The Association representing evangelical churches in one of the North African countries has now received official recognition from the Government. This in turn gives the churches it represents legal standing and a legal right to gather and worship. This is not a blank cheque, and legally the believers can still be imprisoned for sharing their faith with a Muslim, so I urge you to keep praying.

In a neighbouring country, one national believer has had his apartment broken into by an Islamist. His Christian material was burnt, but he remained unharmed. Praise God for protecting our brother but continue praying for God’s divine boldness.

These who turned the world upside down

…These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. Acts 17:6

In this time of revolutions, it is necessary to remember that it is not man that turns the world upside down but the power of the Gospel, God partnering with man and establishing His Kingdom.

The gospel has the power to change everything from individuals and families to whole communities, Government to social care, business to education. Every aspect of life as we know it can be changed through the power of the Living Word abiding in His people and working through them.

Pray God’s mighty hand to be made known across the region.
Pray for a revelation of our Father’s ever-present Love among believers.
Pray for God to raise up people who bring the Kingdom of God to every sphere of influence.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to abide in power.
Pray that God would make the wrong things right.
Pray that millions oppressed by the enemy will see the light of Christ and leap into His arms of Love.
Pray for justice against the forces of the enemy and mercy for the people of North Africa.
Pray for the will of God to be done.

Libya/Tunisia

Libya has remained on the headlines, and we want to encourage you to boldly intercede and declare God’s word over this nation, that His glory might be revealed. Pray for the leaders of Tunisia (along with the rest of North Africa) to seek truth and justice as they prepare to establish a new Governmental structure. A change of Government does not guarantee change; it is the removal of the old spiritual powers and the establishing of the Kingdom of God that will bring true lasting change.

Pray for God to raise righteous leaders and for the Church to mobilize in prayer ahead of the elections.

Pray for Algerian Arab Peoples

The Algerian Arab People group is probably the largest people group in North Africa. Algerian Diaspora can be found globally but particularly in France. You can go to this link to find out more about them:
http://www.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=10379&rog3=AG

Pray for more laborers to be raised up from among that people, for persons of peace that will open their homes for the Gospel and for revelation of God’s love.

Praise God for the Algerian Church license!

From a letter from two believers within Algeria:

PRAISE BE TO THE LIVING GOD! TO HIM BE THE GLORY!

On the 18th of July, the General Secretary of the Algerian Protestant Church (EPA) received from the Algerian Minister of Interior the full license to give the right and the freedom for all the Churches of the country affiliated with the EPA to worship and meet freely. This means that the Church is fully recognised by the government, and it will give the right for the local Church to develop their activities.

Please pray for:
1)    the registration of the local churches with the local authorities to go smoothly.
2)    the total abolition of the March 2006 ordinances that are still affecting the freedom to evangelise and distribute Christian literature.
3)    a brother who has been sentenced for 5 years imprisonment because of his evangelism. He has appealed and his court case at the Supreme Court will take place on the 29th September. Please pray that he will be acquitted.

Egypt’s Ongoing Revolution

There are reports from Egypt that religious extremists with a totalitarian agenda are trying to hijack the movement toward greater democracy and freedom for all. They are bound by their ideology and the deception of Satan who works through ideological strongholds in the mind to control large numbers of people. We have seen this in many places but also seen the Lord break through and shatter those grips over whole peoples through united prayer initiatives that He has used to change history, stopping wars, removing wicked leaders, etc.

Praise God that Egypt has a strong and discerning prayer movement that can see what is happening and pray authoritatively and unitedly for the overthrow of the principalities and powers that seek to enslave the Egyptian people again. It is not a flesh and blood conflict. Pray that extremist fanatics who are jockeying for power in the new Egypt will be unable to take power. Here is a reflection on what is happening from a Christian leader within Egypt:

"In the largest demonstration since toppling Hosni Mubarak's regime last February, more than a million Egyptians, mostly Muslim Salafis (fundamentalists) and Muslim Ikhwan (Muslim Brotherhood), appeared Friday, July 29. They shouted Islamic slogans, held banners and called for an Islamic Egypt at Tahrir square, the same square where the events of January 25th that shook the world took place early this year. The Muslim groups in Egypt came together in what they called "The Uniting Friday" after their major prayer on a Friday afternoon, calling for the law of Allah to be applied in Egypt…On that day, many of Egypt's people were deceived & were dancing with shouts of joy declaring, "We will celebrate and then start building our new Egypt." At that day, naively, no one expected Islamic slogans. They wanted a civil society that promotes religious freedom and human rights.

In today’s demonstration, the facts started to be unfolded, mostly Islamic slogans were shouted:
•    “The Quran is our law and constitution.”
•    “Egypt is our nation and Islam is our path.”
•    “Islam victorious more and more and you, non-Muslims, must go.”
•    “We will apply the law of Allah and whoever disobeys we will set their life to anguish and distress.”
•    Egypt’s people, yes, yes, all of them want the law of Allah.”

Moreover, Sheikh Mazhar Shahin, the imam of the major mosque at Tahrir square, affirmed in his sermon at Friday’s major prayer that those demonstrators at Tahrir square are the first core group to free Jerusalem from the infidels. Furthermore, Shahin emphasized that it is a fact that Egypt is a Muslim country, and its identity is none but Islamic, but the Copts are still to be considered “partners in this country.”

What is going on in Egypt? No doubt that today, more than ever since Mubarak's toppling, Christians are concerned as well as moderate Muslims. The international society that was in favor of forcing Mubarak to resign appears now to be silent in front of the current groundbreaking news as if there is nothing to do to protect human rights in Egypt and to support the establishment of a secular democratic nation.

The Muslim moderate organizations in the West also seem to be silent in front of the rise and influence of Muslim fundamentalist groups in Egypt and turning their back to all the cries of the moderate people. There is a sharp dissonance between Muslim moderates and fundamentalists that is taking place now worldwide, and few seem to address it. Meanwhile, Christians are suffering in some places in the Middle East hearing all those hatred slogans.

In the West, there are voices that could give Muslim minorities their rights, or at least call for it. In the East, especially places like Egypt, who is defending the minorities’ rights?

In the West, in most parts, one could hear the songs of peace and reconciliation among Muslims and Christians while people in Egypt heard the uncommon sounds of everyone but fundamentalist Muslims should leave.

The church is Egypt supported the revolution and was fantasizing or dreaming of great days to come, where Christians and Muslims can live in peace in one great nation! A dream that I still hope will come true one day.”

Please pray for an open and fair society to emerge within Egypt that respects and upholds the rights of all, even the minorities. Pray that the people of the Lord will be strong and do exploits for Him in the midst of the continuing turmoil and uncertainty of the situation.