Germany: Protesters take to the streets to oppose rise of far-right
Thousands of Germans demonstrated in four cities on Monday in opposition to the weekly rallies in Dresden against the perceived ‘Islamisation’ of Europe that have attracted growing numbers of supporters. Organizers of the demonstrations in Berlin, Stuttgart, Cologne and Dresden said they were rallying against racism and xenophobia to promote a message of tolerance instead. Businesses, churches, Cologne’s power company and others kept their buildings and other facilities dark in solidarity with the demonstrations against the ongoing protests by the group calling itself Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the West, or Pegida. The square around the Cologne Cathedral was plunged into darkness as thousands joined the demonstration. Cologne Cathedral provost Norbert Feldhoff told n-tv that shutting down the lights was an attempt to make the Pegida demonstrators think twice about their protest.
Paris attack highlights Europe's struggle with Islamism
In the heart of Europe in 2015, the killing of cartoonists and journalists for allegedly insulting God still comes as a shock, despite the rising number of such attacks in recent years. The battle within Islam itself between Sunni and Shia, so evident in the wars of the Middle East, and the fight between extremist interpretations of Islam such as those of Islamic State and Muslims who wish to practice their religion in peace, is now being played out on the streets of Europe with potentially devastating consequences for social cohesion. These latest shootings may be the work of "lone wolves" but their consequences will ripple across Europe and provoke much soul-searching about the failure of integration over the past decades. Immigrant communities are already being viewed with increasing suspicion in both France and Germany, with their significant Muslim populations, and even in the UK.
Dealing with the Oppression of Women through Prayer and Repentance
I was recently in Nairobi, Kenya as one of speakers invited by the Prophetic and Intercessory group that wants to see Kenya reclaim its destiny as a nation. One of the strongholds that we are contending with in Kenya and Africa is the insurgence of extreme Islamic terrorist groups and the "oppression of women". You may be aware that recently, Kenya has been at the center of bloody attacks by the Al-shabaab, a terrorist group from Somalia which is linked to Al-qaeda and other international terrorism groups.
At this conference, I represented Southern Africa. There were other leaders from East and West Africa as well. We were all invited to speak on behalf of our continent and to help birth a new move of God in Kenya and East Africa. I was the only woman amongst the speakers, except for the local Host. I was also the youngest amongst them all. It was clear that God wanted me there for a very specific assignment so I prayed and trusted Him for a message to share with the believers in Nairobi, Kenya.
Africa is predominantly a patriarchal society. Women are usually found in subservient roles and in most cases, very oppressed. Any culture or nation that oppresses its women and children are "agreeing" or "subscribing" to the very stronghold that rules in some of these wicked terrorist organizations.
I had a sense God wanted to speak into this area, but I was also aware that it is usually a very touchy subject that may create tension if not handled well. So, I waited for the right time and for the right instruction from God on how to speak.
During one of the sessions, the Lord impressed on my heart that it was time to speak into this area of the nation. I spoke briefly about how God used the Patriarchs and Matriarchs of our faith to birth a new nation in the book of Genesis, and that if the nation of Kenya was to enter its divine destiny, men and women have to be released into their God-given destinies first. God then led me to do a prophetic act. I invited all the men to come forward, and face the women who were sitting down in the congregation. I asked the men to raise their hands towards the women and release the blessings of God upon them, and to call forth their destiny as mothers of the nation of Kenya. After the men prayed collectively, I asked if one of the men in front would pray out blessings over the women. A certain Pastor took the microphone and started to pray and asked for forgiveness on behalf of men for how women have been treated in the history of their nation. He cited rape cases, maltreatment of the older women and many more. It was so powerful. The women started weeping.
After that, I asked the women to rise where they were and raise their hands and voices towards the men and also pray for the men of Kenya to take their rightful place in God's plan. There was a senior and well-respected spiritual mother in the meeting, so I asked her to pray over for the men. She took off her shoes, fell on her knees and prayed a very potent prayer over the men.
After this, I felt God teaching me that what we did was a process of re-alignment and re-positioning. If He was going to move in a nation and birth new things, He needs the men and women working together side by side.
Here were some of the lessons I learnt through this process:
- Staying sensitive to the Holy Spirit - We need to learn to wait for the right time to release the word that God gives us during times of prayer and intercession. Sometimes we have the right message to share but the timing that we choose to deliver the message may not be appropriate.
- Sometimes we need to do things in the natural to help us shift in the spirit. This could be either a physical posture or doing prophetic acts like corporate prayer of identification and blessing.
- Boldness to share the word even if it doesn't make sense. It may make sense to someone else. This is where trusting the Lord is crucial. In order for us to be used of God on prayer assignments, we need to lay down our thoughts, imaginations and ideas for how things would or should work.
- Obedience to God - An example for me was when my husband and I felt strongly that we must travel together for this event, and initially we didn't understand why. When we got there and God started giving me the direction for what I needed to share, it was very clear that it was a picture that He wanted to portray to the nation. Without even saying much, so many people came up and told us that our marriage and standing together was a great witness. Let's trust and obey God as He guides us in small or big ways when going on prayer assignments.
Breakthrough: Pakistan and Afghanistan vow anti-Taliban border action!
We have prayed that these two nations can become united in their battle against the Taliban terrorists. Unfortunately, it took the tragic attack on the Pakistani school and the slaughter of many children to bring this cooperation about. Let's continue to agree in prayer that Pakistan and Afghanistan will work together closely and will subdue the Taliban in both countries effectively and totally this year.
25 December 2014 BBC News
[The military chiefs of Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to co-ordinate military operations along their border.The move comes a week after Taliban fighters attacked a school in Peshawar, killing more than 150 people.
Afghan army chief Gen Sher Mohammad Karimi and his counterpart Gen Raheel Sharif met in Islamabad on Tuesday and announced their plans to co-operate.
In the past the two countries have accused each other of allowing cross-border attacks by militants.
The two generals met in the presence of US General John Campbell, who heads Nato coalition forces in Afghanistan.
Gen Karimi and Gen Sharif agreed their subordinates would meet immediately to discuss operations targeting Pakistani Taliban (TTP) bases along the border.
Last week Gen Sharif met Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul. The two countries agreed to "jointly take effective actions against terrorism and extremism".
Separately, Afghan officials said more than 150 Taliban militants had been killed in military operations in the border province of Kunar.
Turning point?
Taliban militants burst into Army Public School in Peshawar on 16 December, shooting children and staff members.
Security sources now say a total of 152 people were killed. Media reports suggest the attack could have been co-ordinated from Afghanistan.
Following the attack Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed to rid his country of terrorism, and said there would be no distinction between "good and bad" Taliban.
Pakistan has previously been accused by the Afghans and Nato of allowing al-Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban to seek refuge and garner logistical support in Pakistan.
The city of Peshawar is close to the Afghan border, in a region that has seen some of the worst of the violence during years of Taliban insurgency.
