Prayer Fuel

Pray as the Lord leads you as you read today’s verse

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15-20)

Praying with insight

Like most people, Muslims care deeply about their outward appearance or reputation in the community. In contrast, Jesus cares about the person’s heart. Religion can change outward behavior but can’t change inward attitudes—only the Spirit of God can do that.

Pray for the people of Niger to be convicted about their need for a clean heart and to seek out Jesus’ teachings on the topic.

For believers

“Muriel” has faithfully served the Lord, passionately opening her home to share the Gospel and teach women in her community to sew. During a leader training, Muriel requested prayer for a large mass that had developed on her breast. While she planned to seek treatment at a clinic, she expressed faith that the Lord could heal her before that.

Praise God for His miraculous work—Muriel was completely healed and never needed medical treatment! She continues to share how the Lord has blessed her, leading many women in her village to Christ.

Pray that God would equip Muriel with the skills and resources she needs to encourage and uplift the women in her community.

For the lost

Ruth, a 17-year-old girl, has endured much hardship. Her mother passed away suddenly when Ruth was young, and when her Muslim father’s other wife refused to care for her, she was sent to school only until she was old enough to work. Recently, Ruth moved to Niger to live with her older sister’s devoutly Muslim family. There, she found an opportunity to work as a house helper for a missionary family.

Pray that Ruth will develop a deep thirst to know the true God who loves her and sees her. Ask God to stir in her heart a desire to know her Heavenly Father, who will never leave or abandon her. Pray that she will clearly see the difference between the faith and actions of her sister’s Muslim family and the Christians she works for, and that this contrast will be a powerful testimony of God’s transformative love. May this testimony lead her to salvation in Jesus.

For the church

One common concern about disciple-making movements (DMM) is the potential for heresy when new believers lead simple churches. However, history shows that many significant heresies have arisen from theologically trained, charismatic leaders—often ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing—rather than from movements of ordinary believers.

We pray for simple churches across Niger to grow continually in their understanding of God’s Word. May their theology and practices align closely with Scripture, and may they develop the discernment to recognize and uphold what is true, bearing good fruit that honors God.

For areas of influence

Pray for places of business in Niger:

• Pray for Kingdom businesses to open in Niger that are led by Kingdom principles. May these places of business bear good fruit that is observable to their employees, clients, and competitors.
• Pray for employees to bear good fruit that would cause their co-workers and employers to ask questions about the hope that they have in Christ. Pray that the potentially costly decisions they make in pursuit of integrity and honesty will bear good fruit for God’s glory.

Declaration of the scripture

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:17-18)

Pray for Nigerien believers to model wisdom that is:

• pure — guard them against impure actions
• peaceable — protect them from argumentative spirits
• gentle, open to reason — free them from jumping to conclusions and thinking the worst of others
• full of mercy and good fruits — may they bear much fruit for God’s glory
• impartial and sincere — may they be countercultural in showing impartiality in their judgments

As a result, may there be a harvest of righteousness that results in disciples and churches multiplying throughout Niger.