Pray for Turkey
Week of May 21-27,2012

In the Early Church, they first sent missionaries to Asia Minor (Turkey). Turkey was evangelized to the point that a third of the great city, Ephesus, was Christian. From Turkey missionaries went out to all the world. Then in the 14^th and 15^th centuries the Muslim hoards came, conquered Turkey and forced many to convert to Islam. Then the Turks, through the Ottoman Empire, expanded their economic base and their zeal for Islam toward the west and thereby dominated the Balkans for the next 500 years. Turkey has been a land where great movements have been launched.

Although we don’t have the actual numbers, Turkey in the 2^nd and 3^rd centuries was 33% Christian and by the 5^th Century near 100% culturally Christian. Now there is around 0.2% Christians and that includes all Christian denominations. Also it is 100% culturally Islam.

1.       Oh, Lord, what can we do? How can we proclaim Your freedom in Turkey? How did the former saints loose the land, How can it be regained?

2.       Lord, we know Your judgments are serious and Your plans are beyond our ability to figure out, but we will cry out for Your mercy. We just simply ask You to lift Your judgment.

3.       Let us pray for the seeds planted by the Early Church. May they come forth once again and grow in Turkey.

4.       The report is that the evangelicals that are in Turkey are strong in their faith. We first ask You, Lord, for their protection. Next we ask for their encouragement. Lord, we pray that Your presence will be with them daily; Divine guidance.

A great number of youth in Turkey and the Muslim world are getting tired of the “don’ts” of the Muslin culture. Through the internet and their cell phones they are finding out that other teenagers are living life to the fullest.

5.       This is good and this is bad. We know materialism is deceptive and following secular pop-stars is also. Let us pray that they would hear of the greatest star of all, Lord Jesus.

6.       Thank You, Lord, for the dreams and visions You are giving many Muslims. The Muslim understands the dream language, so Lord we ask that You continue to speak to them in the night.

7.       Let us pray for intercessors that will develop a discipline to pray for Turkey.

8.       Let us pray for more Turkish speaking evangelist that will go.

9.       Lord, send out Turkish ministers on radio, television and the internet. Lord, we ask for invasion.

Pray for Turkey (Week of Nov. 28 - Dec. 4, 2001)

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. ~ Galatians 5:1

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. ~ Ephesians 3:10-12

While praying for a direction to pray for Turkey, I was drawn to the above scriptures. Let us pray these scriptures over Turkey.

1. When Asia Minor was first evangelized, the evangelist, prophets and pastors faced many demons in that land. After the 4th and 5th century the Christians relaxed, and did not stand firm. Let us pray for the present Christians in Turkey, that they will stand firm.

2. The Muslim hoards came in the 8th thru 15th centuries and either drove out the Christians, made them pay additional taxes, sold them into slavery, or forced conversion. Let us pray that the Lord will raise up and send intercessors across Turkey to walk and pray over the land. May their prayer be restoration; “Demanding the demons leave and surrender their domains!”

3. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. As the Christians suffer persecution, may they know within their souls the peace and freedom Jesus gave. Let us pray that they would draw near to the Lord, and have an assurance that He is with them. Lord, shine Your light into the camp of the righteous.

4. It is really hard to set up a church building in Turkey. There are not only a lot of legal loop-holes but negative attitudes from the authorities, neighbors and unbelieving family. Let us thank the Lord for the houses of prayer that have been popping up across Turkey.

5. Let us pray for protection upon these houses of prayer. May the faithful be found trustworthy so God can share His plan for Turkey with them.

6. Looking at Eph. 3:10-12 – Lord, You have chosen the church to bring blessings to people in the face of the enemy. God’s solutions in a culture prove His love and wisdom. As the present churches and houses of prayer stand firm in their convictions may the doors to the culture open for them.

7. There is a place where Christians make a radical stand for the Lord in order to bring in the Kingdom to their land. They usually have to face persecution, with some being martyred. Lord may the Turkish Christians have a wise boldness. Let us pray they would be strengthened as they hear God’s voice for direction and see Him do miracles in response to their obedience.

I am convinced that if you prayed along with these prayers, the satanic influences over Turkey have been weakened. Bless the Lord Almighty.

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you Prayed.

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.

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you prayed.