One of the countries that we often pray for is Afghanistan. This Central Asian land that has known awful invasions and bloodshed for hundreds of years has made considerable progress in national development since the Taliban were overthrown in 2002. Women have been able to go back to work, children back to school, and many other encouraging changes such as the opening of hospitals and universities and the building of new roads and infrastructure have occurred over the last decade. These gratifying changes have been brought about by the democratically elected government and a committed international humanitarian community. However, unfortunately, the Taliban have regrouped and with the drawdown of American and Coalition forces, they have become far more bold and aggressive in attacking the army and police as well as in launching suicide attacks in the capital.

We need to really adopt Afghanistan into our hearts for ongoing prayer so that the Taliban, so deranged and deceived by their radical Islamic ideology, will not be able to retake the nation and once again deprive its people of their hard-won freedom and dignity. Please join us in praying for the following:

1.Pray that the Taliban and those from ISIS that are increasingly coming into the country will continue to be divided and to fight one another until both these movements are devastated and driven out. That the Taliban’s current internal struggle over who should be their new leader will continue to undermine their efforts. May they become disillusioned and give up their destructive bid for power and control.

2.Pray for the Afghan government to be united and effective along with the army and police in combating the insurgents and also apprehending their leaders. Also, that a good defense minister will be agreed on and put into office ASAP.

3.That the Pakistan and Afghan governments will be reconciled and fight the terrorists together with full cooperation and sharing of intelligence and military resources.

4.For the local believers and those with the humanitarian community to be strongly protected and greatly strengthened. May they be encouraged to continue praying and working together for His breakthrough in the nation and for the Gospel of Christ to spread far and wide among the population.

5. For individuals and teams going in to serve and to pray in the coming months, that they will be kept safe and used in a mighty way to pray for the healing of the land and the breaking of strongholds caused by the centuries-old defilement of idolatry and the shedding of innocent blood.

May the Lord bring about an amazing, divine reversal of fortunes for this long-suffering country and may the hopes of its people for peace, healing and restoration be fully realized!