Read about the current horrific situation of this ancient people group in my previous blog post here. And take up the challenge to do what you can for the persecuted in Iraq here. But those of us who are Christians believe that the first, last, and best thing we can do for our persecuted brothers and sisters is to pray for them — do some heavy duty spiritual warfare on their behalf.
If you are serious about praying for our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq, as well as the other religious minorities such as the Yazidis, here are two prayers that you may wish to consider praying daily as a spiritual discipline and offering to the Lord on behalf of the persecuted.
“A Morning Prayer for the Suffering Church” and “An Evening Prayer for the Suffering Church” come from The Barnabas Fund, the UK-based ministry to persecuted Christians around the world, including Iraq. You can tailor them even more specifically for Iraq by changing a few words.
A Morning Prayer for the Suffering Church
(A prayer from India and Pakistan)
May the cross of the Son of God, which is mightier than all the hosts of Satan, and more glorious than all the hosts of heaven, abide with God’s Church in its going out and its coming in.
By day and by night, at morning and at evening, at all times and in all places may it protect and defend God’s Church.
From the wrath of evildoers, from the assaults of evil spirits, from foes visible and invisible, from the snares of the devil, from all the passions that beguile the soul and body may it guard, protect, and deliver God’s Church.
Amen
An Evening Prayer for the Suffering Church
(Kate McIlhagga, reproduced in The SPCK Book of Christian Prayer)
O Jesus, King of the poor, shield this night those who are imprisoned without charge, those who have ‘disappeared.’ Cast a halo of your presence around those who groan in sorrow or pain.
Protect those whose livelihoods are threatened. Encourage those forbidden to worship. Encompass your little ones gone hungry to sleep, cold, and fitfully waking. Guide your witnesses for peace. Safeguard your workers for justice.
Encircle us with your power, compass us with your grace, embrace your dying ones, support your weary ones, calm your frightened ones —
And as the sun scatters the mist on the hills, bring us to a new dawn, when all shall freely sit at table in your kingdom, rejoicing in a God who saves them.
Amen
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