious children, open their eyes to see You standing there, towering over them, shielding those who love You and offering forgiveness and salvation to evildoers who repent. Invade the dreams of those with evil intent. Visit them in visions throughout the day. Give them a Saul-like encounter with You (Acts 9) so powerful they drop all their weapons of hatred and violence, and fall trembling at the feet of Love. Transform persecutors so dramatically by Your love and grace, they boldly advocate and arrange for the release/escape of hundreds of believers from prison and stand in the way of further arrests. Bring forth such a movement of persecutors to faith that the government drops its quest to kill, and chooses instead policies and laws that bring forth life. Raise up into positions of power those who will bless the citizens of Eritrea, not perpetuate their suffering; who will open the way for freedom of religion and for Your gospel to spread to every corner of the country. Give Christians strength to stand strong in the midst of suffering. Especially new believers and children. Meet them in powerful ways, as they are forced to fight in conflicts not their own, as they suffer dehydration, hunger and extreme temperatures in jail cells. As they endure beatings and torture, stand as their Shield, bearing the blows for them that otherwise would be unbearable. Fill them with compassion and forgiveness for those who torture them, and give them the words that bring forth life in the barren deserts of hearts so bent on evil and death. As their persecutors force them to renounce their faith or die, empower Christians to look to You and SHINE with the light of Your glory (Acts 7), so that all can see. Thank You, Jesus, for those honored now in Heaven because they gave their lives for the One who gave His life for us.
At PrayerWall.pw this week, leading up to IDOP, we are posting daily persecution updates and prayers for the top six most dangerous countries in the world for Christians. Come join us! For FREE daily prayer guides delivered to your inbox in time for your morning quiet times with God, enter your email below:
Are you feeling the Lord’s lead to spend this whole month in prayer for the persecuted church? Take into your war room this full-color book, 30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening, Volumes 1-2, available in both paperback or pdf format (for Kindle and other devices) at MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com.
Ready your whole family to stand strong against enemy attacks through the deep Bible studies, prayer journals, devotionals and other books for all ages on removing the barriers to oneness with Christ and overcoming the enemy in the battlefield of the mind by Mikaela Vincent at MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com:
Draw near daily and walk in the Spirit by surrendering every day and plan to the Lord with this day planner, prayer journal by Mikaela Vincent 
Help your tweens, ages 10-13, know God’s voice, follow His lead, grow in character and faith, and fight for what matters most with this deep devotional Bible study workbook from MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com 
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:
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.
When you click on the above links to books I have authored, as a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, I may receive a small commission for certain purchases.
Thank you for your support! If you have any questions or want to help with this ministry, please contact Mikaela.
