Pray for Turkey

Week of Nov. 11-17, 2013

 

 

Wisdom for reaching Muslims 

A quote from  Turkish World Outreach: Patience is necessary because it will not be easy to win a Muslim’s confidence. Due to their culture and experience, many Muslims are wary and distrustful of people outside their family. 

Don’t be afraid to ask Muslims questions about their religion. You will find your Muslim friends are very open and eager to discuss their religion with you. In fact, religion is a favorite topic of discussion. Do this, however, in a friendly, open manner and not as an attack on what they believe. 

Don’t become offended or defensive when your Muslim friends attack Christianity. Realize that what they have been taught about Christianity is wrong and often based on misunderstandings.

Be loving and patient in giving answers or explanations. Also, don’t be afraid of inadvertently offending them; if you have genuine love for Muslims, it will be evident. http://twoutreach.publishpath.com/Websites/twoutreach/files/Content/2394236/51138-TWO-Final_-_Inside_1-2012_proof_1_.pdf 

Matthew 9: 35-38

35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” 

1)      Let us hear the Lord’s voice as He appeals to us to go bring in the Harvest. Let us pray for the fields, the fields of Turkey.

2)      We see two approaches above that seemingly contradict each other. Common wisdom in reaching Muslims advises us to approach slowly while Jesus speaks of the harvest being ready.  Let us pray into each approach.  Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, for everything there is a time and a season.

3)      Let us be obedient to the Lord as He bids us to pray for laborers. Lord, we pray that many will hear Your voice, in that place of intimacy, to give their lives for the Turkish people.

 

4)      May each laborer have a clear understanding of how they are to approach the Muslims they are sent too.

It is hard to build a church in Turkey; government regulations, non-acceptance in predominate Muslim communities and lack of funds. Consequently, many Turkish Christians are developing discreet houses of prayer instead.

5)      Let us first pray for angelic protection of these houses of prayer and the protection of everyone entering and leaving.

6)      Let us pray for an open heaven over these houses of prayer so revelation will flow freely.

7)      May each Turkish Christian be empowered to ‘love like Jesus’ the Muslims they know and work with.

8)      Let us pray for a day when full-scale evangelism can be released across Turkey. It is the Lord’s heart to bring many Turks out of darkness. Let us pray for a day when multiple signs and wonders, many healings and the Gospel being proclaimed before the eyes of Turkish citizens.

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Pray for Turkey

Week of Aug. 19-25, 2013

In 1987, Turkey applied to join what was then the European Economic Community, and in 1997 it was declared eligible to join the European Union. Accession negotiations started in 2005. There are many objections from other EU members but the main objection is the differences between Turkey and Greece over the government of Cyprus. Also many object to a Muslim nation being part of the EU.
For the full story

Will being omitted to the EU help the spread of the Gospel in Turkey? Most Muslim countries restrict and persecute Christians. In the EU constitution it states there is to be freedom of religion. Generally Muslims are tolerant of the Christian religion as long as the Christians are a silent minority, but when there is a move of God, persecution is the Islamic tool.

Let’s pray for God’s intervention.

1) Lord, we put Turkey in Your hands. If joining the European Union is Turkey’s future, then make it an open door for evangelism.
2) With Turkey being 96.1% Muslim, we pray for discontentment and a hunger for the truth amongst those following Islam.
3) Islam does not make room for a loving personal savior. May Muslims realize their emptiness and begin to seek God, their Creator.
4) I thank you Lord, that You have a plan to reach the empty hearts in Turkey.
   a. Lord, we know many of Your people are praying for Turkey. May angels go forth and stir up Turks to seek truth. God will reveal Himself to those that seek Him. (Matt.7:7)
   b. We ask for hearts to be softened and made ready for the Gospel. Thank you Lord for the reports of how you are already causing Turks to see You in their dreams and how the Gospel is being broadcast in the Turkish language.
   c. Lord prepare Your laborers to gather souls in Turkey. Open the heavens above Your saints, giving them revelation, zeal and an overcoming love for the lost.
5) There are Houses of Prayer in Turkey. May these houses of prayer have protection from Islamic radicals.
6) Lord we understand how the emerging of Your Kingdom works; many will be persecuted for believing in Jesus. May they comprehend that the Gospel is like a pearl that is worth all cost. Matt. 13:46 (May we in Gospel friendly nations be grateful for our freedom to worship)

For Encouragement: This past weekend I met a lady who took part in a prayer-walk and anointed large parts of Eastern Turkey with oil. She had a vision of a fire that started in Eastern Turkey and then spread across to Western Turkey. Studying early church history, we know that the Gospel came from Antioch and spread across Asia Minor; may this happen again, in our life time.

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Week of April 29 - May 5, 2013

 

What is the largest city in Europe?  - lubnatsI

Istanbul, with an estimated population of 14 million, it is the second largest city in the world after Shanghai, China.

First established 660 BC as Byzantium, the city now known as Istanbul developed to become one of the most significant cities in history. For nearly sixteen centuries following its reestablishment as Constantinople in 330 AD, it served as the capital of four empires: the Roman Empire (330–395), the Byzantine Empire (395–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin Empire (1204–1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922). It was instrumental in the advancement of Christianity during Roman and Byzantine times, before the Ottomans conquered the city in 1453 and transformed it into an Islamic stronghold and the seat of the last caliphate.

The Roman emperor Constantine in 330 established Istanbul (Constantinople) as the new Christian Rome. The historians debate his motives, but the result was a place where Christianity had a foothold and a major city to be launched from. In 1453, Sultan Mahmed II finally captured the city for the Ottoman Empire and it has been an Islamic ever since.

A Great City well worthy of our Prayers –

1)      Let us pray for Istanbul. May the Lord visit the city in a special way. Lord, come release your compassion on this city.

2)      Churches are allowed to exist in the city but it had for them the get established. There is much resistance from the predominant Muslim neighborhoods and magistrates. Let us pray for open doors and open hearts.

3)      There are houses of prayer in the city and they are contending in prayer for the city. Let us first pray for them to have an open heaven to intercede from.

4)      May there be a release of creative strategies to reach many in the city with the Gospel.

5)      Lord, we ask You for protection on behalf of every Christian in Istanbul.

6)      Lord, we pray for the positioning of Christians to be lights among their Muslim neighbors. May they excel in wisdom, kindness and favor. Help them be able to walk above the oppression of Islam that is now allowed to dominate the city.

7)      Let us believe for a day when the city can once again be established as stronghold of the Gospel. Let us believe for a day when Muslims find their true redeemer.

8)      Let us pray for many missionaries to be sent to Istanbul. There is a new generation of missionaries being raised up to preach the end-time message to the world; may they find an open door to Istanbul.

9)      Let me describe a mental vision I received while praying the directive I had written above. I seen the Lord standing above Istanbul with His feet resting on the city. I looked and He had His hands stretched out in a welcoming jester. Then I looked again and He had a sword held at His side. I ask what did this mean? The Holy Spirit  said the Lord would stand above the city and He would be seen by two types of people. Some would see him as a welcoming friend and loving Savior. Some would see Him as a conquering warrior, a man of authority. Both would receive Him as Savior.; both would enter into His peace.



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Pray for Turkey

Week of Feb. 11-17, 2013

There is a good article in the Charisma News that is worth noting for prayer, “Turkey's Christians Could Face Nationalist Backlash”. You can read it at  http://www.charismanews.com/world/38171-turkeys-christians-could-face-nationalist-backlash

Religion was kept out of the public square for decades in Turkey. This helped in keeping radical Islam under control and Turks indentified with the West more. For the past 10 years this has been changing and religious institutions are becoming more active. This is mainly because of the new government body that came into power in 2002. The government leaders are now turning from a desire to be like Europe and identifying more with Muslim nations. Although there has been more freedom given to the churches to operate, there is a backlash from nationalist who see the Christians as non-Turks because they are not Islamic. Nationalist usually blame minorities for their county’s problems. Also there is the threat of radical Muslims being embolden to attack Christians. The biggest need is to firm-up laws that protect minorities, especially religious minorities.

    1.       Let us pray for the government to take seriously their responsibility to protect all Turkish citizens, even the minorities.

    2.       Let us pray for government leaders to open their eyes to the fact that Islam is anti-productive for Turkey. We pray for open doors to the hearts of Turkish leaders.

    3.       We thank the Lord that Christians are more active now than before. Lord, we pray they will be given discernment on how to evangelize in a Muslim culture.

    4.       We pray against the lie that Christians are a threat to nationalism. Lord, change the mind-set of the nationalist to see that Christianity is not a foreign concept.

    5.       The greatest gain in Christianity in Turkey has been the house churches and the houses of prayer. Let us pray for these house churches to excel in prayer and step out into the market place to touch lives one on one.

    6.       Let us remember the Christians in Turkey. It is not easy living under a prevailing spirit of Islam. Pray that these houses of prayer would be able to press through into an open heaven.

2 Thess. 1:4-7

 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. 

Editor’s Note: Nationalism, if channeled right, can be a good thing. The Lord said He is coming to judge tribes and nations.

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Pray for Turkey

Week Oct. 22-28, 2012 [Why do we pray for Turkey if only 5% is in the Balkans? The fact is Turkey has greatly influenced the Balkans throughout history.]

I wanted to spot-light a ministry that is using modern tools to reach Turks for Jesus.

Internet Outreach A project of TURKISH WORLD OUTREACH

God is moving in many dramatic and supernatural ways these days among Muslims. And the Internet is opening up incredible opportunities for evangelism.

Turkish World Outreach workers are experiencing phenomenal results with their Internet outreach among Turkish Muslims. Their community chat room and forum have led hundreds of Turks to Christ.

Turks are all over the Internet. Turkey is the 4th largest user of Facebook in the world, with 26 million and growing each day. Smart phones are as common among Turks as they are Americans. And when the Turkish government made some motions toward banning some content on the Internet, it has never seen such unanimous public disapproval.

http://www.razoo.com/story/Internetoutreach or www.two-fot.org

Daniel 12:4 Amplified Bible (AMP)
But you, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the Book until the time of the end. [Then] many shall run to and fro and search anxiously [through the Book], and knowledge [of God’s purposes as revealed by His prophets] shall be increased and become great.

1) A new day, a new time (end-times), and new tools to spread the Gospel. Lord, we thank You for this day and time when knowledge has been increased. May we understand the battle waged through knowledge (good and evil) and overwhelm the enemy with truth.

2) Radio and television has been a beneficial tool for spreading the Gospel but through Internet we can actually interact with people using the social networking software. Let us pray for the expansion of the Internet. Lord, we ask for expansion worldwide, jungles, deserts and every remote area of the earth.

3) Lord, we thank You for Turkish World Outreach and how they are using the Internet to reach the Turkish people. May funds flow in so they can expand their reach.

4) Let us pray for social network evangelist. Let us pray for Evangelical Christian schools and universities to embrace this technology and train Internet evangelist to reach the world from their computer.

Habakkuk 2:14 KJV
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

5) Lord, You have commissioned us to go into all the earth and preach the Gospel. Although Turkey is now 97% Islam, let us pray for the doors to open to the Gospel.

6) The untold story is the many “houses of prayer” that is opening up in Turkey. A church building can come under attack but house of prayer are low-key, but powerful.

7) Let us pray for protection of these houses of prayer. May there be an “open heaven” or divine portal for the saints to receive power to reach Turkey with the Gospel.

8) May their prayers lay out a pathway for the outpouring of the Gospel.

Acts 2:14 KJV
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

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Pray for Turkey

Asia Minor (Turkey) was once the center of Christianity. From the church in Antioch, mission outreaches went north into Asia Minor and had great success proclaiming Jesus to the Greek and pagan idol worships. Then starting in the 11^th century the Seljuk Turks from Central Asia begin to move in through conquest. They had embraced Islam so they slowly drove the Christian culture out, usually at the point of a sword. There was a backlash from European Nobles and the organized church. They sent forth the Crusades with the main objective of recapturing the Holy Land. The Crusades were defeated and the final conquest was marked by the fall of Constantinople (modern Istanbul) in 1453. This was a massive blow to Christendom, and the Ottoman Turks thereafter were free to advance into Europe without an adversary to their rear. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Constantinople

 

Now in the modern age, Turkey is a solid 99% Islamic nation. Having a population of 75 million people, Turkey has an estimated 100,000 Christians and only about 7,000 are evangelical.  

  

   1)       Let us pray for this vast amount of people that do not know Jesus as savior.

  2)      There is a serious concerted effort of intercessory groups praying for Turkey. Lord, we ask that You encourage them daily with direction, favor and most of all Your presence. Show these dedicated intercessors Your plans for Turkey. Help them to raise up Houses of Prayer in the vital cities and ports of entry. Lord, we ask that these houses of prayer have an open heaven where revelation flows freely.

  3)     Let us pray for the Christian tent-maker, marketplace ministers the Lord has sent to Turkey. Open the market place positions where they can apply Biblical solutions to business problems.

  4)      As technology spreads out across Turkey may many Turks login to Gospel Internet sites.

  5)      Let us pray that the Gospel will be broadcast louder than Western humanism over radio, television and the internet.

  6)      Lord, raise up evangelist that have a burning heart for the Turkish people. Open the doors into the cities for these evangelist to proclaim the Gospel.

  7)      Let us pray for Turkish Facebook evangelist, keyboard evangelist with zeal to reach Turkey.

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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
(Posted 2-27-12)


Just as Apostle Paul asked for prayer during the first move of God in Asia Minor, so we need to pray for today’s’ pastors.

Colossians 4:3 (NIV)
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.

1. Let us pray for the pastors and missionaries in Turkey. May they have an open door to proclaim the Gospel.

2. Liberty to preach, liberty to do acts of kindness, liberty to be visible in the culture so the mysteries of Christ may be proclaimed.

3. Lord, we ask that the Holy Spirit would go before and prepare hearts to receive because we know the mysteries of Christ are foolishness to the carnal mind. Prepare Turks to open their hearts to the Gospel.

4. So many received Jesus during Paul’s days. Let us pray for another move of God in Turkey. Lord, just as You broke men’s minds out of Greek philosophy and paganism so You can break up the bondage of Islam.

5. Lord, thank You for the houses of prayer that are strategically positioned around Turkey. Give those sacrificing saints more and more zeal to pray for Turkey. May we all see the unraveling of Islam shortly.

Mixed signals from the Turkish government:

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay has said Jerusalem had to be freed of Israeli occupation if a lasting settlement was to reign in the Middle East.

"Without the liberation of Jerusalem, no real peace and stability can be achieved in the Middle East or farther afield," Atalay told the Anadılu Agency in Doha, Qatar, where he was set to participate in the International Conference for Defense of Jerusalem.

"For us, the Middle East is a place where all religions and sects should live together," said Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
The Deputy Prime Minister says Jerusalem needs to be freed of the Jews and the Foreign Minister said all religions should live together.

6. In the recent past there has been Turkish government policy favorable to Israel. Let us pray against those radical Islamic groups that are influencing government leaders. May there be confusion in their camp.

7. Let us pray for a shift in the Turkish government, Lord, replace those that are radical and submissive to Islamic pressure with men and women like Foreign Minister Davutoglu that long for peace among the religions.

8. Let us return to the mysteries of Christ and pray for hearts to be changed, no matter which religion they belong to.

9. Although Turkey was responsible for much bloodshed in the Balkans 400 and 500 years ago, let us believe for a day when Turks are proclaiming the redemptive blood of Jesus.

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