The constitution bars the federal and state governments from adopting a state religion, prohibits religious discrimination, and provides for individuals’ freedom to choose, practice, propagate, or change their religion.
Terrorist groups including Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa (ISIS-WA) attacked population centers and religious targets and maintained a growing ability to stage forces in rural areas and launch attacks against civilian and military targets across the North East, according to observers. The groups continued to carry out person-borne improvised explosive device (IED) bombings – many by young women and girls drugged and forced into doing so – targeting the local civilian population, including churches and mosques.
Conflicts between predominantly Muslim Fulani herdsmen and predominantly Christian farmers in the North Central states continued throughout the year, although the violence was lower than during the 2017-2018 spike, reportedly due to government intervention and efforts of civil society to resolve conflicts. Religious groups and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) expressed concern that this conflict took on increasingly religious undertones.
Pray Points:
●GrowingKingdom vision: an awareness that all the different “colours” (of churches and Christian movements) have meaning and together contribute to God’s work and to the development of His Kingdom.
● Thelovefor our brothers and sisters, the Church (asGod loves her Himself). This love is so fundamental. “By this all will see that you are my disciples, if you have love between you” (John 13:35).Pray for the ‘bridge-builders’, prophets and apostles. Pray forpeacemakers, full of love,whowill be able to bring leaders together for large-scale initiatives that unite the children of God.
● Pray for revivaland breakthrough, spiritual hunger and openness: a shower of divine graces on this earth. Also pray that many Muslims and migrants will find God here and become missionaries among the Muslims themselves.
● Develop consecration. Is the Church of God our first priority and is it receiving all of our time / effort / resources? In our western society, other things are often prioritized without our knowledge.
●Intimacywith God, in the interior room, in prayer. May this intimacy be manifested regularly: the will and the heart of God, listening to the voice of God, unity, authority, love, wisdom, revelation, passion, hunger…May the rush/call of the world not depriveus of this privacy.
● Importance of discipleship(training and equipment). Pray for deep healing from wounds among Christians, churches, and denominations.3
● Workersin the harvest. “Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:38).There is a huge need for more full time workers, especially for the younger generation. Pray that the five ministries (Ephesians 4: 11-15) will rise in unity (apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers).
● Boldnessto fulfilthe Great Commission (Matt.28: 19-20): go out to make disciples ofallnations and to do the works of Christ. Pray for creative methods of evangelism so that Christians will boldly take their place in society. Pray that they will be salt and light in the seven mountains (religion, family, education, politics, media, art and entertainment, economy). Pray that the public voice of the Church will be restored: a new and clear voice in media and politics (egon respect for all life).
● Personal experienceof the goodness of God. “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps 34: 9 HSV). May the Belgian bride come to the perfect knowledge of Christ and live it in a personal experience, without abandoning the biblical foundations. This experience of the goodness of God leads to the realization that we Belgians are one and complete in Christ. Pray that in the midst of the spiritual void, the Belgians will have a personal encounter with the King of Kings, the Alpha and the Omega, the Lion and the Lamb, the Root and the Son of David, the radiant morning star .