Praying for the persecuted church using the seven words of Jesus on the cross.
Length of the prayer time : about 45 minutes in total
Light seven large candles and arrange them on a table. By each of the seven words pick up a candle, and when you have spoken the words, blow the candle out and put it back on the table. You start with seven lit candles and finish with seven candles that have been blown out.
The ‘seven words of Jesus’ are the seven sentences that Jesus spoke while on the cross.
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6. “It is finished.” (John 19:30)
Pick up the sixth candle, speak these words, blow the candle out and put it back in its place on the table.
“It is finished. Jesus’ task had been completed. You couldn’t see it yet though. The only visible thing was a naked man on a cross. But the miracle had already happened. The reconciliation had already taken place! Humanity had been set free.
Today as we pray for the persecuted church, it may seem as if nothing has happened and nothing is going to happen. There’s nothing to see on the outside. But God said “It is finished”. He will give strength to our prayers. He has been at work in the persecuted church. He is at work in the persecuted church. He will be at work in the persecuted church.
Although it may still seem very dark for very many Christians suffering persecution, we know that there is hope for them.