East-West Blog

3 Ways to Pray During Ramadan

Written by East-West Staff | May 22, 2018 1:00:45 PM

The ninth and most reverent month of the Muslim calendar is known as Ramadan. Many Muslims around the world are praying and fasting from sunrise to sunset in pursuit of God … and you can join them.

Despite headlines of intense persecution and disdain for followers of Jesus in the Muslim world, God is at work in ways that declare His power, might and mercy to those chained to the works-based pursuit of Allah.

Muslims are turning to Christ in greater numbers than ever before. Jesus is meeting them where they’re at through modern miracles like dreams and visions, the Word of God, and the love of Christians. These are the very things we invite you to pray for as Ramadan continues in the Muslim world.

Dreams and Vision

Throughout history, God has spoken to His people through dreams and visions.

God gave Abraham a vision to give him hope of the promised Seed that would bless all nations (Genesis 15:1). He used dreams to give Joseph influence over Egypt and insight that would spare both Egyptians and Jews from famine (Genesis 37-41). Solomon prayed and received wisdom at the prompting of a dream (1 Kings 3:5). Zechariah learned he would father John, the prophet who announced the coming of the Messiah, through a vision (Luke 1:5-23). God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to share that Jesus was His Son. Dreams are what led Joseph to flee Herod’s genocide of Jewish boys and to return at the end of his reign (Matthew 1:20, 2:13). Cornelius—a Gentile—was prompted to learn more of the risen Christ through a vision (Acts 10:1-6). And it was a vision led to John’s penning of the Book of Revelation (Revelation).

God continues to use dreams and visions that guided and saved people in Scripture today in the Muslim world. Pray that He would give Muslims dreams and visions of Jesus Christ through Ramadan.

The Word of God

We believe the Word of God is living, active, and sharp enough to pierce the hardest hearts (Hebrews 4:12). It is a lamp leading to the Word made flesh that dwelt among us—Jesus the Christ (Psalm 119:105, John 1:14).

It is truths found in these Scriptures and stories like that of the Bereans that give us hope that the Word of God can soften the hearts of Muslims to follow Jesus.

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.” -Acts 17:11-12

Pray that Muslims would have an interest in reading stories from the Bible and that the Word of God would be used to open their hearts to Christ.

The Love of Christians

The night Jesus was betrayed, he enjoyed one last meal with his closest friends. As the meal concluded, he showed incredible humility as he removed his outer robe and washed the disciples’ feet as an example for them to follow. The chapter ends with a call to love radically (John 13).

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” -John 13:34-35

It is this sacrificial love that’s distinctive to Christians. We love the least, care for the marginalized, see the forgotten, give without hesitation, and trust in the sovereignty of God in a way that leaves the world in wonder. And it is this kind of love without reservation that leads us to pursue our Muslims neighbors.

Pray that Muslims around the world would encounter the radical love of Christians that compels them to learn more about Jesus.