In many parts of the Muslim world, Islam is passed down more through tradition, family, and society than in formal education. Prayer, fasting, and going on the Hajj are mostly done in a communal context. Today we pray in faith for our brothers and sisters in Myanmar to find community and family in your Church. We pray they would have vision for sharing what they are learning about Christ in their community, families, and networks.
Each of us who comes to Christ must repent of and renounce every pact, promise, or identity we held before faith in Christ. Join us in praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ from a Muslim background as they repent of their former identity as Muslims. This prayer is inspired by chapter 7 and 8 of Liberty to the Captives by Mark Durie
Our distinctive marks are not humiliation or inferiority, but Christās victory, unity in Christās love, and the cross. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
Pray for Christians from a Muslim background in Myanmar to be freed from every need to self-promote, boast, and compensate for any sense of inferiority. May they embrace Jesus’ example of self-denial and follow Him.
āAnd they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, āGreat and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of Myanmar!āā (Rev 15:3).
Father, this scripture speaks truth: one day, Myanmar will sing the song of Moses, the song of Miriam (Exodus 15:20-21), and they shall dance before the Lord as a once-captive people now walking across a dry sea, a once-imprisoned people now liberated from the brutality of Pharaoh. The truth is that all the people of Myanmar shall sing: great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty; just and true are your ways, O Lord, King of Ages!
Christians are often persecuted by friends and family. Sometimes they have a hard time finding people who are willing to learn and grow with them. Pray that God will guide new believers in Myanmar to those they already know who are searching.
Lord of compassion, would you rise and deliver your imprisoned people. Have mercy on those whose attention is captured by distractions and cheap thrills; have mercy on those whose time is consumed by workaholism and mindless activity; have mercy on those whose energy is sapped by the toxic effects of addiction, over-consumption, and escapism. Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy.
Use these resources to help pray specifically each day.
Thank the Lord for the love He has given you for the people of Myanmar as you prayed for them to encounter Christ this Ramadan. Pray for Him to complete the good work he has begun in Myanmar. Take time to listen to next steps God would have you take on behalf of the people of Myanmar.
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In many parts of the Muslim world, Islam is passed down more through tradition, family, and society than in formal education. Prayer, fasting, and going on the Hajj are mostly done in a communal context. Today we pray in faith for our brothers and sisters in Myanmar to find community and family in your Church. We pray they would have vision for sharing what they are learning about Christ in their community, families, and networks.
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Last night many Muslims celebrated the "Night of Power" hoping that God would show up miraculously to change their circumstances (health, financial, relational, etc.). We continue to pray that they would encounter Jesus who already miraculously "showed up" as the Word who became flesh to change their current realities and eternity through His life, death, and resurrection.
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On or around the 27th night of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate the "Night of Power" as a special time that their prayers and good deeds count for more. They believe their chance of getting their prayers answered and miracles done are increased on this night. Pray for multitudes of Muslims from Myanmar to encounter Jesus tonight in a dream or vision.
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The month of Ramadan is known as āthe month of repentance,ā and so as we pray for a gospel movement to transform this nation, let us cry out for Godās Kingdom to come, for a spirit of repentance to fall on the peoples living in Myanmar, whether they are Sunnis, Shiite, Sufi, or Christians from a Muslim background; rich and poor, young and old, male and female.
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Muslims are encouraged to think about the poor during the month of Ramadan, to sympathize with them, and to make donations. Jesus loved the poor and said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God" (Luke 6:20). Pray for Muslims in Myanmar to encounter this radical teaching and to wrestle with His command to not just donate to the poor, but to know that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor.
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Islam calls Jesus the "Word of God" but strongly denies that He is God. Pray for Muslims in Myanmar to meditate on the thought that Jesus is the "Word of God". John 1 illustrates the beautiful reality that, "the Word was with God, and the Word was God." May Muslims in Myanmar be prompted to research this online and find John 1. Pray for their hearts be softened as they read.
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Muslims (and all people, really) care deeply about their outward appearance or reputation in the community. But Jesus cares about the person's heart. Religion can change outward behavior but can't change inward attitudesāonly the Spirit of God can do that. Pray for the people of Myanmar to be convicted about their need for a clean heart and to seek out Jesus' teachings on the topic.
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Today many Christians celebrate Easter: the resurrection of Jesus from the grave. Muslims deny this fact. "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:17). Pray for Muslims in Myanmar to be convicted of the reality that they are still in their sins and that only God Himself can provide a solution for that ā the cross of Christ.
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Islam teaches that God is unknowable and as a result many feel like God is distant. We know the truth is that God Almighty wants an intimate relationship with His followers because He is a good Father who knows the hairs on our head (Luke 12:7). Lord, let all new followers of Christ in Myanmar be filled with joy at knowing the intimacy of God, who calls us "beloved".
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Muslims deny that Jesus died on the cross and instead ascended to heaven without dying. This belief denies the act of atonement foundational to our faith as Christians. As many Christians around the world enter into a time celebrating Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, pray for Muslims in Myanmar to have the eyes of their heart opened to consider the possibility of Jesus' death and resurrection.
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Islam teaches an emotional worldview that Muslims are superior to non-Muslims. Lord, help believers in Myanmar shed the sins that so easily entangle them and instead put on their "new self" finding their value comes from You.
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Muslims pray prescribed prayers five times a day. Lord, as people from Myanmar turn to Christ, teach them how to keep spiritual rhythms, turning it into an intimate time with you and not simply a ritual.
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Muslims acknowledge Jesus as a prophet from God. Let their curiosity be sparked in this season for them to learn all that Jesus says about Himself. Specifically, that He is āthe way, the truth, and the lifeā (John 14:6) so that they may acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior.
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Islam teaches that deception under certain circumstances is acceptable and the effects of this teaching breeds mistrustāof God and of others. But the Bible tells us "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator" (Colossians 3:9-10). Pray for people in Myanmar to be people who pursue truth and feel conviction about deceiving others.
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Zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam, requires Muslims to donate a set percentage of their wealth each year to Muslim charities. The New Testament teaches Christians to give generously from the heart as opposed to a set percentage. Pray for the people of Myanmar to be challenged by the contrast between a religious rule and a heart posture and to want to understand more about the "new heart" that the Bible teaches about (Ezekiel 36:26).
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Muslims and Christians use the same Arabic word for "fasting". And similar to what we learned yesterday about prayer, the meanings are fundamentally different. Muslim fasting is rigidly defined as no food, water, sex, or smoking from dawn to dusk. Christian fasting takes on many more forms. Muslim fasting is enforced (or broadly promoted) in Muslim countries during Ramadan. Jesus taught, "But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret...." (Matthew 6:16-18). Today we pray for Muslims in Myanmar to come across Jesus' teaching about fasting in the Sermon on the Mount and be challenged to continue to investigate His teachings.
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Muslims and Christians often use the same Arabic word for "prayer". The meanings of that word, however, could not be more different. Islamic salat "prayer" describes the memorized recitations that Muslims must speak and the motions they must go through five times a day. Christian "prayer" describes two-directional conversation with God where Christians humbly approach the throne of grace with confidence to present requests and praise, they listen to God, and are thus transformed. Today we ask for Muslims in Myanmar to have the opportunity to be prayed for by a Christian and for them to have a divine encounter with God through it.
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Muslims believe that the Quran is the perfect and final revelation of God. Christians believe that Jesus is. "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature..." (Hebrews 1:1-4). Pray for Muslims in Myanmar to read the Gospels and see the contrast between the exact representation of God's nature we see in Christ and what the Quran teaches.
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The Islamic doctrine of abrogation means that some verses in the Quran can be "canceled out" by later verses. This is contrary to the unchanging nature of God in the Bible. "Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secureā¦" (Hebrews 6:17ā19) Today we pray for people in Myanmar to see the unchanging nature of God, that it is impossible for him to lie, and to make him the anchor for their souls.
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Islam pursues political, societal, and top-down power structures. Christianity teaches bottom-up servant leadership (Luke 22:25-27). Pray for Myanmar to be transformed as Christians model Christian leadership principles and reject worldly power structures.
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There is a hadith (teaching) in Islam that says, "Be good to your mother, Paradise is under her feet." This positive teaching is often negatively used to prevent Muslims from questioning or rejecting the religion of their parents. Today, we pray for Muslims in Myanmar to have courage from God to honor their parents, but not blindly follow their religion and to instead pursue Truth.
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The primary way Islam is growing globally is through birth rate. The primary way Christianity is growing globally is through movements of the Gospel. Pray for these movements to flow through Myanmar and all Muslim lands.
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There are many teachings in Islam that advocate the use of the sword (killing) to advance their religion. The teachings of Jesus calls us to surrender to the sword (martyrdom) to advance His Kingdom. Pray for Muslims in Myanmar to wrestle with this contrast and for their hearts to be softened to Christ.
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Many Muslims when faced with difficult questions about their religion fall back on the claim that God is unknowable. In Christianity, though we cannot fathom the fullness of who God is, we do believe that God revealed Himself to us in Christ and wants to be known by us. Today we pray for Muslims in Myanmar to encounter God by knowing Christ.
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There are many teachings in Islam that allow for murder, enslavement, rape, and abuse of women. Today we pray for both men and women in Myanmar to see the value of women, who are created by God as His image bearers as well.
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Islam teaches that women cannot fast or pray when they are menstruating. We thank God that this is not a reality for us in Christ. Pray for women in Myanmar today who cannot fast because they are menstruating and will have to make up this day of fasting later in the year by themselves. Pray for their hearts to be softened to a God who welcomes them into His presence any day of the year because of Christ's blood on the cross.
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Islam teaches that Muslims are born into Islam, inheriting the religion of their parents. Christianity teaches the opposite, each person must make a personal decision to follow Christ and His teachings. Today we pray into this issue and ask for God to give grace to Muslims in Myanmar to question this teaching that they inherited their religion from their parents.
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In Islam, it is a sin to doubt. It leaves many Muslims with fear of eternal damnation if they question anything they have been taught about religion. Pray today for Muslims in Myanmar to seek the true God who is big enough for our questions and doubts.
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In Islam God has 99 namesāsuch as All-Merciful, The Beneficent, The Source of Peaceābut none of those names is Love. Father God, who reveals yourself as the God of Love throughout the Bible, please reveal yourself to Muslims in Myanmar with your true nature.
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