Prayer Guide – Week 50 (August 14-20)

Toyama Prefecture.

The rough terrain of the Tateyama Mountains surrounds the highest concentration of Buddhist followers in Japan. While most of Japan performs Buddhist rituals in hopes of material gain, the residents of Toyama often use Buddhism in hope of escaping from the corruption of the world and finding deeper spiritual fulfillment.
Toyama's church attendance and membership statistics are among the lowest in the country.

Please pray for:

• The 18 towns and villages with no churches - that believers would be faithful to bring the Good News to those who have never heard.
• The cities of Osawano and Yatsuo, which have populations over 22,000 and no churches.
• This hard-to-reach area to be saturated with faithful Christ followers and to be freed from deep bondage.
• King Jesus would be enthroned in the hearts and minds of the people of Toyama.

"For as the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." - Isaiah 55:10,11

Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.

Also the "Kingdom of Buddhism," Ishikawa is home to many who attend Buddhist sermons and Sunday schools. Their form of Buddhism is a syncretism with ancient Shinto and folklore beliefs, producing unique regional religious festivities.

21 of the 30 towns and villages have no churches.

Please pray for:

• The believers in Ishikawa, that the Holy Spirit would use them in mighty ways to be bold for God's kingdom
• The few missionaries who are serving in Ishikawa
• The churches in Ishikawa which are decreasing over the last decade

"And to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed." - Daniel 7:14

As you read the results of this Religious Survey, pray for Japan.

IN  the " International Religious Survey 2023 " (English) conducted by the world's leading polling company "Ipsos" (headquartered in Paris) for 26 major countries in the world in Japan only 3% of the people believed in the gods who are known to exist, which is by far the lowest among the 26 countries. They were also least likely to practice religious practices such as praying or going to places of worship such as churches and temples.

When asked about their belief in gods and "higher powers," only 3% of Japanese answered "I believe in a god written in scriptures," compared to the global average of 40%.  Thirty-eight percent said they "don't believe in gods, higher powers, or spirits of any kind," while 34 percent said they didn't know and 10 percent said they didn't want to answer. The world averages for each answer were 21%, 12%, and 7%, respectively, with Japan surpassing all of them.

In Japan, people tended to have a negative attitude toward religion.

Twenty-five percent (World average:54%) agreed that "religious practices are an important factor in leading a moral life as a citizen of one's country," the lowest among the 26 countries. However, it still increased by 10 percentage points from the previous survey in 2017, making it the largest increase among the 26 countries.

Twenty-seven percent (World average:48%) agreed that "people with religious beliefs are happier," which was also the lowest among the 26 countries.

Still, 40% of Japanese believe in religion

When asked about their religion, only 2% chose Christianity, but 39% chose other religions, including Buddhism and Shintoism, for a total of 41%.

However, 46% of respondents chose to be non-religious (atheist, agnostic, do not believe in religion but believe in spiritual things), which is higher than those who believe in any religion. In addition, 13% chose "I do not want to answer."

Whenever the blessings of Christ are about to be spread, a spirit of envy is always at work. One of them is the spirit of heresy.

Let us pray that this power will be crushed and the truth will be clearly revealed.

Pray that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness and those who are suffering from wounds will encounter the Lord, who is the way, the truth, and the life, as soon as possible.

Even after they have come to know the truth, there are works that deceive. May they remain in the Word and continue to look up to the Lord. May we receive wisdom from the Lord and discern wisely.

Some people are deceived by the voice of the enemy, seeking their own glory, and begin to work heresy. May the Lord cover the land and destroy such works.

Pray that the wisdom of Christ will come to those who are working to be saved from heretical works, and that they will be able to respond to their needs.

Above all, may the Word of Truth shine forth clearly. May we be humble and live in the love of Christ.