Praying for North Korea: Standing with the Persecuted Church in Biblical Faith
North Korea remains one of the most closed and hostile nations to Christianity. Estimates suggest that tens of thousands of believers are imprisoned in labor camps, while many more live under constant threat. How do we begin praying biblically—faithfully, specifically, and consistently?
Why praying for North Korea matters
Praying for North Korea is not primarily political—it is obedience. Scripture calls believers to stand with the persecuted church, to intercede for prisoners, and to carry one another’s burdens in love. This isn’t “extra credit” Christianity; it is part of following Jesus.
Hebrews 13:3 — the command to remember
“Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.”
The verb “remember” (μιμνῄσκεσθε — mimnēskesthe) is an imperative—an ongoing, intentional practice, not a passing thought. The phrase “as though in prison with them” (ὡς συνδεδεμένοι — hōs sundedemenoi) literally means “bound together with.” Scripture calls us to a solidarity so deep that their chains feel like our own. And the term “mistreated” (κακουχουμένων — kakouchoumenōn) widens our prayer beyond inmates to all who suffer oppression for Christ.
The wider biblical context: solidarity, steadfastness, compassion
We suffer and rejoice together
“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
Prayer for the persecuted is family business. Their pain is not distant news; it is our own body’s pain.
Compassion that remembers prisoners
“For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.”
The early church did not forget prisoners; they acted with costly compassion. Scripture invites us to do the same.
Steadfast, watchful prayer
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
Real intercession is steady, alert, and grateful. We are not powerless; we are invited into God’s work.
Our first response: confession and alignment
Many of us live as if prayer for the persecuted is optional. Let’s begin by confessing our forgetfulness and asking the Holy Spirit to form Christ’s compassion in us. This is where faithful prayer for North Korea starts.
- Obedience: Hebrews 13:3 is a command to persistent remembrance.
- Solidarity: We are “bound together” with suffering believers in Christ.
- Steadfastness: Watchful, ongoing intercession is our biblical pattern.
How to Pray for Prisoners & the Underground Church in North Korea
In North Korea, believers face forced labor, starvation, torture, surveillance, and betrayal. Scripture equips us to pray specifically for their protection, provision, and spiritual endurance.
1) Pray for supernatural protection
“He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.”
“The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”
Ask God to place a hedge of protection around imprisoned believers and those under interrogation. Pray that guards’ attention would be diverted, records lost, searches thwarted, and hidden gatherings unseen. Protection in Scripture is not merely absence of danger; it is God’s presence in danger.
- Shield from physical harm and torture.
- Confound surveillance and informant networks.
- Grant favor with specific officials at critical moments.
2) Pray for daily provision
“Give us this day our daily bread.”
Labor camps are designed to starve, exhaust, and break the body. Pray for miraculous access to clean water, food, warmth, and sleep. Ask God to multiply small rations, to provide hidden kindness through unlikely people, and to strengthen bodies beyond natural limits.
- Provision of food, water, medicine, and sanitary supplies.
- Warmth in winter; relief from heat in summer.
- Healing from injury, infection, and trauma.
3) Pray for spiritual endurance and peace
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
The aim of persecution is to break the spirit. Pray that despair will not root in hearts, that bitterness will not take hold, and that believers will sense Christ’s nearness in isolation. Ask for joy in suffering and courage not to deny Jesus under pressure.
- Protection for minds against terror, lies, and hopelessness.
- Comfort for families separated by imprisonment.
- Perseverance to endure interrogations without renouncing Christ.
4) Pray for the underground church: wisdom, boldness, and unity
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
In a culture of informants, believers need Spirit-given discernment about where, when, and with whom to meet. Pray for stealth in movement and communication, boldness to share the gospel “in the shadows,” and deep unity so families and house groups become places of trust rather than betrayal.
- Safe gathering spots, coded communication, and undetected worship.
- Open doors for confidential gospel conversations and discipleship.
- Mutual encouragement that strengthens believers against fear.
“But the word of God is not bound!”
Even when believers are chained, Scripture is not. Pray for the spread of God’s Word through hidden Bibles, memory, radio, and whispered teaching.
Sample prayer you can use today
Father, cover Your people in North Korea under Your wings. Guard their bodies and minds in Christ Jesus. Provide daily bread, clean water, warmth, and rest. Confound surveillance and protect hidden gatherings. Give Your church wisdom like serpents and innocence like doves, and grant boldness to speak Your Word despite threats. Knit families and house groups together in trust. Let Your unbound Word run swiftly, bearing fruit in prisons and villages alike. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Pray for Children, Persecutors, and the Supernatural Grace to Forgive
The battle for North Korea’s future touches three fronts: the hearts of children, the souls of persecutors, and the Spirit-given power to forgive under extreme suffering.
1) Pray for children: protection from indoctrination and a hunger for truth
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
North Korean children are taught to revere their leaders as divine and to report religious activity. Pray that God shields their minds from lies, writes His truth on their hearts, and plants in them a desire to know Jesus. Ask the Spirit to use Scripture—memorized in whispers and hidden in hearts— to anchor the next generation.
- Protection from propaganda and fear-based control.
- Access to Scripture (memory verses, radio, or trusted adults).
- Salvation, courage, and spiritual mentors in safe community.
2) Pray for persecutors: from spiritual blindness to saving light
“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
Guards, informants, and officials are trapped in deception and fear. Pray for Damascus-road encounters with Jesus that turn persecutors into witnesses. Ask God to frustrate evil plans, redirect decisions, and open paths toward repentance and public justice.
- Conviction of sin and encounters with the living Christ.
- Exposure of corrupt systems; restraint of violent orders.
- Protection for officials who choose mercy over cruelty.
3) Pray for supernatural forgiveness amid suffering
“And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’”
“And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Forgiving tormentors is humanly impossible; it is a miracle of the Holy Spirit. Pray that believers under interrogation sense Christ’s presence and are empowered to forgive as Jesus and Stephen did—bearing witness to the gospel’s power even in agony.
- Spirit-given grace to bless enemies and refuse hatred.
- Hearts guarded from bitterness and despair.
- Testimonies that soften the hardest hearts watching.
Sample prayer you can use today
Father, protect the children of North Korea from lies and fear. Plant Your Word deep in their hearts and raise mentors who will guide them to Jesus. Have mercy on persecutors—open their eyes, restrain their evil, and draw them to repentance. For our brothers and sisters under torture or interrogation, pour out Your Spirit: give them the miracle of forgiveness, the peace that passes understanding, and words that testify to Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Pray for Leaders, Government, and the Unstoppable Advance of the Gospel
Scripture calls us to pray for rulers—not to endorse evil, but to seek salvation, restraint of wickedness, and open doors for peace and godliness. We also pray in faith that God’s Word runs freely, even behind closed borders.
1) Pray for salvation and repentance for leaders
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
“Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ … ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting…’”
We pray not that evil would prosper, but that hard hearts would meet the risen Christ. Ask for Damascus-road encounters that turn persecutors into witnesses, and for a chain reaction of repentance among officials and power brokers.
- Conviction of sin, godly sorrow, and public repentance.
- Trusted advisors who speak truth and point to Christ.
- Policy shifts that protect conscience and reduce persecution.
2) Pray for restraint of evil and the promotion of justice
“The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.”
“…that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.”
“He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings…”
Pray that God redirects plans, confounds surveillance networks, exposes corruption, and elevates righteous decision-makers. Ask for mercy on the vulnerable and justice for the oppressed.
- Frustrated crackdowns, cancelled raids, and derailed abuses.
- Release of the innocent; humane treatment for detainees.
- Policies that allow households to live “peaceful and quiet” lives.
3) Pray for the unstoppable advance of the gospel
“But the word of God is not bound!”
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”
Borders and barbed wire cannot stop Christ. Pray for Scripture to spread through hidden Bibles, memorized passages, radio signals, and trusted relationships. Intercede for those who risk everything to carry the Word, and for multiplying disciples who faithfully teach others.
- Protection and fruitfulness for Bible couriers and broadcasters.
- Household discipleship: parents and elders catechizing children.
- Networks of prayer that span villages, prisons, and diaspora communities.
We pray toward a future where worship of men yields to the worship of Christ, and where North Korea is filled with the knowledge of the Lord.
Sample prayer you can use today
Father, we pray for the leaders of North Korea: break deception, grant repentance, and turn hearts toward Jesus. Restrain evil—frustrate violent plans, expose corruption, and deliver the oppressed. Open doors for the gospel: protect those who carry Your Word and multiply disciples across families and villages. Let Your unbound Word run swiftly until the land is filled with the knowledge of Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.
