Two Timely October Prayer Events

The current conflict in the Middle East heightens our daily consciousness of the need for prayer asking that God’s global plans and purposes be fulfilled. We are certainly in days when we need to seek God’s wisdom and to pray that the love of Christ be born in the hearts of people of all nations.

October will see an unusual overlap of annual prayer initiatives—one focusing on Israel and one on the Muslim World. It certainly isn’t coincidence that this year these two prayer patterns come at the same time. We believe more than ever before that churches need to pray, plan, and prepare for ways to incorporate these into your church’s worship, small group, prayer gatherings, and special designated times of prayer.

October 1^st is the annual Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem. Hundreds of Christian leaders from around the world have endorsed this day of prayer. This year it falls during the Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (September 23-October 2). These Jewish holidays, a day of sweetness and a day of atonement, are the culmination of a month-long process of coming back to God. What a significant time for millions of Christians to join together to pray with insight for the Peace of Jerusalem! You will find “Day to Pray Packets,” information and other resources at www.daytopray.com.

October also features the 15^th anniversary of the 30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus that corresponds with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan fast September 24 – October 23. Patrick Johnstone, author of Operation World, says,

“The Muslim world is a challenge to Christians—especially since 9/11. We will not impact Muslims through our theological arguments or political manipulation, but we will through prayer. The annual 30 Day prayer emphasis that coincides with the Muslim month of Ramadan has been a remarkable global effort to focus millions of Christians on prayer for the spiritual needs of Muslims. Is it surprising, then, that during the 15 years of the 30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus there has been a corresponding rise in the number of Muslims turning to Christ? May God call many more as intercessor-priests (Rev 5-8) t o change our world and extend His Kingdom!”

The 30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus booklet, daily e-mails, and kids prayer calendar downloads may be found at www.30-days.net. This proven tool gives testimonies of converted Muslims in various regions of the world and constructive information and prayer points to assist the focused prayers of those who want to engage in this strategic spiritual warfare.

--Lisa Flake is the missions prayer coordinator for Harvest Prayer Ministries. She is available for speaking on missions and prayer and consulting in that area. You can reach her at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .