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Pray for TurkeyTurkey has been a functioning republic since 1923 and has open elections and relative freedom of the press. With the present troubles in the Arab world, some leaders are said to be openly pushing for Islamization and an expanded role for the Muslim Brotherhood in Turkey.

1. Let us pray that Turkey’s leadership would not listen to radical Islamic extremist but fully embrase freedom of expression.
2. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was recently re-elected with an impressive 49.8 percentage. Let us pray that he will not listen to Islamic extremist but listen to those that truly seek peace and prosperity for Turkey.
3. Missionaries are not granted visas, so each worker must enter as a "tent-maker" or tourist. Let us pray that tent-maker missionaries would be willing to go work for Jesus in the Turkish/Islamic culture.

Two weeks ago my wife, Zuzanna, my daughter, Joy and I were in Turkey and we visited the ruins of Ephesus. At the time of the Apostle Paul, it was the second largest city in the Roman Empire. With an estimate of only 15% of the ruins being excavated, what we seen was impressive. I thought of Acts 19 and the mighty miracles Paul did in Ephesus. (Read Acts19, you will be fired-up to pray)

We know that Paul wrote the Book of Ephesians (letter) to the Church in Ephesus. Let us use the following verses to pray for today’s Turkish Churches.
Ephesians 4:11-16 11) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12) for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13) till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14) that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15) but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16) from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

4. Let us pray that the Lord would raise up the “five-fold ministry” for the Churches of Turkey; apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors and teachers.
a. Lord, let the teachers teach the uncompromising Word,
b. that the pastors would love and attend to the needs of the saints,
c. that the evangelist would be so burdened for the lost that they will proclaim the Gospel throughout the land,
d. that the prophets will hear from God to give encouragement to the saints,
e. and that the apostles will have vision and wisdom to give guidance to the Churches as a whole.

5. Let us pray “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry”.
6. Let us pray for unity among the Turkish churches so these five ministries can be complete and flow freely; “but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ - from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
7. In the name of Jesus, we rebuke the enemies attempt to propagate disunity through “every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting”. Lord, we pray that selfishness and self promotion would be cut off. Lord, show the Turkish Christians how to love unconditionally.
8. Once again Lord, may Asia Minor embrace the Gospel. The saints of the Early Church prayed, believed, were sent out and were faithful to proclaim the Gospel in Asia Minor. Lord, we ask that you commission Your Church to do it again.

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