Jumaa Prayer

for the Muslims of Africa and beyond

20 September 2013

West Africa Advanced School of Theology

Intercede with Us for the Muslim World!

On this mountain [God] will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces (Isa 25:7-8a). The hearts of Muslims are veiled from the Truth that can set them free. Let's pray this week that God will reveal himself to seeking people and lift the veil that keeps them in darkness.*

Today's Prayer Requests: From Students and Alumni

BURKINA FASO: Pray for a village where only 2 or 3 families are believers. Many visit the church for prayer, seeking healing, but once they are better they don't return. Some Muslim women would like to come, but their husbands, often under pressure from relatives, do not allow them. Pray for a spiritual breakthrough in their lives. MALI: Thank God with us! For many months we have prayed for the pastors who had to flee the north, and for their congregations. A student who pastors in Bamako reports that on Saturday, 14 September, the national Assemblies of God held a ceremony to send off the pastors who are now returning to reopen their churches. This student will be going to check on the primary school in Timbuktu to see about reopening it. Pray for these pastors and their families, for their safety and provision, and for wisdom and peace as they go. WAAST: As the first- and second-year students return home, please pray with us that, as one student put it, they will take back the flame of Jumaa Prayer and encourage their congregations to pray for and reach out to Muslims.

In the News
This past Friday, 13 September, Central African Republic's President Michel Djotodia dissolved Seleka, the Muslim rebel coalition that ousted the previous president and brought Djotodia, CAR's first Muslim president, to power this past March. Since then Seleka members have stolen from, raped, and killed hundreds of Christians, leaving Muslim homes untouched. Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters here. Pray that this action of banning Seleka will improve their situation. Pray for the leadership. In a letter written in 2012, Djotodia stated his desire to impose sharia law, though CAR has a Muslim population of only about 15%. For more information, see http://bit.ly/197KFjH. September 26 marks the end of one year in prison for Iranian-American pastor Saeed Abedini. On this day, concerned Christians in many cities around the world (including several in Africa) will be holding prayer vigils at courthouses and churches. Iran's new president has claimed he will be more moderate, and Pastor Saeed has written a letter of appeal to him. You can sign a petition and a letter addressed to President Rouhani at http://beheardproject.com/saeed.

For Muslim Women**

Pray that Christian women who wrestle with the call to share Jesus with their Muslim neighbors, will step out in faith and friendship for their sakes.

Prayer Resources
*Praying for Muslims: A Guide for Effective Intercession offers many insights concerning Islam and a different prayer subject each Friday. This week we pray that concerning the veil that blinds Muslim from the Truth: http://bit.ly/1eVG4WC. **Muslim women need your prayers! You can join a prayer network and receive regular requests at http://sayhelloinfo.com/. Global Initiative is a ministry of Assemblies of God World Missions, USA. Visit http://globalinitiativeinfo.com/ for information about praying for Muslims and weekly requests. Find information and prayer requests concerning Muslims around the world at http://www.30-days.net/. Information and prayer requests for each country are available at http://www.operationworld.org/. To learn more about unreached people groups, visit http://www.joshuaproject.net/. How should we pray for those imprisoned for their faith? Read http://www.elam.com/articles/How-to-pray-for-those-in-prison/. For news updates concerning persecuted Christians, visit http://morningstarnews.org/ and http://www.releaseinternational.org/. For prayer requests, visit http://www.opendoorsusa.org/pray/ and http://www.persecution.com/public/pray.aspx. Jumaa Prayer Alerts (breaking news and urgent prayer requests) are posted on the WAAST Facebook page as they arise: http://tinyurl.com/d4gm6uq. To help you answer Muslims' questions about Jesus and the Bible, explore http://unchangingword.com/index.php.