Worldwide Prayer Meeting

Jun 11, 2024 | by Lt. Colonel Allen Satterlee

Prayer Focus - India Eastern Territory

Solomon's Temple in Aizawl, Mizoram 

We praise God for another week of life and service. This day is one of opportunity, both expected and unexpected. The walk of faith may be many things, but it’s not boring. Trust God with whatever comes before you today. Enjoy His blessings, accept the challenges, knowing that in all things He has made us conquerors (Romans 8:37).

Prayer

Dear Lord, I come to You again to thank You for whatever this day brings. I have some things planned. If I didn’t check with You, please forgive my oversight. I ask You now to be in what is before me today. If anything will take me away from You, please steer me in another direction as frustrating as that might appear to me in the moment. But if it is something You can bless, then I seek Your blessing now and Your direction in what I say and do. I want my life to bring glory and honor to You, because You have brought so much to me. I can’t think of my life without You. So, I lay everything before You right now as an offering. This is all I have, and it is all Yours. In Jesus name. Amen.

Background of the

India Eastern Territory

            In addition to the nation of Nepal, the states contained in the India Eastern Territory represent the diversity of India’s religious landscape.

            The states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura and West Bengal are primarily Hindu. The Bengalis have been the most resistant to the gospel of any of the people groups in India, although there has been some progress seen in recent years. In the other states, the Christianity has shown encouraging growth, even with non-conversion laws in place. It is also in these states where Christians have experienced persecution over many years, often targeted when there is other ethnic and political conflict as convenient fall guys.

            The states of Assam, West Bengal have significant Muslim minorities.

            The state of Sikkim has a significant Buddhist minority. Sikkim has allowed more religious freedom than almost any other Indian state. Christians have taken advantage of this, which has allowed the church to grow but other religions have advanced as well.

            The states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland are primarily Christian or with a significant Christian minority.    Most of the conversions have been among tribal people. There has been significant growth through the twentieth century but problems as well with false teaching, divisions, poverty and political strife in these states. Refugees from neighboring Myanmar have sought refuge in Mizoram and there has been a great deal of interplay between believers of Myanmar and Mizoram historically.

            Nepal: One of the world’s poorest countries, over one-third of Nepal’s citizen’s live below the poverty line on less than US$1 per day. It is geographically isolated with difficult terrain, poor infrastructure and has suffered from many natural disasters. Until 2008 it was the last of Hindu kingdom, at which time it became a constitutional republic. It suffered from internal conflict led by Maoist rebels that finally ended with the Maoist army being integrated into the national army, a troublesome arrangement.

            The first church in Nepal was not organized until 1952 with 29 believers. By 1990, there 200,000 Christians and by 2010 the number had blossomed to 850,000. All this was accomplished in the face of prolonged and determined persecution. But believers have been committed to evangelism and church planting and so the church continues to grow. Although freedom of religion is guaranteed, practically speaking Christians are not protected.

            The Salvation Army: Work commenced in what is The Eastern India Territory on April 26, 1917, when Lt. Kawlkhuma, the first Mizo officer commissioned in India, returned to start the Army. He was then joined by a group of believers who shared his vision of an Army like a church very much in line with The Salvation Army. The India Eastern Territory became a separate command on June 1, 1991, and became a territory in 1993. Work was officially opened in Nepal on April 26, 2009.

Facts, Stats and Leadership of the

India Eastern Territory

• Total population to fish and disciple: 185,414,771
• 270 officers, 13 auxiliary-captains, 29 cadets, 168 employees
• 103 retired officers
• 245 corps, 186 outposts and societies
• 42,424 senior soldiers
• 54 adherents
• 10,533 junior soldiers

Leadership

Colonel Lalhmingliana Hmar - Territorial Commander

Colonel Lalhlimpuii Chawngthu - Territorial President of Women's Ministries

Lieut-Colonel Prakash Chandra Pradhan - Chief Secretary

Lieut-Colonel Rani Phula Pradhan - Territorial Secretary for Women's Ministries

Prayer Requests for the

India Eastern Territory

• Pray for 18 newly commissioned officers of the Defenders of Justice session, that they will have fruitful and effective ministries.

• There will be 18 cadets in the Champions of the Mission session and 13 cadets in the Keepers of Covenant session. Please pray for these cadets and the training college principal and staff.

• Pray that the ongoing division review is successfully accomplished in time.

• India is preparing for the Lok Sabha Member of Parliament election in different states this year. Pray that God's chosen people will be elected as Members of Parliament.

• Pray for the safety and liberation of the victims and vulnerable corps soldiers in Manipur State because of ongoing conflict among the people of the State.

USA Southern Territory

Prayer Requests

• Major Carolyn Nichols, Finance Officer, Finance
• Trade Department
• Shawn Walker, Project Accountant, Finance
• Russell Ivey, Property Director, ARC Command
• Sirena Moore, Accounts Payable Specialist, ARC Command
• Major Syung Young Lee, Assistant Principal for Training/Director of Business Administration, EBC
• Cadet Patrick Lewandowski
• Captain Elyse Doborwiz, Divisional Candidates’ Secretary, Arkansas & Oklahoma Division
• Lt. Colonel George Baker, National Secretary for World Services Office (SAWSO), NHQ
• Lt. Colonels Dean & Pam Hinson, officers, soldiers, employees and volunteers of the Arkansas & Oklahoma Division
• Music Conservatories
• Anonymous requests that God will have mercy on us so that wars will cease; that the victims of war, the homeless and their families will keep their eyes on the final prize; for all those who feel they are have-nots and that they will focus on Jesus who holds it all; prayer for a family and child that is dealing with childhood cancer, for healing, strength and courage

Something to Consider

Following a contentious time with His enemies just before the crucifixion, Jesus walked away from the Temple. Perhaps to distract Him the disciples began praising the Temple. Jews were united in their praise of the Temple. King Herod had paid personally for the renovations that amounted to a complete rebuilding, his one decent act on behalf of the people he ruled.

So beautiful and awesome was this building that when Titus besieged Jerusalem years later, he ordered that the Temple not be touched. But some of his foot soldiers, in a fit of rage and greed, decided that setting it afire would not only avenge them but melt the gold plating, making it easier to take. The great structure was destroyed, as Jesus predicted when He climbed the Mount of Olives.

Nothing could have surprised the disciples more. The destruction of the Temple was unthinkable. Descended from the original Tabernacle, it was built in the pattern given by God Himself and was the symbol of His presence among His chosen people. Even the heathens who came into the city were left with a sense of awe when they saw it.  Didn’t Jesus realize this?

Nor did the Jews take it for granted. An Army of priests and Levites maintained it, swarming over it daily in the performance of their tasks. This was a building for the centuries, and they were its keepers. To them the end of the Temple was the same as the end of the world. Couldn’t Jesus see how well it was maintained, how solidly it was built?

What of the appearance of the Temple? The Jewish historian, Josephus, tells us that it had walls of unparalleled size surrounded by 162 Corinthian columns so wide that three large men could barely link hands around each. Purple hangings covered the entrance with great golden vines and grape clusters in the corners. Gold plating and white marble made it glisten in the sun. The Temple Mount could hold 210,000 people – twice the number of today’s largest sports arenas. Something this majestic, dedicated to God, must surely not only please Him but show that He was pleased with the people who possessed it. Didn’t Jesus realize that the Jewish people counted on God protecting something this important?

But Jesus is unqualified in pronouncing its destiny: “Do you see all these things? I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Matthew 24:2).

The Jews erred on one key point: The value of the Temple in God’s sight was never in its ability to impress, its capacity to accommodate, its place of honor. Its only value came when God was welcome and honored there. When that failed to happen, it was just another building cluttering the landscape.

The Jews failed to realize that when they ceased to honor God in their hearts, they ceased to be His people. He would find another. Grace came to the Gentile world. In this God has not changed. No matter how intricate the structure, how close to His own pattern, how admired by the multitudes any creation might be, if it fails to truly honor Him, it fails in its function altogether.

Should The Salvation Army be warned in this? The Army is more admired and respected than it has ever been, more firmly grounded than at any time in its history, better quartered and better financed. But we mustn’t make the mistakes of our Jewish brothers by thinking that what impresses us, or our admirers necessarily impresses God.

I believe God is more concerned about how we handle His Word than how slick our annual report is, more concerned with our prayers for a lost world than our gearing up for the next fund raiser, more moved by our waiting on Him than on speculating about the next set of appointments or who the next officer appointed where we are. These activities are not wrong in themselves, but it is, and will always be, a matter of priorities. The Jews would have defended their piety, but evidence was to the contrary. While we might say that the spiritual disciplines are of utmost importance to us, what most engages our thoughts, our efforts, our time? If God did not spare His Temple from judgment, we ought not to think we would fare any better.

The Salvation Army must not forget what it is about. If it does, “not one stone will be left on another.”

Benediction

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21)