This week we our focusing our prayers on Guinea-Bissau.
Fast Facts
* Once hailed as a potential model for African development, Guinea-Bissau is now devastated by civil war and considered the sixth poorest country in the world.
* Of the children, 45% die before the age of five.
* There has been growing freedom for all religions but many people mix up beliefs from Catholicism, Islam, and African traditional religions.
* During times of civil war, Christians gained much respect by providing help and food and attempting to bring reconciliation between opposing sides.
* Many Christians were forced to move inland during the war and as a result, more people got to hear the Gospel and more churches were planted.
Stats of the Nation
* Capital: Bissau
* Population: 1,416,027
* Religion: Muslim 43%, Traditional Ethnic 41%, Christian 14%
* Life Expectancy: 46 years
* Literacy Rate: Male 58%, Female 27%
Prayer Points
* Pray for church leaders in Guinea-Bissau as many in rural areas are responsible for as many as 10 congregations. Pray that they will be supported, encouraged, and that more leaders can be trained and released.
* Pray that the Church will sense the urgency of reaching the young people, since the life expectancy is less than 50 years.
* Bibles are available in many of the spoken languages, but three fourths of the population cannot read. Pray for inspiration so that the Bible can be used creatively to communicate to everyone.
Government
* Chief of State: President Joao Bernardo Vieira
* Head of Government: Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior
* Type of Government: Republic, multiparty since mid-1991
* Guinea-Bissau is still recovering from a 1998-99 coup that chased President Vieira from power after almost 20 years at the helm. Six years later, Vieira returned from exile in Portugal to win the Presidential election in 2005.
Prayer Points
* The President and Prime Minister represent two different political parties that have been at odds with each other. Pray that the leaders will work together in improving their country's economy and ensure political stability.
* The Muslim Fulbe and Mandingo spread across much of West Africa, and have played a significant part in bringing Islam to Guinea-Bissau. Pray for opportunities for key people to be saved and take the good news about Jesus to these people.
Shared…
We have to have the supernatural in manifestation. The early church operated in it and expected it. This is not optional for believers to believe for or not.
Only the supernatural power of God will be able to unlock the nations of the world so that the gospel can be proclaimed.
As we pray for this and other nations, we are also praying for our military where many are stationed in war-torn countries. We pray that they would be aware of all potential aggression and to curtail hostile actions before they start. They are not only soldiers of America, but soldiers of the Cross and we ask that that they would be a sign and a witness of God's love for them causing many to believe.
For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
(Eph. 6:12 AMP)
The Amplified version of this verse states that we are not only contending with people but with the evil spirits influencing these people. If we are not walking and abiding in the love of God, then we are susceptible to yielding to the wrong spirits such as strife, division, rebellion, etc. In the presence of Jesus, all these things disappear for then it is Him that we are looking at and reflecting to each other.
Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations as Your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like potters' ware. Now therefore, O you kings, act wisely; be instructed and warned, O you rulers of the earth.
(Ps. 2:8-10 AMP)
Prayed…
* Stop! You leaders in the way you have been acting and thinking!
* You will turn! You will change! You will move!
* You bend! You bow!
* Calling it forth
* Promises!
* Pulling it up higher
* Pulling it up to a place of power
* Pulling it up to a place of victory
* Heavenly help
* Open up that way right now
* There's a way to possibilities
* We command it to turn now, the church going in the right way
* Waking up the sleepers! Waking up the ones in the way!
* We take authority over fear
* Fear, get out of the church today! Get out of this church and every church today!
* F-E-A-R Go! G-O! GO! Every trace of it, out!
* We plead the Blood (weeping)
* The souls God! That they might see and hear!
* Open up their eyes and ears!
* A new desire for souls, a new hunger for souls (weeping)
* We abandon our own plans
* This is a new day
* That men would go
* We pray for the evangelists O God!
* That laborers would go! (weeping and travailing for souls)
* Deep calls for deep
* Fresh desire for souls
* Jesus, You will be seen by all
* The time is near