With the recent takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and deadly bombings, many believe heightened persecution of Afghan Christians is imminent.
Edward Graham, a 16-year Army veteran and grandson of Billy Graham, said in a recent interview: “I watched the Taliban up close, [and] they are the very definition of evil. The Afghan people are trying to flee that. They’re trying to get away. They know the torture that’s coming.”
These Christians’ lives are in danger. They don’t know if they will be alive tomorrow or a year from now.
For all watching from the outside, the reality of what they face can be hard to grasp. What can you do?
Pray.
On August 17, Anne Graham Lotz posted a prayer on Facebook. “I cannot shake the very heavy burden I feel to pray for Afghanistan,” she said.
Right now, join Lotz in praying for these persecuted Christians.
“Creator of the Universe. Ruler of All. Lord of the Nations.
Are You not the Judge of all the earth? If my heart is broken…shattered…over what’s taking place in Afghanistan, what must Your great heart feel? So I come to You and plead Your mercy for Your people who are now hiding in basements, caves, any hole they can find, knowing that demonic forces will not stop until Your people are found and slaughtered.
So I pray for Your people…followers of Jesus…to be supernaturally protected and delivered.
Send Your angel armies to surround Your people, as You did for Elisha (2 Kings 6). Blind the enemy so they cannot locate Your people in hiding. Didn’t You teach us Yourself that when we pray, we are to pray that we would be delivered from evil? (Matthew 6)
So. Deliver Your people. By any means. Please.
But if You do not, and if You allow Your people to be slaughtered, then I pray that You would give dying grace to each and every one of them. Men. Women. Children. Fill them with Your supernatural peace. Give them a vision of Heaven opened for them, as You did for Stephen in Acts 7. Open their eyes to see You, Lord Jesus, standing at the right hand of the Father, waiting to welcome them Home and give them a martyr’s crown.
And then I pray…yes I do…for the fullness of Your wrath to fall on the evil perpetrators, whether they are in Kabul or Tehran or Washington, D.C. Holy God. Avenge Your people.
I know You hear this prayer. Now I wait to see how You will answer.
Even so, come Lord Jesus. Surely it’s time for You to be glorified in all the earth.
For the sake of Your great name, amen.”
Wondering why persecution is happening to God’s people? Read this response from Billy Graham.
