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It is an understatement to say that Nigeria was once considered
another of the many forgotten nations of the world, devastated by drought, a dismal economy and AIDS epidemic of catastrophic
proportions. No hope could be found in the corrupt government overshadowed by a spiritual heir ruling through witchcraft and
radical Islam. But the Lord had not forgotten the more than the 100,000,000 people that make up Africa’s most populous
nation. Over the centuries Christian missionaries, at risk to their own lives, came and continued to establish fellowships
of prayer, bible study and worship. Although the Gospel was first shared with Nigerians by Portuguese believers some 400 years
ago, it hasn’t been until recently that the then small minority of believers in this nation have actively begun seeking
the Lord in prayer. Across the nation church leaders called on believers everywhere to pray. The battle was just beginning.
It was the year 1990 when the house church movement began to take off. Christian gatherings were met with hostile resistance;
Worship times and crusades were met with violence. Many villagers who relied on the advice of witches murdered believers to
preserve their way of life. Hundreds of villages ruled by those involved in witchcraft ordered others to burn Christian homes.
Still, the presence of the Lord continued to spread. Though the resistance was fierce, the praying house church was mid swept
through central, southern and eastern Nigeria, filling corner to the north. Radical Muslim leaders reacted intensely, responding
with their own prayers and pronouncements, coupled with violence. Church buildings and houses of worship continued to be burned
and destroyed by Muslims. Christian missionaries now had even more reasons to fear for their lives. Reports of Christian martyrdom
– an everyday occurrence. Entire Christian villages pillaged and plundered burned with tens of thousands of believers
being killed. In the 19th century when missionaries from Britain began to come to Nigeria, Christianity spread in all parts
of the country but only now had the gospel become a penetrable force on people’s hearts, as the small church of Nigeria
prayed. Though the anger and hostility towards the gospel by some seemed unrelenting the Spirit of God was even more so. In
just 10 years thousands of believers were tens of thousands and tens of thousands became hundreds of thousands, and today
it’s tens of millions. It’s being called the Decade of Evangelism and Prayer for Nigeria even producing one of
the largest college campus revivals in the world. Crusades regularly yield tens of thousands of new believers. With revival
came the election of a godly president, a believer in Christ. The economy has begun to grow going from dead last to the second
best in Africa. And although conditions were still very harsh, Nigeria was turning into another beacon of light to the nations.
Like the church in South Korea, believers here are given over to prayer. Though these people have known hardship and want,
mighty are they in the Lord. Supernatural miracles – not uncommon. The love of the Lord has filled their hearts and
the growth has been staggering. Estimates put the number at 45,000,000 with the House Church movement that’s sweeping
villages and cities as Christians gather to intercede for the peoples of the world. In the nation’s capital Lagos in
the last four years the church of this city has gathered several times each year in a large field to sing, worship and pray,
to lift up the Lord Jesus, all 2,000,000 of them. Two million voices crying out for souls, for nations all around the world.
On Saturday, November 3, 2001, in direct response to the 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington, the believers of this city
gathered for three days to fast and pray for revival and mercy in the United States of America. Two million voices raised
to heaven loudly for 72 hours with tears for a people half a world away. A people they’ve never known. It’s happening
all around the world as the Spirit of God continues to look for those who will be still seeking His face. He’s looking
for you, calling you, wanting all of you even now.
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