Welcome to our first edition of Breakthrough 2018. We love praying for the nations of the Arab world and we believe that it is important to pray against those things that would hinder the spread of the gospel, so we're going to continue doing just that. This is our fifth year, but whether you have been praying since the beginning or have only just discovered this resource, a big thank you for taking the time to read and pray.
We always start with a little pause for thought. As this is our first edition of the year, we ask you to spend some time thanking God for all that he did in 2017. (He answered our prayers!) Please also spend some time thinking about what level of commitment you want to make this year. It could be a few minutes each month or it could be a few minutes each day – that is up to you! Once you've prayerfully decided, please ask God to lead your prayers for the country of Jordan. If they go in a different direction to the one we've taken, that's okay.
Remember that we really love to hear from you, so please do get in touch if you have any suggestions or encouragements, if you feel God has something to say to us, or if you just want to say hi.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a Middle Eastern country, bordering Israel, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. It has only 16 miles (26 km) of coastline on the Gulf of Aqaba (north Red Sea) and is home to the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea (also belonging to Israel and Palestine).
Jordan has an estimated population of just over ten million, which includes 600,000 Syrian refugees. The majority of Jordanians (92 percent) are Muslim, most of whom are Sunni.
Christians represent about four percent of the population and their presence in the country dates back to the founding of the church. In fact, Jordan is filled with biblical history. It is home to many Old and New Testament sites, including Mount Nebo, where Moses beheld the Promised Land and Bethany, where John baptised Jesus.
The stronghold we will be praying against this month is honour and shame. If you know Muslim culture, you will know how important honour is to a Muslim family. Appearances are everything, so when a family member chooses to leave Islam, it brings great shame on their parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, etc. Muslims who choose to follow Christ in Jordan risk so much, including their home and their ability to find a job. If they are married, they risk divorce and if they have children, they risk losing custody.
Over the years, we have heard of numerous cases in Jordan of individuals and families trapped in terrible situations because relatives have reported them to the authorities. Some have sought refuge abroad, while others have been unable to leave. Many have been interrogated, imprisoned and beaten. Last year, Jordan was number 27 on Open Doors' World Watch List for persecution.
We need to pray that the power of honour and shame would be broken so that those who have chosen Christ can finally be free to follow him in peace.
Pray that the cultural stronghold of shame and honour would be broken in the country of Jordan. May love and mercy win.
Lift up those who, having put their trust in Jesus, are being pressured to return to Islam by their families. Pray that they would stand strong, having the support of other, local believers and the prayers of their worldwide church family.
Pray for the persecutors, relatives as well as the authorities. May their eyes be opened to reality of what they have done and may they repent of their actions. May they also receive forgiveness and an opportunity to hear about the One who offers them hope and freedom from sin and death!
Pray also for those who are afraid of what might happen if they should choose to follow Christ. May the Lord give them courage, but may he also work in the hearts of family members, preparing them to accept the decision of their loved one. In fact, let's be bold and pray for multiple family members to be saved!
Give thanks for the strong church in Jordan and pray that God would continue to give believers there wisdom and boldness as they stand as a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14).
If you want to pray further, watch this PrayerCast video on Jordan.