May 20th, 2012 at 6:19PM

Expanding the Kingdom: Passion for the Nations

Capturing the heart of God for the nations within us is a key to expanding the Kingdom on God on this earth.  This weeks’ prayer devotional article by Ihsan Ozbek is a passionate plea and reminder to all of us that our core values and prayer focus must align with God’s heart!  When we ask the Lord to ” … give us the nations”, let us remember that giving us the nations is, first and foremost, a heart issue. Let us ask our Father (the lover of all peoples in all nations) to penetrate our hearts with HIS so that we will see the ultimate answer that, as Ihsan Ozbek quotes, ” … all the nations of the earth will be blessed.”
-Editor

GOD WANTS THE  NATIONS!

God wants the nations.  It is one of the clearest themes in the Bible. God’s passion for the nations is evident from Genesis, where God’s promise to Abraham is that through him “all the nations of the earth will be blessed,” to Revelation, where we see a picture of God’s ultimate goal: a worship gathering that includes people from “every nation, tribe, people, and language.”  The basic command that serves as the impetus for the disciples’ ministry is the commission to “Go into all the nations and make disciples…” If our own passions and strategies are to match God’s plans we must also want the nations.  We should be praying for the nations, thinking about the nations, and moving toward the nations in order to make disciples.  This is the nature of our role in expanding the Kingdom.

The reality in the world today is that thousands of people groups still do not have a self-sustaining, self-propagating church among them.  This is a matter of serious urgency.  So how should we pray?

1. Pray for the church to have a vision and strategy that includes unreached nations.  It is not enough for the church to be passionate about evangelism alone when God has been very specific about the goal of our preaching and disciple-making.  Even a small congregation can have a major impact on the nations.  The small community of believers in Antioch took on the task of world evangelization, and the world has never been the same. 

2. Pray for Christians to have an encounter with a God who is worth talking about. If we truly believe that God deserves to be worshipped in every language and by every people we will have no trouble making this our priority.  Every believer in every church should be asking, “What is my role in reaching unreached nations?” Whether we pray, give, support, or go, the responsibility to reach the unreached belongs to all of us.  And God is worth it!

The truth is that participating in the coming of God’s Kingdom by reaching unreached peoples is an amazing privilege and a serious responsibility.  So, we should want to want the nations the way that God does. Passion for the nations is a gift from God; are you asking him for it?

–İhsan Özbek

May 13th, 2012 at 6:36PM

Expanding the Kingdom: Warfare Prayer - Global Summit Prayer Strategy - May 14, 2012

Expanding the Kingdom: Warfare Prayer

for Urban Centers and Beyond

Our Father, we come to you to thank you for your divine love for this entire world. Your love for all on this planet is just as strong today as it was when you sent your son, Jesus, into this world to become our Savior and Lord and to lay the foundation for the church. He said, ‘…on this rock I will build my church and all the powers of hell will not conquer it’ (Matthew 16:18 NLT). He is that rock and the foundation is solid and perfect, but we are blessed and helped by reviewing in your Word how Jesus started the church and how it grew and extended into all the known world as recorded in the Bible. We open our hearts and minds to you, Father, asking for the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit as we soon will meet in Phoenix for the World Summit. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Starting His ministry here on earth Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me. Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”  (Luke 4:18-19). He started in the city of Nazareth, and in that same chapter He states, “I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also, for this purpose I have been sent.” (Luke 4:43). As Spirit-filled believers, we can truthfully say that the Spirit of the Lord is upon us and He has anointed us to preach the gospel. 

Jesus came on to the scene when he joined in with the multitude that had gone to the Jordan River to see and hear John the Baptist. He came to be baptized by John. John tried to prevent Him; he was reluctant to do it because of who He was, but Jesus replied, “…it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). “When He had been baptized…behold the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’” (Matthew 3:16, 17).

“Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages…preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease…but when He saw the multitude, He was moved with compassion for them because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” (Matthew 9:35, 36). Jesus appointed twelve disciples. He taught them and empowered them to preach, to heal the sick, to cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons. Teaching the multitudes, he used stories relating to their daily lives to teach divine truth. He served His disciples in the last supper; He took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take, eat, this is My body.” Then He took the cup…saying, “Drink from it all of you.  For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28). There were the many times He spent in prayer. There is so much more about how He taught His disciples and ministered to the people, not to mention the times of meeting and eating with sinners.

Because of His love for all, He fulfilled the will of His Father, taking our sins upon Himself, being nailed to the cross, shedding His blood and dying. He was raised from the dead with all authority in heaven and earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always even to the end.” (Matthew 28:18-20). “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.” (Mark 16:20; also read Mark’s version of the Great Commission).

Jesus commanded His disciples and all who believed in Him to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Before He began His ministry, He was filled with the Spirit as He came up out of the water. He has taught us well, so we can know His Word and have power to communicate His message to the world. In the Acts of the Apostles, we read how these men and women went out with the whole Gospel and pioneered and established churches all over the known world. “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then, having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went…” (Acts 13:2-4). The book of Acts is a wonderful manual for the ministry.

One of the most meaningful ways to worship God is to tell others about Jesus and to lead them to the Lord. To grow, the church must be a witnessing church. When we were missionaries in Panama, back in 1959, I was walking along the sidewalk in the center of downtown Panama City. It was noontime and the traffic on that main street was stopped, held up by one auto. As I got abreast of the car, the driver of it motioned that he wanted to talk to me.  He was the Vice-President of the nation, and one of my friends. He said, “Lilando (that is my name in Panama), I just heard some bad news about you: that you are leaving the country.” I replied, “Yes, my wife and I have been appointed to minister in Chile.” He continued, “You can be assured that your church is going to keep on growing in my country because you have taught my people to live the gospel by talking to family, friends, neighbors, and others and singing about Jesus in their homes and at work.”

Jesus has given us the key to winning the lost by His example: everywhere He went He used every opportunity, with great compassion, to tell people how much He loved them by touching them, healing them, reaching out with His arm of love, and even with tears. He prayed in the Garden, “If it be possible, please let me not have to go through this, but not my will but thine be done.” He knew the great price, but out of love for us He gave His all.  Can we be or do anything less?  The key, then, to ministering in an urban setting and beyond is: follow Jesus’ example. Make use of every opportunity to touch the culture; intercede for places, people, and situations, and watch what Jesus will do in, through, and around you.

–Leland B. Edwards

May 7th, 2012 at 8:42PM

Expanding the Kingdom: To the Ends of the Earth - Global Summit Prayer Strategy - May 7, 2012

“From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, are running back to God. Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him. God has taken charge; from now on He has the last word.” - Psalm 22:27-28 - The Message

“All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before Him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations” - Psalm 22: 27-28 - NIV

This week, as we focus on spiritual warfare prayer and expanding the Kingdom, our prayer target is “remote areas.”  When we consider the word, “remote” it becomes evident that the various meanings applied to this word in its usage also echo a spiritual significance and cause our hearts to respond with compassion and prayer.  Some of the meanings are as follows:  Remote - far apart, secluded, an out-of-the-way location, a distance in time, a distance in relationship or connection …

The heart of our Father ever searches for those who have entered the remote regions of their lives (either by choice or due to circumstances outside of their control). Those who have become lost, invisible, isolated, disconnected, alone, lonely, walled-in, and are “out of the way” for us. They may live on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean; they may live in the inner city, just blocks from us. They may appear to be unreachable, uninterested, unavailable, and even unaware of a God who penetrates their darkness with His transforming light and life. But He doesn’t miss them for one moment! He sees and He hears and He has a plan! Just as Hagar ran into the wilderness thinking she was in a remote and hidden place, God met her in her struggle as the God who sees and the God who hears! (Read Genesis 16)

As we prepare for the Global Summit this week, invite the Holy Spirit to break our hearts for the “remote” people and places, to put an ache within us that cannot be answered except through fervent intercession, bringing the Kingdom of God into the most isolated and out-of-the-way arenas. Invite Him to show us the way into those remote places. He sees every empty soul; He calls His Church to pursue those invisible, remote dear ones who need a hand that reaches into their darkness!

I love the way that Eugene Petersen states it in verse 28 of Psalm 22: “God has taken charge; from now on He has the last word.” This gives us great courage and determined commitment because we know that HE wins - “to the ends of the earth!”

-Editor


April 29th, 2012 at 5:16PM

Expanding the Kingdom: Priestly Worship that Manifests Life in Broken Lives! - Global Summit Prayer Strategy - April 30, 2012

This week’s prayer devotional reminds us that we are called to the royal priesthood; royal because of our relationship with the High Priest, Jesus Christ. In this calledposition of authority in Christ, we “stand in the gap” proclaimingheaven where hell abides. These are not empty words, but all of the power of God’s Kingdom backs us up in our stance for righteousness. Because we are chosen andHis own possession, the role of intercession and warfare has Kingdom clout! The enemy simply cannot win the battle when the saints of God take their position in faith and in worship to see the captives set free! Take heart this week; know the assurance that–whatever you are going through, whatever the struggle–our God has the last Word! Let us join in unity of vision and action, as Jeff Roper guides our journey on the way to the Global Summit!

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:5-6, ESV)

The church is called to continue the priestly ministry of Christ, restoring broken people to a right relationship with God. In our priestly ministry we stand between heaven and earth, bringing hope to those who are alienated to God and His Kingdom.

This restoration is done through worship that manifests the presence of God, intercession that bridges the gap between human brokenness, God’s abundant grace, and Biblical teaching that renews the mind and restores the soul.

I am praying this Global Summit God ignites a fresh fire and a new season within our Global Foursquare Family. I am praying for us to fulfill for this generation the “priestly service of the Gospel of God” (Romans 15:16). Let us contend for nothing less than the manifested presence of God in our worship, the intervention of heaven through our intercession, and the renewal and restoration of our lives through teaching the Word of God.

As priests unto the Lord, the Church stands in worship, offering the sacrifices of praise unto Him who is worthy. We kneel in intercession, bridging the gap and making up the hedge. And we speak forth the Word of God in authority and power. Through this priestly ministry we will see new multitudes brought into a right relationship with God. This is our calling. This is our destiny!

–Jeff Roper

April 26th, 2012 at 4:38PM

Global Summit SESSION TWO & THREE Resources

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CURRENT REALITIES & OPPORTUNITIES DOWNLOADS:

PAPERS:

FROM ED STETZER: (LOP = Lausanne Occasional Papers)

SESSION THREE:

April 26th, 2012 at 3:35PM

Global Summit SESSION ONE Resources

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SERMON LINK: T4G (Together for the Gospel) Sermon

April 22nd, 2012 at 6:55PM

Expanding the Kingdom: Evidences of His Kingdom - Global Summit Prayer Strategy - April 23, 2012

Expanding the Kingdom through spiritual warfare is demonstrated, not only through what we traditionally think of as warfare prayer, it is also demonstrated through the work of the King in and through His people on this earth. As Jim Scott so powerfully communicates in this week’s devotional, Jesus constantly demonstrated His Kingdom coming to earth as He took authority over every opposition that attempted to thwart His victory. He preached, taught, and instructed us to pray, “Thy Kingdom Come on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). He also - in head-on encounter - commanded life to come forth out of death and death-dyfing circumstances! As we draw closer and closer to the Global Summit, may God grant us all the faith and vision to invite that same power of God by His Spirit to work in and through us and His global Foursquare family!

The King and the Evidences of His Kingdom

The Gospel of Mark, probably the first of the Synoptic Gospels to be written, introduces the Galilean ministry of Jesus with these words;

Now after John was put into prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel (lit. good news) of the Kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel (lit. good news).”  Mark 1:14-15 NKJV

Remarkably, after Jesus selects his disciples, this Gospel of the Kingdom, or good news, is modeled for all to see; a demon is cast out (1:21-28), Peter’s mother-in-law is healed (1:29-31), many are healed and many demons were cast out in the evening (1:32-34), demons are cast out as Jesus preaches in Galilee (1:35-39) and Jesus cleanses a leper (1:40-45). Mark 2 begins with the healing of the paralytic–and so it goes on in the ministry of Jesus; so it goes through the Gospel narratives, and so it was experienced in the ministry of His disciples and apostles.

It’s striking that the Gospel of the Kingdom, as preached by Jesus at the defining moments of His earthly ministry, is less doctrine, theology and apologetics and more works that are transformational–healing, deliverance and miraculous encounters with the Living God! And while Jesus taught in Mark 1 and would teach, proclaim and cause the scholars of His and our day to marvel, His “sermons” take place within the context of the supernatural. Clearly, there were many, many people who encountered Jesus as He ministered in word and deed and would tell others after this encounter, “Wow, I’ve got some good news…!”

This Good News is real and it may be experienced wherever the King and His Kingdom are present.

In Luke 10:8–9, Jesus sends out the 70 disciples and tells them, “Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you; heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God has come near to you.’” Heal and say the Kingdom has come near. This is a very important part of Jesus’ ministry: He preached the Kingdom and healed the sick. In Matthew 4:23 it says of Jesus that, “He went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people” (cf. Matthew 9:35; 10:8; 11:2–6; Luke 4:16–20).

In Matthew 10:7–8, Jesus told them, “Preach as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead … ” The disciples were to preach, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” and they were to perform certain signs, including raising the dead. In the Gospels, Jesus raised only three people from the dead during his earthly ministry (Matthew 9:18–26; Luke 7:11–17; John 11:38–44) and in the Book of Acts, the apostles raised two people from the dead (Acts 9:36–43; 20:9–10). Why do you suppose Jesus healed people by the hundreds, or even thousands, but raised only three from the dead? We must always keep in mind that virtually all the people Jesus healed and raised got sick again and died. The blessings of healing and resurrection are temporary in this fallen age. They are signs—pointers, foretastes—of the ultimate healing and the great final resurrection- “the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23). Sickness and death were not abolished with the coming of Jesus. His healings and resurrections were signs that in the final Kingdom they would be abolished.

In Luke 11:20, Jesus says, “If it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Clearly, the arrival of the Kingdom brings an unprecedented conflict with Satan and his demons. It is amazing to consider that in the whole Old Testament, only about five of the 39 books even mention Satan and nowhere does any prophet or priest or king or wise man cast out any demons. But as soon as Jesus’ birth was predicted, a horrific plan was enacted to kill Him at birth, and Satan is in conflict with Him in the wilderness. No wonder Jesus’ ministry involved casting out “many demons” (Mark 1:34), and it is understandable why (as in the words of Matthew 10:1), we read, “Jesus called to Him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out … “

In Matthew18:3 Jesus says, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn [repent and be converted] and become likechildren, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” The power of the Kingdom of God brings about the conversion of sinful, angry, selfish, rebellious, proud, envious humanity, and this is implied in the parable of the net in Matthew 13:47–50: “The kingdom of heaven islike a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish.” The Kingdom is the powerthat gathers fish. Fish don’t jump into the net; they try to get out of it. (cf. Matthew 19:23-26; Colossians1:13) Therefore, the Kingdom itself overcomes rebellion and brings conversion.

There are other evidences of the presence of the King and His Kingdom: mercy and forgiveness (Matthew 18:23–35), righteousness, peace and joy (Matthew 6:10, Romans 14:17), and a calling to serve as Priests of our God (Revelation 1:6, 1 Peter 2:9).

The global Foursquare Church was birthed not only with a theological commitment to the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the attending gifts and healings as on-going works of God, we were birthed out of the very supernatural acts of God–healings, deliverances, signs and wonders–that were transformational to us locally, nationally and internationally.  We have and continue to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom and should expect that all the evidences of the presence of the Kingdom will attend our ministries. This is who we are!

–Jim Scott

 

April 15th, 2012 at 7:24PM

Expanding the Kingdom: Praying for Cities - Global Summit Prayer Strategy - April 16, 2012

As we join in prayer this week, Volker Heitz leads us to a strategic focus on cities. The world will be reached as we recognize that cities are a vital link to all peoples of the earth.  The Great Commission calls us to “… the ends of the earth.” More and more, (all cultures, all unreached people groups) are finding their way into the cities out of necessity for survival. The cultural mix and influx of peoples that are making their way to centers of commerce can be seen as opportunities to reach these beloved people with the hope of Christ! As you read this week’s devotional article and prayer guide, let us–with faith–know that our unity in prayer will make a difference that expands the Kingdom to the ends of the earth!

Prayer Guide for Cities

In his book, “Culture Making,” Andy Crouch shares an important clue to current realities related to our need to engage the city prayerfully and practically as a global mission force when he writes;

“The media are keen to report that ‘half the world’s population now live in cities’, but we are overlooking the main event: half the world has become a City…”

Population experts have reported a global shift that happened for the first time in recorded history, that in the year 2005 over 50% of the world’s population was found to be living in cities. Recognizing the historic and global realities related to cities, we are stirred to a prayerful response along these lines:

*Humility:

Ask the Lord to grant a heart of humility and a posture of listening and learning in order to serve the city with His heart, His strategies, and in league with His prior workings.

“Oftentimes, Christians enter urban communities at top speed, full of arrogance and zeal. We develop strategies for ministry and launch projects before we’ve adequately discerned God’s Spirit at work, before we’ve found signs of the presence of God in unexpected places. We lack the humility of Christ, so impatient to develop our own vision that we fail to see God quietly at work. Remember, we are working with God, not on our own.”  –Stephen Ujvarosy

*Heart:

1.     Ask the Lord to bless the city as Jeremiah instructed in Jeremiah 29:4-11.

-        Seek the peace and prosperity of the City.

-        “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord; He plans to prosper you and not to harm you; He plans to give you hope and a future.”

2.     Ask the Lord for apostolic/prophetic leaders and teams who can enter the city with a heart of love for the lost, a desire to bless the community, and a passionate commitment to “plan to stay, plant gardens…and eat the produce…”  The church that is a blessing to the city must stay “in the city.”

*Harvest:

Ask the Lord to reach into the heart of the city and bring in the harvest. God’s love for the city is directly tied to His passion for the people of the city. Pray for the Good Shepherd to bring in those who are lost in the cities, recognizing that the influence of the city extends beyond her borders into nations, regions, and globally and that His last day’s harvest in the cities will have global impact!

April 9th, 2012 at 10:31AM

Establishing the Kingdom - Intercession for the Business World - Global Summit Prayer Strategy - April 9, 2012

This week our Global Summit Prayer devotional draws us to intercede for our lives to become the absolute demonstration of Christ in the marketplace!  It is through the fact that Christ is always with us, the integrity of heart He instills in us by His Spirit, the value we see in others, (bringing out their best),  and our prayerfulness to stand in the gap for those who do not yet know God that the Kingdom will be established in our global economy and business world. 


Genesis 39:2-3

As Christians we need to boldly live out our relationship in Christ, allowing its fruit to impact everything we say or do. This is how Christ will impact the business world – through us! The business world is not independent of the Kingdom but it is where Kingdom principles are established through God’s children.

 A key aspect in the life of Joseph (as seen in our focus text) in his successes and downfalls was that the Lord was with him wherever he went. As a result, he was successful–whether in prison, Potipher’s house, or serving under Pharaoh. People realized that this was nothing but the result of the hand of God in Joseph’s life.

 Let us pray for Christians to be who they are by living out their relationship in Christ in the business world.  Just as people saw that the Lord was with Joseph, let everyone see this to be true in believers through our deeds in the marketplace today. Let every decision be a demonstration of the wisdom of God to influence, impact, and cause favour to increase as a result of total integrity.

People drew close to Jesus because of the value and love He placed on them. The second aspect of our prayer is to pray for every Christian to demonstrate such attitudes as seen in Christ towards seniors, peers and subordinates. In a post modern world dominated by self, the very heart of God would be visible and established through such relationships in a servant attitude that seeks the best for others.

As Christ reigns in us, we will become His presence and fragrance that will effect change in the business world.

May every decision we make be a demonstration of the wisdom of God that influences, impacts and causes favour and increase as total integrity shines its light into the business world!

–Surekha Hulugalle

April 1st, 2012 at 8:49PM

Expanding the Kingdom: Spiritual Warfare - Global Summit Prayer Strategy - April 2, 2012

On this earth there are nations within nations! So many unreached people groups exist, often invisible to us; yet, these groups desperately need the reach of the Gospel of Christ to bring salvation and the hope of abundant life that they inherently long for, not yet realizing where and how this life is found.  The enemy’s design is that all people groups in all nations remain unreachable, trapped by environment, culture, tradition and clouded perspective. As John Amstutz reveals in this week’s devotional, we are in a battle - true spiritual warfare.  It is essential for the global Church to become aware of our mandate to reach the unreached. We begin on our knees!


Expanding the Kingdom: Spiritual Warfare

 -John L. Amstutz

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see
the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 
(2 Corinthians 4:4, 5a).

            The kingdom is advancing.  The gospel of the kingdom is being preached in all the world.  In this generation the good news of Christ has spread to every country on earth, of which there are more than 230.  Now, the light of the gospel is beginning to penetrate the many ethnic groups found within each country, “as a witness to all nations” takes place before the end of this age.  

            But the battle is fierce! Spiritual warfare is intense.  Persecution is increasing.  The god of this age continues to deceive and blind the minds of unbelievers from seeing “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.”  Over 6000 groups in which live more than one-third of the world’s population are yet unreached.  There is not yet a strong enough church movement within these under-evangelized groups that can reach the entire group.  Missionaries are needed to help penetrate these final frontiers before
Christ returns.   

            The Global Summit is bringing together leaders from many countries where the battle is particularly intense.   Putting on the full armor of God and praying in the Spirit with all kinds of prayers and requests, let us (like the Apostle Paul) wage war with the weapons of prayer that have divine power to “demolish strongholds.”   Let us join with our brothers and sisters and tear down “…arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).  Let us pray for those who give witness of Christ in these countries that they will be given courage to boldly and “…fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:18).