Join this HeartCry Prayer- Every Saturday 10.30pm-1.30am (UK time)
ASIA
Asia is the biggest continent in the world with 50 independent countries.
The largest of the Asian countries by area is Russia, which occupies about 30% of the total territory of the
continent. The smallest one of the independent states is the Maldives.
The most visited by tourists country in this region is China as a huge cultural centre,
followed by popular destinations like India,
Thailand, Malaysia, Turkey.
- At the beginning of this century 64% of all Christians lived in Europe and North America.
- Today Asian Christians make up only 10% of the world population of Christians. And in their own countries Asian Christians represent a mere 3.5% of the population of Asia. So in most of Asia, Christianity is a minority religion submerged in other cultures.
- The Gospel has a long, noble, and interesting history in Asia. Missionary and historian Dr. Samuel Moffett* in a recent book tells us that "The church began in Asia. Its earliest history, its first centers were Asian. Asia produced the first known church building, the first New Testament translation, perhaps the first Christian king, the first Christian poets, and even arguably the first Christian state. Asian Christians endured the greatest persecutions. They mounted global ventures in missionary expansion the West could not match until after the thirteenth century."
- Christianity began in Asia! Jesus spent all of his earthly life in Palestine, on the continent of Asia, and the early church had its strongest congregations in Asia Minor (which, conquered by Islam, has become modern Turkey.) When the church began on the day of Pentecost there were plenty of Asians there, people from Persia, Medea, and Mesopotamia (modern Iran and Iraq), Cappadocia, Pontus, Phrygia and Pamphylia (modern Turkey). Some of these Asians were undoubtedly among the three thousand who were baptized that day. They returned to their homes with much to tell about Jesus.
- The apostle Paul went first to the cities of Asia Minor. Galatians, Ephesians, and Colossians were epistles written to Asian churches. The churches of Revelation 2-3 (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, etc.) were all in Asia Minor.
Nehemiah 2:11-18
11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three
days.
12 And I arose in the night, I and some few men
with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at
Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode
upon.
13 And I went out by night by the gate of the
valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls
of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with
fire.
14 Then I went on to the gate of the fountain,
and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me
to pass.
15 Then went I up in the night by the brook,
and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley,
and so returned.
16 And the rulers knew not whither I went, or
what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor
to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.
17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress
that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned
with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more
a reproach.
18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which
was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So
they strengthened their hands for this good work.
PRAYER POINTS
- Behold us and remove the reproach on Christianity in Asia
- These nations have turned away from the living God to follow strange gods, they have done evil in the sight of the Lord. Father, revive your work in Asia and in judgement remember mercy.
- Let your mercy prevail on this continent
- Lord, raise the Nehemiahs and Gideons who will rebuild broken down walls in Asia
- Father deliver the continent of Asia from strange cultures contrary to your plan for Asia
- Every nation that lieth in waste and every gates that have been burned with fire of strange religion, idol worship Lord visit them in mercy in the name of Jesus.
Psalm 33:8-12
8 Let
all the earth fear the Lord: let all the
inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 For
he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
10 The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to
nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.
11 The
counsel of the Lord standeth
for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Blessed
is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom
he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
PRAYER POINTS
- Let the fear of the Lord fall on all the inhabitants of Asia, and let them stand in awe of Him.
- May all the counsel of the heathen in the continent of Asia come to nothing and may the devices of the people be of no effect.
- Father, let your counsel concerning Asia stand forever and the thought of your heart to all generations.
Ezekiel
14:6 “Therefore
say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all
your detestable practices!
Matthew
24:14 And
this gospel of the kingdom will
be preached in the whole world as
a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
