We bless God for the existence of the organization Open Doors and for the life of its founder and its promoters. In addition to its tireless work over several decades in providing banned biblical resources and other needs to persecuted Christians, this ministry has published the World Watch List of Christian Persecution every year since 1996, based on data gathered by a vast network in over 70 nations.

In accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, every individual, wherever they may be, should be able to freely live in accordance with the religion of their choice. However, every day around the world, there are severe violations of this right in many countries. Freedom of religion is indeed a universal human right: “inalienable” (it stems from the inherent dignity of every individual) and “fundamental” (it cannot legitimately be denied to anyone).

This right involves all the following elements: the right to convert, the right to share one’s faith, the right to gather for worship or any peaceful meeting and association, etc. The right to religious freedom (as long as the religion in question is not socially harmful) is inherent to every individual everywhere in the world; it predates the State and is not, in principle, subject to any special authorization.

The persecution of Christians is not limited to the violation of religious freedom (Article 18 of the UDHR) but takes various forms that violate a whole range of fundamental rights, with different consequences: discrimination in education or employment, murders, arbitrary detentions, torture in prisons, forced marriages, etc.

From the perspective of eternity, one can discern that a category of individuals is positioned and manipulated by Satan to prevent multitudes of men, women, and children from fulfilling their perfect destiny. When Cain killed Abel, the worship of God on earth suffered, to the point that the Word of God declares at the birth of Seth:

“...At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.” (Genesis 4:25-26).

Shocking and unacceptable indeed! Do those who kill others and prevent them from worshiping God not have a religion? Does their religion meet the Human Rights conditions of an association contributing to social peace? Often, it does not, which explains why it is usually practiced in secrecy! But just as religious freedom is linked to other rights, the fate of a country’s citizens is closely related.

When it becomes possible to unjustly deprive an individual or a group of their rights in a country, it sets a precedent, implying that no one in that country can rest easy. The wheel turns, and it’s only a matter of time.

Thus, the persecution of Christians is often a warning sign indicating the collapse of a society, regardless of its apparent wealth, even if the state in that country claims to be democratic. And often, it happens closer to us than we could imagine, as it is not part of the concerns of certain media under orders.

In northern Nigeria, in Plateau State, on the eve of Christmas 2023, it was reported to Open Doors that 25 villages were attacked during a terrorist assault. The result: 110 men, 37 women, 10 children, and three disabled people were burned alive in their homes because they were unable to flee. They would have been executed outside if they had tried to escape anyway!

The report estimates that about 15,000 people were internally displaced, and eight churches were set on fire. This is just one event among many others across more than 70 countries. Globally, the 2024 Report provides the following statistics:

• 4,998 Christians killed, which is an average of 13 Christians killed per day;
• 14,766 churches targeted, including 10,000 in China;
• 4,125 Christians imprisoned, half of them in India;
• 4,125 Christians kidnapped, 3,300 of them in Nigeria.

Overall, 365 million Christians were persecuted in some way for their faith in 2024. The following countries have been recorded, in this order, as “the worst countries for Christians”:

North Korea, Somalia, Libya, Eritrea, Yemen, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Mali, Algeria, Iraq, Myanmar, Maldives, China, Burkina Faso, Laos, Cuba, Mauritania, Morocco, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Central African Republic, Turkmenistan, Nicaragua, Oman, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Colombia, Vietnam, Bhutan, Mexico, Egypt, Mozambique, Qatar, DR Congo, Indonesia, Cameroon, Brunei, Comoros, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Jordan, Malaysia, Turkey.

Faced with this situation, let us remain courageous! Let us pray, but also organize ourselves and take key initiatives, following the example of Open Doors. Let us support those among us who are already engaged at some level in matters concerning the Kingdom of God, which goes beyond our local or even national churches. It is written:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:8-10).

Let no one despise the holy anger that rises in you in the face of this injustice or any other ongoing injustice in this world. But we must resolutely avoid hatred and bitterness. Let us note the following truths:

(1) The desire for justice or vengeance is legitimate and can be expressed (Revelation 6:9-10; Jeremiah 20:12; 1 Samuel 20:12-13, 16);

(2) We must know how to guard our hearts to express ourselves within the framework of divine norms and values (Proverbs 4:23; Romans 12:17-19);

(3) Our anger does not accomplish the will of God; it can even delay it (Proverbs 24:17-18). It can also create bitterness in us, giving the enemy access to our lives or the lives of others;

(4) God wants us to turn to Him to avenge us in the right way and at the most favorable time (Romans 12:19; Revelation 6:11);

(5) By opting for God’s ways, we may come to forgive, pity, pray for, and bless our persecutors, trusting God regarding the fate of those who stubbornly refuse to change their behavior;

(6) Our intercession is of utmost importance to God, especially if we suffer from these situations or if we have been victims in the past of various injustices (Hebrews 13:3);

(7) If we are not personally affected, as is the case with intercession, our holy anger can align with God’s will. Through us, God can deliver judgments here and now on earth!

Despite God’s patience, His anger may ultimately reach those whom the apostle Paul calls “the enemies of all men,” the obstinate obstructers of human destinies, especially when people find Epaphras fighting for them in prayer! King Herod paid the price! (Acts 12:21-24; 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16; Colossians 4:12).

(8) We will be rewarded and crowned for enduring persecution and for helping and interceding for those who suffer (Revelation 2:10; James 1:12; Matthew 10:41-42).

Finally, before providing a set of collected biblical references in the form of prayers, let us make the following remarks about the reflexes of intercessors in the current world situation:

• Become aware of the power of our words and use them intentionally to declare with faith God’s words and to reject at any time the words of the devil, wherever they may come from (Isaiah 7:7; Mark 8:33; Proverbs 18:21).

In this regard, we greatly appreciated the alert from the Servant of God Mohammed SANOGO, following the recent 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, which generated diplomatic incidents, or serious offenses, we would say, with the Kingdom of God.

Indeed, several highly blasphemous and ominous acts were orchestrated during the opening ceremony on July 26 of these so-called “Olympic Games,” officially called “the 33rd Olympiad of the modern era” (see in the bibliography the video of the said alert). In spirit, I see at these ceremonies indignant angels, but they did not receive the order to intervene…

This text is an excerpt from the book Strategic Evangelism written by Basile & Véronique HOUINATO.

We invite you to read the next article, “Necessary Reevaluations and Resolutions“.

PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS. PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS. PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS.