Pray for Egypt

Below are words from an Egyptian believer we received via email from a missionary friend in Egypt. A bulletted prayer list is at the bottom.
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Many have asked me how we should pray for Egypt and to be honest I was not sure. The news is conflicting, at the same time the things said do not match with my knowledge and understanding of the reality of Egypt and the people.

The past two days, listening to news on Al Jezeera, BBC, and talking to parents and then talking to friends.... Each one had their own analysis and view about what is going on to an extreme... Confusion, confusion, confusion...

But one thing I sensed with them and agreed on is that last Friday, evil was unleashed in Egypt.

The Protest started as a real People’s revolution; it was the farmers, the poor workers, the true Egyptians asking for change, because they cannot take it any longer. Bread, oil, sugar and basic food prices keep going up. The poverty is increasing and unemployment is at its peek.

But, Friday night, a shift took place... the police completely withdrew from the streets of Egypt!!! And Thugs, believed to be from the secret police, were released to kill, steal and destroy! [It's believed this was] a strategy to cause havoc. Even The prisons were opened... over 10,000 prisoners were unleashed, now looting, attacking and destroying.

More than 500 people died this week in Egypt (not 100 as stated in the media!), mostly due to security forces attacking people. But Egyptian Youth are rising. We are seeing Egyptians as we have never seen them before. They have taken ownership of their nation. They are taking shifts protecting the neighborhoods; my brother told me, even the police are now asking their permission to pass through! [The Youth] are volunteering to clean streets, offering food and medical help to protesters. Moreover, they are recognizing the attempts of the Muslim Brotherhood to join the protests, but they completely banned and refused them. Now the MB are quiet, at least from among the crowds.

As for the Church - the Church is confused in Egypt. Not sure how to pray. All it is doing is calling people to pray. “We don’t know if change is going to be good or worse!” They need wisdom and revelation, to move at this opportune time in strategic prayers led by the Holy Spirit.

No one knows who is leading the crowd, who is releasing the thugs, who the looters are. It's like hell broke loose. [Yet,] is it better to not change? For Mubarak to stay??!! Surely, he can’t stay forever!!

I think that even though Mubarak was not a very radical president, was not a good reformer, was negligent of very important issues like justice, human rights, the poor... he kept the peace. Not a perfect person, but not an evil one either. He is a military man with limited capacity, but I don't think he is holding on now to stay longer, only to ensure a peaceful transition of power. After all, he is 82, sick, and he would have to go next November which is the end of the term anyway.

Appointing Omar Soliman as vice President and Shafik as PM, removing Habib El Adly (Minister of Interior) and other corrupt ministers is a very good move. The VP & PM are well-respected people, influential and capable of handling this transition. He is serious about moving on, not running away cowardly leaving the nation void in the hands of power hungry extremists.

The Egyptian voices in the street are starting to accept what is happening. They accept Omar Soliman and the new temporary cabinet. They refuse El Braadi, and right they should. He is not a good representation for the Egyptian people, and he is supporting the MB.

But things need to settle fast. The financial losses are estimated in billions. The damage, the money transferred out of the banks, the investments withdrawn and contracts canceled are going to affect Egypt’s economy for the next two decades!

So, please Pray for:

1. A peaceful transition of power. Wisdom and revelation for the leaders as to how they address the people of Egypt.

2. A quick end to this protest and the economic crisis accumulating.

3. That the evil unleashed will hit a wall, and the plans of the enemy to start a civil confrontation will not succeed.

4. Peace and security to return to the streets of Egypt

5. A restraining of the Muslim Brotherhood and other political parties who have evil, hidden agendas.

6. For the Church to have a prophetic voice at this critical time. For wisdom and revelation from the Father to speak life and reveal truth to the Church and the nation.

7. The Church to move prophetically and know how to handle this difficult time with confidence and boldness.

8. That Egyptians will not be taken lightly or mistreated any longer.

9. That President Mubarak will leave with dignity and honor, and none of his family will be harmed.

And please pass this information to your own prayer networks. Today is a critical day in Egypt as 1 million protesters gather in Tahrir square. May the Lord protect Egypt, His people.