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Blog / Bible Verses for the International Days of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Bible Verses for the International Days of Prayer for the Persecuted Church


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[See the Bible Gateway Blog post, Standing Strong Through the Storm: Stories from the Persecuted Church]

[See the Bible Gateway Blog post, The Staggering Picture of Christian Persecution: An Interview with Johnnie Moore]

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The International Days of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (#IDOP) is a time set apart to remember millions of Christians around the world who face persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ.

[See the Bible Gateway Blog post, International Day(s) of Prayer for the Persecuted Church]

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Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Hebrews 13:3 (NIV)

“Persecution is the daily reality of at least 100 million Christians around the world,” says Godfrey Yogarajah, executive director, World Evangelical Alliance, Religious Liberty Commission (@WEARLC1). “These Christians, who face routine harassment and difficulties, often suffer in silence and isolation. Over the years, the IDOP has served as a platform to highlight their stories and advocate their plight. Moreover, in so doing, the IDOP has also been a source of solidarity and encouragement to persecuted Christians by reminding them that they are part of a larger, global family of believers.”
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…We are experiencing all kinds of trouble, but we aren’t crushed. We are confused, but we aren’t depressed. We are harassed, but we aren’t abandoned. We are knocked down, but we aren’t knocked out. We always carry Jesus’ death around in our bodies so that Jesus’ life can also be seen in our bodies….
2 Corinthians 4:8-12 (CEB)

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While the number of Christians martyred for their faith every year is difficult to precisely assess, Open Doors USA estimates that, in 2015, more than 7,000 Christians were killed specifically because of their faith. Open Doors, with its list of countries where Christians are most in need of prayer, urges Christians and churches to remember those killed and pray for those in more than 60 countries still facing persecution because of their faith (see the Open Doors Facebook page).

“Under Caesar’s Sword” is a three-year, collaborative global research project by the University of Notre Dame to discover and draw attention to the ways Christian communities around the world respond to the severe violation of their religious freedom. These strategies vary widely, ranging from nonviolent protest movements of the kind that Pope John Paul II led in communist Poland, to the complex diplomacy of Christian churches in China, to simply fleeing from persecution en masse, as Christians have in Iraq. The project aims to raise solidarity with persecuted Christians worldwide and to help them respond justly and effectively. Watch the documentary film.


The above slide presentation is a production of the Office of Social Justice, a ministry of the Christian Reformed Church.

The following organizations have resources ready to help you help others become more prayerfully aware of the plight of Christian brothers and sisters around the world:

Basic Biblical Teaching About Persecution

Persecution Foretold

Jesus Warns and Teaches About Persecution

The Apostles and First Missionaries are Persecuted

  • Acts 4:1-22 – Christ’s supremacy threatens the supremacy of the totalitarian and theocratic leadership. (vv. 2, 17)
  • Acts 5:12-41 – Power and attraction of the gospel arouses jealousy. (v. 17)
  • Acts 6:7-15 – Success of ministry arouses competition.
  • Acts 7:54-8:4 – Stephen becomes the Christian Church’s first martyr; persecution breaks out.
  • Acts 12:1-4 – Herod persecutes apostles for political gain.
  • Acts 12:1-18 – While Peter is in prison, the church prays.
  • Acts 13:49-14:7 – Opposition to the gospel forces missionaries to flee.
  • Acts 16:16-34 – The gospel threatens trade, economic prosperity and the fortune-telling industry (v. 19); false accusations lead to missionaries being severely beaten. (v. 22)
  • Acts 17:1-15 – Missionary success arouses jealousy; missionaries forced to flee. (v. 5)
  • Acts 19:23-32 – The gospel threatens trade, economic prosperity and the idol industry; idol-makers incite riot that goes out of control.
  • Acts 21:27-36 – Enemies of the gospel incite hatred and violence; Paul beaten and arrested.

Prepare for Persecution

Conduct Under Persecution

Results of Persecution

Rewards for Suffering Persecution

Place and Power of Prayer

Possible Forms that Persecution May Take

The above list is a production of the World Evangelical Alliance, Religious Liberty Commission.


The above video is a production of The Voice of the Martyrs.

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Filed under Christian Persecution, Prayer, Video