10/40 Window Prayer Alert- Pakistan- Volatile nation’s future to be determined by forthcoming parliamentary election
Intercessory prayer is critical right now for Pakistan as the nation heads toward Monday, February 18, 2008 parliamentary election, which is meant to restore democracy after eight years of military rule. The situation in Pakistan has been volatile since the December 27, 2007 assassination of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who Pakistani Christians described as “the only hope” to end religious persecution. “It is critical for Window International Network (WIN) Partners to mobilize prayer for this election,” said WIN President Beverly Pegues. “We must bind the plans and schemes of the enemy to bring further destruction, violence, killings and destabilization to this nation. We must prevent through prayer the possibility of a blood bath and civil war in this country, which rightfully belongs to Jesus. This Emergency Prayer Alert is a clarion call to stop Satan in his tracks!”
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Volatile nation’s future to be determined by forthcoming parliamentary election
WIN PRAYER ALERT
Intercessory prayer is critical right now for Pakistan as the nation heads towards this Monday, February 18, 2008 parliamentary election, which is meant to restore democracy after eight years of military rule.
The situation in Pakistan has been volatile since the December 27, 2007 assassination of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who Pakistani Christians described as “the only hope” to end religious persecution.
The killing of Bhutto has also been blamed on an Al Qaeda-linked militant commander based in the tribal region of South Waziristan. Her assassination forced the postponement of the election that was supposed to be held January 2008.
Meanwhile, a suicide bomber blasted a political gathering Saturday, February 9, 2008 in northwestern Pakistan, killing 27 people, wounding 50 and invoking fears about the security surrounding the forthcoming election.
In the South, an estimated 100,000 supporters of Bhutto turned out for her party’s first major election rally since her assassination. Bhutto’s widowed husband told the crowd he had a responsibility to save the nation from President Pervez Musharraf’s rule.
Musharraf was re-elected president in October 2007 but needs a strong majority in Parliament to fend off demands for his impeachment.
“It is critical for Window International Network (WIN) Partners to mobilize prayer for this election,” said WIN President Beverly Pegues. “We must bind the plans and schemes of the enemy to bring further destruction, violence, killings and destabilization to this nation. We must prevent through prayer the possibility of a blood bath and civil war in this country, which rightfully belongs to Jesus. This Emergency Prayer Alert is a clarion call to stop satan in his tracks!”
A Pakistani Christian recently pleaded for prayers for his country. “The tragedy of Bhutto’s assassination is a strong signal of the extremist elements who not only want to silence the voice of democracy but want to hold our country hostage to a Taliban-type rule, stifling all freedom—religious and civic,” the Pakistani Christian told Open Doors.
Pakistan is ranked No. 15 among nations that are the worst persecutors of Christians based on Open Doors 2008 “World Watch List.”
An Islamic republic, Pakistan is comprised of 96.1% Muslims and only 2.3% of the population are Christians. There is growing support for Islamic Shari’a law and discrimination against non-Muslim and Muslim minorities is on the increase. Churches, pastors and Muslim background believers are targets of violence.
Although the Pakistani government is a major partner in the U.S. war on terror, Pakistan remains a major source of Islamic extremism and a safe haven for some top terrorist leaders.
Pakistan has experienced attacks from international terror networks such as Al Qaeda and its supporters, as well as violence stemming from Sunni-Shia sectarian strife and militant sub-nationalists. Al Qaeda’s continued calls for the overthrow of President Musharraf remained a threat to Pakistan, despite the government’s efforts to eliminate Al Qaeda elements, according to the 2006 Country Reports on Terrorism by the U.S. government.
Pakistan has been hit by a wave of suicide attacks across the nuclear-armed nation that has so far this year left nearly 100 people dead, all blamed by the government on Al Qaeda and Taliban militants. Agency France Presse reported.
Pakistan is the only Islamic country that has nuclear weapons.
Intercessors worldwide can be equipped to pray for Pakistan by taking part in WIN’s Praying Through The Window (PTTW) 9, a two-year strategic global prayer initiative that launched October 1, 2007 and targets Global Terrorism and World Religions along with the Lawless Regimes in the 10/40 Window.
To order your Praying Through The Window 9: Global Terrorism and World Religions in the 10/40 Window prayer calendar, visit www.win1040.com/resources.
Pray for:
- A fair and violence-free election. Pray that this election will open the door for more evangelism in Pakistan and that the people will hunger after the One True Savior, Jesus Christ. (Colossians 4:3)
- Pakistani Christians who are participating in choosing Parliament. Pray for God to give them wisdom in their vote. (James 1:5)
- God to raise up an elected prime minister who will be fruitful for the churches of Pakistan.
- President Musharraf’s salvation. Pray that God will protect him and give him wisdom and that he will lead Pakistan in the way God so desires. Pray for the salvation of his family and those who work with him.
- All demonic schemes, plans, and efforts by Al Qaeda, Taliban and other terrorists in Pakistan to fail and be exposed at the inception of the planning stages. (Mark 4:22)
- God to thwart Al Qaeda, Taliban and other terrorists from gaining access to nuclear weapons. (Pakistan is the only Islamic nation that has nuclear weapons!)
- When the enemy comes against the innocent people in Pakistan that the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against the enemy by sending forth weapons from His arsenal in heaven. (Exodus 15:3, 6-7 and Isaiah 59:19)
- Al Qaeda, Taliban and other terrorists to repent. Pray that God will break through their hatred and that the Holy Spirit will soften their hearts and draw them to Himself in salvation. (Matthew 5:44)
- The rise of Islamic militant extremism across the Muslim world to not take root in Pakistan and that the government continues to resist terrorist movements.
- Bhutto’s family that the Lord would give them strength and comfort. Pray for those Christians around them who can be a witness to Bhutto’s husband and her children as they mourn the loss of their mother.
- Families of those who have been either injured or killed in the violence, which has affected Karachi and Islamabad. Pray that they will experience the Lord’s healing. Pray for Pakistani Christians to be a comfort to those who mourn and for Pakistani Believers to be a praying presence in the country.
Sources: the Associated Press, Open Doors, Agency France Presse, 2006 Country Reports on Terrorism by the U.S. government, Operation World
Order PTTW 9 prayer calendars:www.win1040.com/resources
Forward this email today to a friend of yours and encourage them to sign up for the 10/40 Window prayer alerts. Go to www.win1040.com and click on the SUBSCRIBE link. Prayer is crucial for Bangladesh, where two thirds of the southern Asian nation is under water following torrential rains and some 8 million people have been affected.
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