Pray for the Church that the Lord would give courage and strength in time of persecution. (Jeremiah 17:1-18; 18:18-23; 20:1-9; Matthew 5:1-12)

1. Pray for the Church, that ministers would be courageous in speaking the truth, even when preaching the truth is unpopular, is opposed (even by the people of God) and is costly. Pray that ministers and members of the Church would be “faithful unto death, that they may receive the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:8-11)
2. Pray concerning those places in the world where the Church is persecuted, that the Church would be “countenanced and maintained by the civil magistrate” that the local authorities would make a way for the Church in this world, and that the Lord would cause that no weapon formed against the Church shall prosper. (1 Timothy 2:1; Isaiah 54:11-17)
3. Pray that the Lord’s purpose in the persecution of the Church would be established: That she would be purged of her corruption, made to call upon the Lord more closely, that hypocrites would be rooted out or converted to Christ, and that the strength of her devotion would be her best apologetic. (Acts 4:13; 23-31)
4. Pray that when persecution comes upon the Church, it would come as a result of her holding fast to Christ, teaching His ways and doctrine, and not for her own mis-behavior or foolishness. (1 Peter 4:12-19)
5. Pray that the Church would not seek to be persecuted, and that she would not seek sinfully to avoid persecution, but that she would prosecute her mission rightly in this work, with the strength that the Spirit of Christ supplies, and that this would be her focus—to disciple the nation, regardless of outcomes. (Matthew 28:18-20)
6. Pray that Christians individually, and the Church as the body of Christ, would maintain a good testimony to their persecutors at all times, doing them good, praying for them, and speaking to them of the grace of Christ. Pray that we would put feet to the command to “love our enemies.” (Matthew 5:43-48; Philippians 1:12-14)
7. Pray that the Lord would work against those who persecute His people, bring them down from their places of authority, that he would defend his people from apostasy in times of trouble, and that those who persecute the Church would be destroyed, or converted to Christ. (Isaiah 60:14)
8. Pray for the Church, that those who are persecuted for righteousness sake will count it a blessing, and a privilege to be thus associated with Christ, in the “fellowship of His sufferings.” (Acts 5:41-42; Philippians 3:9-14)