Right now, when I speak in churches, I am using Ephesians 3 for my text. As I was reading Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 recently, I was struck by the circumstances of the people to whom he was writing. The believers in Ephesus lived in a society hostile to the Gospel. Many faced rejection, pressure, and persecution because of their faith in Christ. Paul himself was writing from prison. 

Yet rather than praying for their circumstances to change, he prayed that they would be strengthened in their inner being through the power of the Holy Spirit. That prayer is just as relevant today for Christians living in the Middle East and North Africa.

Many of the believers we serve face tremendous challenges. Some have been rejected by their families because they chose to follow Jesus. Others endure harassment from their communities, discrimination at work, threats from authorities, or the constant pressure of living as a small minority in regions where openly following Christ can come at a high cost.

Paul’s prayer reminds us that the greatest need of persecuted believers is not merely safety or comfort, though we certainly pray for those things. Their greatest need is spiritual strength. They need to be rooted and grounded in the love of Christ. They need to know that they belong to the family of God, a family that stretches across nations, languages, and generations. They need to experience the reality that Christ dwells within them and that His love is greater than any opposition they face.

I am reminded of believers we have met who have lost jobs, homes, friendships, and even family relationships because of their faith. Yet many of them display a joy, peace, and steadfastness that can only be explained by the power of God at work within them. They have discovered what Paul prayed for -- that Christ’s love surpasses knowledge and that God is able to fill His people with His fullness even in the midst of suffering.

As you pray this week, would you join us in praying Paul’s prayer for persecuted believers?

Pray that they would be strengthened with power through the Holy Spirit in their inner being.

Pray that they would remain rooted and grounded in Christ’s love despite opposition.

Pray that they would experience the depth, height, breadth, and length of Christ’s love in fresh ways.

Pray that God would fill them with courage, hope, and perseverance.

Pray that through their faithful witness, glory would be brought to Christ and His Church.

Finally, let us take encouragement from Paul’s closing words: “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.” We often pray for specific needs, but God is at work accomplishing things beyond what we can see or imagine. He is building His Church in some of the most difficult places on earth, and He continues to draw people to Himself.

Thank you for standing with persecuted believers through your prayers, encouragement, and support. Together, we are part of the same family named by the Father, serving the same Lord, and looking forward to the day when Christians from every nation will worship Him together.

Stay Strong and Pray Hard,

Brother Dave

A Servant to the Body of Christ