Praying for the Persecuted Church – William Deane – Brixham Community Church – 23 Apr 2023

Sermon notes:

Praying for the Persecuted Church

Introduction:

On average, every 2 hours, a follower of Christ, one of our brothers or sisters in Christ, is martyred for their faith, somewhere in the world, not to mention others around them who may be injured, bereaved or traumatised in the same incident. At our monthly prayer meeting for the Persecuted Church on Thursday evening, using the OpenDoors excellent videos, the six of us heard a story of a young Nigerian boy who survived a shooting by the Boko Harem Islamic extremist group. However 7 members of his family including his father lay dead. He was so full of anger against his family’s killers and God that he became very angry, bitter and violent, desperate for revenge. Thankfully an OpenDoors trauma counsellor and her team were able to talk to him in time, and he broke down and wept, and was able to recover his faith in God and forgive the killers.  

We also heard the testimony of a teenage girl in East Africa, who was a member of a family from an Islamic tribe who had all become Christians and were ostrasized by their community. One evening, when her parents were out, a man from the village came into the home and raped her. She was so traumatised physically and mentally that she lost the will to live. Thankfully she received help from OpenDoors trauma counsellors, recovered, and now uses her difficult experience to help others who have suffered in similar ways. These are precious members of our family in Christ! As we prayed, the horror of these two incidents dawned on us and we felt the urgent need to encourage more Christians to join us in united prayer and to support organisations like OpenDoors. I knew I should take the opportunity to speak about it today! How should we pray for the persecuted church?

In the course of my preparations the Lord gave me numerous confirmations that He wanted me to share this message today. For instance on Friday evening, during work on the sermon, I stopped for a break specifically to take communion with Christine. When I sat down with her at 9.30pm, she was watching TBN on TV. The programme that was just starting was ‘Pray for the Persecuted Church with OpenDoors!’ It gave me further testimonies for this sermon. As I was doing my final preparations this morning, an old friend phoned me in great distress with a very serious health issue. He asked me to pray for him over the phone and I used words from the Bible passage I am about to read to you. Afterwards he read the very same scripture to me which came to his mind as he had been studying it quite recently!

In 2 Corinthians 1:2-11 Paul shares a testimony he and his companions experienced:-

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favour granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

If Paul testifies how important the prayers of others were in their deliverance in a time of persecution and trouble, how can we pray effectively for the persecuted Church?

1. Focus on the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

Meditate on your heavenly Father, His amazing love in sending His dear Son to save you so that you can know Him and approach His throne confidently as His precious child and pour out your heart to him. Remember the comfort you have received from Him in your struggles, just as Paul and Timothy had. My Testimony of my Sri Lanka trip in 2017. When you experience God’s faithfulness in your life, you have a strong message of hope to share with others in their troubles. Jane’s testimony!

2. Identify with the Suffering Church

If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

Paul identifies with the Corinthians in their struggles. He explains that he and his companions’ sufferings and the comfort they received from God are to encourage the Corinthians not to give up in their suffering, and he is confident that they will also receive the same help from the Lord. Testimony of the rape victim from East Africa who now reaches out to others who are hurting. Your struggles as a Christian may seem insignificant to hers, but they are still very real to you, and can help you relate to her situation as you pray.  1 Corinthians 12:26

3. Find out about the sufferings of the Persecuted Church

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Paul wanted the Corinthians to know how overwhelming his sufferings had been so that they could learn that total dependence on God was the secret of accessing His mighty power for their deliverance. OpenDoors provides loads of resources about the kinds of persecutions our brothers and sisters are facing across the world. See website www.opendoorsuk.org Also you can watch TBN at 9.30 – 10pm Fridays

4. Believe that your prayers are vital and effective.

     He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favour granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

     Paul testifies to their miraculous deliverance, but the battle continues and he encourages the Corinthians to continue in their prayers for the situation.The answer to the prayers of many brings great thanksgiving and praise to God. Can you see how vital your believing prayers are for our worldwide family of believers?

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