Prayer for the Persecuted Church

God’s Indomitable Love in Christ (Romans 8:28-39)

We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?

Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn? It is Christ [Jesus] who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?

As it is written:

For your sake we are being slain all the day;
we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.

No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prayer for the Persecuted Church

All-powerful, ever-living God,
turn our weakness into strength.
As you gave your martyrs,
the courage to suffer death for Christ,
give us the courage to live in imitation of Christ.

Lord, hear the prayers of your martyrs.
Give us the courage to bear witness to your truth.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

God’s love has overcome every obstacle to our salvation and every thing that separates us from Him. That power manifested itself when God's Son delivered Himself up to death for our redemption. Through Christ we can overcome all afflictions and trials.