Prayer is Needed for the Middle East

Anxiety levels around the world have risen following the United States airstrike that killed Major General Qasem Soleimani.

News reports say that Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei has stated:

 That ‘severe revenge awaits the criminals’ behind the attack. Soleimani’s death would double ‘resistance’ against the US and Israel.

BBC News

The Jerusalem Post reports that:

 Iranian UN Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi told CNN that the US killing of Qassem Soleimani, the top commander of the elite Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, was tantamount to opening a war against Iran.

Jerusalem Post

An Answer to Prayer

Major General Qasem Soleimani was the focus of two Discerning the Times articles back in the summer of 2018. At that time, he was making threats and pronouncing curses against Israel and the United States.

You can read those articles here:

Iran Ready to Unleash a Devastating Attack on Israel

Breaking Iran’s Death Curse Against the White House and America

One prayer strategy suggested at that time was to pray for the General’s removal from the core of the demonic stronghold.

One of the prayer points from the articles reads: “Lord, we pray that in Your mighty hand You will remove General Qasem Soleimani from influence within this demonic stronghold by any means You as Sovereign Lord choose.” ¹

The recent airstrike by the United States in Baghdad, would seem to be the answer to that prayer. This removal of a critical leader in the creative minority at the heart of the stronghold in Iran will stir up a potential demonic backlash. This demonic backlash will be directed against the United States and Israel.

The Role of Believers

As politicians make speeches and governments prepare for potential military action the place of believers needs to be one of prayer and intercession.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that “our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers,” (Ephesians 6:10). Our adversary will use these events in an attempt to stir up further hatred and fear, seeking to cause as much damage as possible. 

As intercessors, it is a time to stand in the gap and intercede. We need to pray for our Lord to move in and among these nations following his purposes and will.

We will be updating you further on the Spiritual implications of current events in a future Discerning The Times article. But right now, there is a sense of urgency to call intercessors to the position of prayer.

How We Can Pray

First, let us turn our hearts and our eyes towards the Lord, our God, who holds all the nations in his hands. Draw near to Him and ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom, guidance and discernment as you pray. 

Begin by declaring the sovereignty of God. Our God knows all things, and for Him, these events were no surprise. So let us worship Him as King of kings and Lord of lords. 

Pray using the words of the Lord’s prayer, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” Matthew 6:10 (NIV). Pray that the governmental leaders, on all sides, would be bent to the will of our almighty God and that even in and through these events, the Lord’s will would be done.

Pray that the political, spiritual and military leaders would exercise restraint and would work to prevent further escalation of the situation and even war.

Pray that the Christian church of Iran, which continues to face persecution, would be strengthened and empowered to respond with wisdom, boldness and grace during this time. Pray for the strong protection of the underground church, which continues to grow as people choose to put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. See What the Lord is doing in Iran?

Pray that these events would cause more people to draw closer to the Lord. Pray for outpourings of the Holy Spirit that leads to revival. Pray that through the work of the Spirit, these nations will turn their hearts towards the Lord.

Pray that any predetermined plans for revenge, set up before the death of the general, would be unable to be enacted. Pray that the chain of events necessary for revenge attacks would be confused and broken. Pray that the intelligence services of Israel, the US and their allies would discover potential plots and disrupt them.

Pray for the protection of the state and the people of Israel, especially as the country remains on high alert expecting retaliation. 

We know that the real hope of peace comes only through the person and work of Jesus Christ, so pray that the name of Jesus and the good news of the gospel would move quickly through all the countries in the middle east and that the wave of revival would bring true peace into people’s lives.

Pray for missionaries and believers in both Iraq and Iran to have opportunities to witness to the message of Jesus.

Pray that the Holy Spirit would soften and prepare the hearts of the people to hear and respond to the good news.

Pray that the Holy Spirit would give boldness and wisdom to those who declare the message of Jesus.

Pray that the plans and schemes of the enemy, working through demonic/human strongholds, would be frustrated and their intentions broken.

Pray that demonic forces would be unable to capitalize upon events and spread further hatred and fear. Ask the Lord to confound their schemes and scupper their plans. 

Pray for an unravelling of the stronghold which surrounds Ayatollah Khamenei. Ask the Lord to pierce the demonic cloaking around the stronghold.

Pray that the Lord would continue to expose the human leaders of these strongholds and would remove them through conversion or through other means.

Pray that God would be glorified, that God’s kingdom would come, and that the Lord’s will be done in Iran and throughout the middle east.

As the Lord gives you further discernment and guidance, please share it with us.

Learn More: Presbyterian-Reformed Ministries International

1. https://discernwith.us/breaking-irans-death-curse-against-the-white-house-and-america