Please join us in praying for this young autistic man who was detained by the police, searched and traumatized while he was waiting for the library to open. He has now been sequestered to an institution. We lift him, his family and all young men up for healing, who, due to their disability, are subject to the hazards of an unforgiving, harsh society and system that does not accommodate the weak among us.

For more information, please visit a website to address his cause:
- http://avoiceforneli.com/

Father, in the Name of Jesus, we lift this child before You, knowing that You are the God of all flesh and there is nothing too hard for You. We thank You for dispatching Your ministering angels to attend to this cause. Send laborers into the harvest that will be able to bring the light and deliverance of Christ into this situation. Bring salvation and healing to Neli from the crown of his head, to the soles of his feet, as well as his family. We thank You for providing salvation, wisdom, instruction and understanding to the family. Let them be drawn closer to You through this ordeal so that they may walk through this time in peace and faith in You. Thank You for moving miraculously on this child’s behalf not only for vindication, but for salvation and healing. Thank You, Father, that You shall address and correct the authorities who have acted unjustly in this circumstance. Intervene on this child’s behalf so that all know that You are God. Right every wrong, make every crooked path and individual straight, and let what is hidden in the darkness be brought to light. We cancel every assignment of the adversary and render it harmless and ineffective against this child, through the mighty Name of Jesus! We speak and salvation to Neli’s mind, O Father, and pray that he be drawn closer to Your heart! Thank You, Father, that this child shall emerge from this circumstance stronger and wiser, knowing You as he should. We trust that as we have brought this petition to You, that You will attend to it speedily. We believe You, Father, and love You, counting this circumstance done! In Jesus’ mighty and matchless Name we pray, Amen!

ISTANBUL (Compass Direct News) – An Afghani amputee in prison for his Christian faith since May will face a judge this Sunday (Nov. 21) without legal representation or knowledge of the charges against him, according to local sources.

Authorities arrested Said Musa, 45, on May 31, days after the local Noorin TV station broadcast images of Afghan Christians being baptized and worshiping. Though there were other arrests in May and June during the ensuing man-hunt against Christians, Musa is the only known Christian facing a court case.

Turning from Islam is a capital offence under strict Islamic laws still in place in Afghanistan, which was wrested from the Taliban regime’s hard-line Islamist control in 2001.

The subject of Afghans leaving Islam for Christianity became national news following the Noorin TV broadcast and ignited a heated debate in the country’s parliament and senate. In early June, the deputy secretary of the Afghan parliament, Abdul Sattar Khawasi, called for the execution of converts.

“Those Afghans that appeared on this video film should be executed in public,” he said, according to news sources. “The house should order the attorney general and the NDS [National Directorate of Security] to arrest these Afghans and execute them.”

In June authorities forced Musa to renounce Christianity publicly on television but have continued to hold him in prison without revealing accusations against him. In prison, Musa has openly said he is a follower of Jesus.

In a hand-delivered letter penned last month to the church worldwide, U.S. President Barack Obama and the heads of NATO’s International Security Assistance Forces, Musa wrote that he was physically and verbally abused by his captors and other prisoners at Ouliat Prison in Kabul.

In broken English, he wrote: “I am very and very in a bad condition in the jail,” and elsewhere in the letter, “I am alone between 400 of terrible wolves in the jail, like a sheep.”

In the two-page letter, a copy of which Compass received in late October, Musa addressed Obama as “brother” and pleaded with the international community: “For [the] sake [of the] Lord Jesus Christ please pray for me and rescue me from this jail otherwise they will kill me because I know they [have] very very very cruel and hard hearts.”

Musa wrote of being sexually abused, beaten, mocked, spat on and deprived of sleep because of his faith in Jesus. He wrote that he would be willing to suffer for his faith in order to encourage and strengthen other Christians in their faith.

Musa also described how he had repented for denying his faith publicly: “I acknowledge my sin before [the] Lord Jesus Christ: ‘Don’t refuse me before your holy angels and before your father because I am a very very weak and [sinful] man.’”

In his letter, Musa alluded to the lack of justice he faced in prison, saying that the prosecutor had given the judge a false report about him and demanded a bribe from the Christian.

Integrity Watch Afghanistan, an anti-corruption monitor, recently reported that corruption in Afghanistan is rampant and has doubled since 2007. Most Afghans polled in its 2010 report said that state corruption was fueling the Taliban’s growth. Bribes are frequently required for everything from health care to dealing with state bureaucracy.

Prison Transfer

Days after the letter was circulated, quiet diplomacy resulted in authorities transferring Musa to a different prison, to keep him separate from prisoners who would likely abuse him for his faith. He is now held at the Kabul Detention Center in the Governor’s Compound.

A state-assigned lawyer has refused to represent him because of his faith. No other lawyer has been willing to represent him, though he has sought legal help.

Musa, known as Dr. Musa, has worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Kabul for 15 years fitting people for prosthetic limbs. He also has a prosthetic leg. Married and the father of six young children, he has been a Christian for eight years. His name is also phonetically spelled Sayed Mossa.

For the first two months of his detainment, sources said, Musa’s employer and family could not find out where authorities were holding him. During that time his wife received threats that she must leave Musa. Authorities have so far denied his family access to his file, which includes the charges against him. It is believed that the charges could include apostasy and possibly espionage.

Local Christians and religious freedom monitors have expressed concern that Musa may be made an example.

“The court case against Said Musa is unique,” said one religious freedom advocate, a Christian, under condition of anonymity. “Authorities usually don’t want court cases against Christians. This is high profile, as Musa has been on TV and was put under pressure to deny his faith publicly. This is a kind of a test case to see which law prevails in the country: sharia [Islamic law] or international agreements.”

Afghanistan’s population is estimated at 29 million, with very few Christians among them. Afghan converts from Islam are not accepted or recognized by the predominantly Muslim society. In recent months experts have expressed concern over political threats against local Christians, and many, including those exposed by Noorin TV’s broadcast, have fled the country. Christians who remain are afraid, according to sources.

“Dozens of Afghan Christians left their homes, as the authorities were actively looking for Christians after the television programs,” said the religious freedom monitor.

In the face of societal stigmatization, Christians who dare to meet do so in small groups at homes. Sources report that since the hostilities in May and June, Afghan Christians are very intimidated.

Afghanistan ranks sixth on Christian support organization Open Doors’ World Watch List of countries where Christians are persecuted.

The country has signed the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights stipulating religious freedom, and the nation’s constitution also provides a measure of religious liberties under Article 2. Article 3 limits the application of all laws if they are contrary to the “beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam.”

“It seems that this measure of religious freedom does not apply to those who have turned away from Islam,” said the religious freedoms monitor. “They are seen as apostates, traitors of their faith and country.”

We stand in the gap and repent for these leaders and any sins we have committed (Ezek. 22:30).  We cry out like David did, it’s against You only that we have sinned.  Forgive us, oh Lord and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, purge us with hyssop and renew the right spirit within us (Ps. 51).

Help us, Lord, to keep our hearts tender before You; being quick to repent, quick to forgive.  Help us to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us so we can run the race before us with patience (Heb. 12:1).  Keep us as only You can keep us, guide us as we go through each day and every decision that we make.

Holy Spirit, we welcome Your continued conviction of our sins that we may admit our sins, confess (agree with You), repent (turn away from our sins); so we can be restored to a right relationship with You (II Chron. 7:14, 1 John 1:9). Then Lord, we ask that You raise up godly counselors and accountability persons that are confidential that can challenge leaders and members to live righteous lives before You and before their fellow man.  We shall not take counsel from the ungodly (Ps. 1).

Give us godly accountability partners that can speak to any of our besetting sins or reoccurring challenges in our lives, whether physical, mental, spiritual or emotional.  Your Word says when we see a man overtaken in a fault, we who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, lest we be overtaken (Gal. 6:1).  Help us to grow up spiritually so we can be a part of someone else’s restoration process and reconciliation to You.

Father, we thank You for the sheep under our charge, and thank You that they will be instructed, nurtured and trained in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  Thank You Father for divine connections that You have ordained from the foundation of the world.  Thank You that boundaries will not be crossed, but we will abide together in righteousness and true holiness!

We lift up Bishop Eddie Long, his family, the New Birth Church family, all churches and ministers under his leadership, and we ask for mercy. You said You would have mercy on those that You would have mercy on.  We don’t know what the truth is, but You know, Lord.  You are the Ancient of Days, You know the end from the beginning.  Begin to move in this situation and bring clarity that none will be lost.  You said it is the goodness of the Lord that leadeth man to repentance, so overshadow them with Your goodness and bring conviction for the purpose of repentance.

Your Word says that no weapon that is formed against Your servants shall prosper and every tongue that rises against us as Your servants shall be condemned, this is the heritage of Your servants (Isa. 54:17).  So we condemn every weapon and every tongue that has risen up against Bishop Eddie Long, attacks against his character.   We pray for resolution of all unresolved issues in his heart.  Lord, send vindication and for there to be a quick turnaround in this situation.  We plead the blood of Jesus over Bishop Long’s mind, spirit soul and body.  You said You would preserve our spirit, soul and body, which means You will keep us complete until the end (I Thess. 5:23-24).

We ask for exposure for every lie, every ungodly innuendo and insinuation in this current situation. We know that Your mercy suits the case and Your mercies are new every morning and great is Your faithfulness.  So we approach Your throne boldly today to obtain grace and mercy for Bishop Eddie Long in his time of trouble.  We also seek Your face on the behalf of the plaintiffs in this case, that there would be salvation, deliverance, and healing where it needed as all abide in the truth of Your Word.

We lift up the New Birth Church Family and we ask that the saints’ minds would be on You through this entire situation.  We pray that none be lost, none fall away but they hold steadfast to their faith in You.  You have always told us that You wouldn’t leave us, You wouldn’t forsake us and You would never fail us.  So our hope and their hope is in You today Lord to work this situation out.  Correct where there needs to be correction and bring vindication where there needs to be vindication.  We declare You as sovereign and Lord, so Adonai be Lord over this situation and bring truth and clarity into their lives and this court situation.  We pray that the peace of God shall rule and keep their hearts and minds in perfect peace as they keep their minds on You, in Jesus’ mighty and matchless Name. Amen.