Israeli Christians call for Esther-Like fast after US decision to pull out of Syria

Originally published in Charisma News

President Donald Trump’s decision to pull US troops out of Syria has sparked a movement of urgent prayer and fasting.

The fast was initiated by Succat Hallel, a 24/7 house of prayer overlooking the Temple Mount.

“There are some urgent developments in the Middle East that are so important that we believe decisions will be made in these next two months that could affect the destiny—the fate of millions of people in this region and even the future of Israel. These decisions are so important that we are calling for a united time of prayer and fasting in the style of Queen Esther,” Rick Ridings, founder of Succat Hallel, explains in a video.

Watch video of Rick Ridings of Succat Hallel explaining the campaign:

This Esther Fast will take place on March 1-3 and will focus on three issues.

First, is for the protection of a new democratic government called the “Self Administration of North and East Syria” (SANES), which vows to protect the religious freedom of minorities in the war-torn country.

“It is very committed to the protection of Christians and the Kurdish people of that region that there will be no genocide,” Ridings explains.

CBN News previously reported that SANES is a federal system of government modelled after the US.

“Much of our aspiration, actually, is in line with (the) American Revolution. We don’t want a country where citizenship and rights are based on ethnic identities or religious identity.  We want all Syrians to be equal.  We believe they were all created by God equal and to be free,” Bassam Ishak, President of the Syrian Democratic Council, told CBN News.

However, SANES is a fragile democracy and leaders are concerned it could be destroyed after the US leaves the region.

“There could be great potential for genocide if this government is not protected,” Ridings warns. He also says the government has biblical significance and will be the place of a major harvest of souls for Christ.

The second issue Christians will pray for Israel’s protection from Turkey, Iran, and Russia.

Ridings says the Lord gave him a vision last January depicting Jesus combating demonic powers that were constructing highways to Israel to lay siege against the Jewish state. He said three of those highways came from Iran, Russia, and Turkey.

“When President Trump announced the decision to pull out troops from northeast Syria, immediately, three of those countries from which I saw highways – Turkey, Russia, and Iran – put their focus on northeast Syria. Iran would like to build a land bridge that could even allow them to come against Israel. All three of these nations have the potential if they are in complete control of that area to allow a genocide of the Christians and the Kurds in that area,” Ridings says.

He asks that people pray for Jesus to destroy any demonic plans to wipe out Israel and the Middle East’s religious and ethnic minorities.

Lastly, Christians will pray for God to grant Israeli leaders wisdom as they head into national elections this coming April.

“We would encourage to pray and believe together with us that any kind of evil council that will seek to divide up the land of Israel that will bring judgment according to Joel 3 would be thwarted,” Ridings says.

So far, the call to prayer is reaching countries in Asia like South Korea. Ridings hopes many more will join.

“We believe that God is absolutely sovereignly in control as in the days of Esther,” he says, while also encouraging believers to pray and fast in whatever way God leads them to.

“Agree with us on these points that there will be a prevailing of the purposes of God,” Ridings urges.