Prayer Guide – Week 29 (March 20-26)

This week we are praying for 2 Prefectures. The first is Mie.

Mie is home to Shinto's holiest site, the Ise Shrine. Mythology states that the emperor is a direct descendant of the sun goddess (hence the sun on the Japanese flag), making this the center of all Shinto worship. The prefecture is home to possibly the highest percentage of Shinto believers in western Japan.
There are many principalities that need to be destroyed in this region.

Please pray for:

• workers (especially Japanese ones) to enter this harvest field
• Satan's dominion in the hearts and minds of those who trust in false gods to be utterly destroyed
• New Life to enter Mie through the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those who are now in bondage

"...I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."
Matthew 16:18b-19

Shiga

Home to Japan's largest lake, this prefecture has a large number of Buddhists. Paradoxically, Shiga values old traditions and values less than any other part of Japan.

Please pray for:

• The 25 towns and villages with no churches, that each one will hear the Good News of God's grace through Jesus
• The few Japanese believers there, that they would have close intimacy with God and listen to His voice
• The few missionaries in Shiga, that they would be faithful and loving
• God's kingdom to come to Shiga prefecture

"May He come down like rain upon the mown grass,Like showers that water the earth."
Psalm 72:6

Last week, the 14th March, was the day, 3 years ago, the world closed down because of Covid. A lot has changed in that time.

Pray for the families across Japan who lost family members with Covid. Pray for those suffering long covid. A young man Takato who works closely with those behind this prayer initiative has had long covid for this late year. Could you please pray for his healing and the discovery of effective medicines to help long covid sufferers?

Japan is at the forefront globally of developing medication to treat long covid. Pray for effective remedies.

The government in Japan last week relaxed the mask wearing rules. Yet the impact of Covid lives on in Churches.
Pray for people to feel confident to return to Church.
Pray for each Church to decide the wisest policy now on wearing masks.
Pray we can move on free from fears.

The situation and the way of dealing with the corona disaster are changing little by little.
Let us pray that people's love will increase in this situation.

In this situation, we need to understand and accept each other's decision to wear masks. May the rights of each person be protected and may the action of love be extended to all generations.
May the infection not spread any further.
Pray that relationships that have cooled off will be restored.
May God restore the relationships that have cooled down.
Pray that the value of existence given to each of them as God's work will be shared.