Making a Difference

By Steven Halter
CBN Staff Writer

CBN.com - Do you remember how you felt when you found out that Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl had been killed by terrorists in Pakistan? Many of us felt shocked at the brutality of his murder, and sadness at the loss of life. Some of us also felt outrage at the terrible injustice of this killing. And rightly so, for even the Lord hates hands that shed innocent blood (Proverbs 6:17).

Harming an innocent person is always a terrible thing. Tragically, there are untold numbers of people in our world being seriously harmed or killed, yet most of us are unaware of it. We are unaware because the secular media for the most part ignores their plight. Who are these people? They are our brothers and sisters, part of our spiritual family. They are fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Persecution of our brothers and sisters in Christ is an ongoing tragedy in various parts of the world. Believers have been persecuted in China, North Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, the Middle East, and other countries. They are persecuted by communists and by militant Muslims. They are beaten, imprisoned, tortured, and executed because of their faithfulness to our Lord.

Do you feel powerless to help our brothers and sisters? Do you wonder what you could do for a fellow Christian that is so far away in a foreign country? If so, then don't despair. There is a very powerful action step you can take. You start to take action by getting down on your knees, and then calling upon God in prayer to help them. You see, prayer is a powerful weapon. The apostle Peter was freed from prison while the saints were gathered in prayer for him (Acts 12: 5-11). Numerous accounts have been given by missionaries of miraculous rescues and interventions at the precise time that an intercessor was urged by the Spirit to pray for that missionary.

Our weapons are not natural weapons. They are not knives, M16s or the suicide bomb of a terrorist. Our weapons are spiritual. They include prayers of petition and intercession. Will you join the battle? Will you pray for the Christian woman imprisoned in North Korea? Will you intercede for the Chinese man awaiting a possible death sentence for taking the life-giving Word of God into his country. Will you call upon the Lord to strengthen and rescue believers who are in danger in the Middle East or the Philippines? Once again, remember that these are our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Won't you join the ranks of those who make a difference for fellow believers?

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