Located near the middle-eastern coast of Africa, Ethiopia is surrounded by countries that remain hostile to Christians. Yet unlike the countries surrounding Ethiopia, attacks against Christians from extremist groups are fortunately rare[1]. Despite advancements in the agricultural and service sectors, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in the world[2]. 25% of the children under 5 are underweight and 30% of the total population live below the poverty line[3]. This nation also serves as home to 726,000 refugees from neighboring countries, as well as home to 450,000 internally displaced persons[4]. Additional prayer concerns include the 33.7 million Muslims living in Ethiopia, alongside major issues of human trafficking[5] and serving as a transit hub for heroin and cocaine[6]. Let’s Pray…    

-God, we lift up every Ethiopian in this nation. Lord Jesus, please meet each of them where they are at. We pray for Christians to press into you where they seek to love you with all their heart, all their soul, and all their strength.* We pray for the Ethiopians who don’t know you, and that you Holy Spirit would continue to speak truth into their lives about the Lord Jesus Christ, and how salvation is found in you alone Jesus. We pray for millions of Muslims to have the scales removed from their eyes, so they might see the son Jesus Christ, and receive salvation. Bring a heart of repentance and reception towards forgiveness to be received by these communities through the name of Yeshua HaMashiach, Amen.   

-Father, we lift up any extremist Muslim groups in the region and we pray that they would encounter you Jesus, and that you my Lord would save their souls and turn them from their sins. Father, lead them on the path you have written for their lives. Amen.     

-We pray over the refugees and internally displaced persons in Ethiopia, and that each of them could be led by the Holy Spirit to enter into or draw deeper into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Father, we pray for the provision of food, education, clean water, shelter, clothing, and clean sanitation facilities for these individuals and families.   

-Let drug trafficking and money laundering come to an end in Ethiopia. Let holiness be impressed upon the hearts of those found guilty of these sins. Help them to seek out repentance and salvation through you Jesus. 

-We lift up the poor and needy in Ethiopia to your throne Lord Jesus. Father, let your son be revealed to them, that they could place their trust in you Jesus, and that you Jesus would take care of them. God, we pray for you to secure justice for the poor and uphold the cause of the needy.** Father, we pray for those same provision of food, clothing, clean water, clean sanitation facilities, and education for the poor in Ethiopia. Thank you Lord.   

-Jesus, we pray for the trafficked population and those at risk for being trafficked in Ethiopia. We pray for your angels to dismantle every trafficking business in Ethiopia. We pray for every victim or potential victim to be given angelic assignments for protection. We pray for all the Ethiopians sold to foreign countries and we ask for their freedom. We pray through your blood Yeshua, and ask that you would clear a path for freedom and a return to their home. Lead them into your loving arms Yeshua. We pray for emotional, mental, and physical healing over the captives. We ask for conviction to fall upon the guilty, and we pray your grace would lead them to repentance, salvation, and restoration. Amen.    

Image Credit: Erik Hathaway

[1] The Voice of the Martyrs. “Global report on where Christians are persecuted today.” Bartlesville: Persecution.com. 2017.    

[2] CIA World Factbook (Date Accessed April 2014).

[3] CIA World Factbook (Date Accessed April 2014).

[4] CIA World Factbook (Date Accessed April 2014).

[5] Patt, Professor Martin (Date Accessed January 2015).

[6] CIA World Factbook (Date Accessed April 2014).

*Scripture quotations are based upon text obtained from New International Version of Deuteronomy 6:5, (2011).

**Scripture quotations are based upon text obtained from New International Version of Psalm 140:12, (2011).