Praying for Missions

All of us are not called to go to the foreign field.  But, every Christian is called to pray for missions; that is simply not negotiable.

Some Christians, however, can be unsure as to how exactly to pray for missionaries. I have therefore listed for you here 15 things that you can pray each of which is tied to God's Word. (And this list is not exhausted. More could undoubtedly be added). I hope you find it helpful. Pray these things! Read, study, and meditate on the passages I have listed.

Other issues to keep in mind when praying for missionaries include things like visas and other logistical matters, safety issues. There's also the missionary’s adaption to a strange culture and new language and understanding the depths and complexities of a people's worldview for which you can pray. And this learning never seems to end regardless of how long the missionary has lived among a given people group. In my newsletter entries, I will include specific people and situations about which you can also pray.

Additionally, I recommend David Sitton's Warfare Prayer: Praying Effectively For Your Missionaries to help your learn how to better pray for missionaries and Jason Mandryk's Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide To Every Nation to help you set your mind on the unreached people groups of the world. 

Furthermore, I strongly encourage you to cultivate a biblical theology that will inflame your heart with a passion to see God glorified among all peoples. For that will drive you to your knees to pray earnestly for missions. It may even spark within you the desire to go yourself and to take the glorious gospel of Christ to an unreached people group and see them embrace Jesus and be saved by the power of God. Perhaps such a thought sounds scary now. Indeed, leaving one's home to go to a foreign culture is difficult, and learning a new language is hard. But isn't God's glory worth it?

On the cross, Christ Jesus, the precious Lamb of God, ransomed for himself a people from every tribe, language, people group, and nation (Rev 5:9), and one day there will be a great multitude from every tribe, language, people group, and nation worshiping around the throne praising the Lamb (Rev 7:9). Meditate on that, and let those truths grip your heart and give you a passion to see the nations come to Christ. And pray for the success of the church's missionary endeavors in this world; pray for this glorious vision to be realized. 

The Holy Spirit has said that the gospel will be proclaimed to all nations before our Lord returns (Mat 24:14). Now I understand that God can interpret "all nations" however he pleases. And his interpretation may be different than what missiologists and anthropologists have deemed it to be. But he has not yet returned, so our work is not done. We must continue on with the great commission until he does.

I firmly believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ will proceed triumphantly to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8; Psa 2:8; Psa 22:27-28; Hab 2:14; Isa 11:9; Psa 72:17-19; Zech 8:22-23; Isa 66:18; Rev 5:9; 7:9). My prayer and expectation is that before Christ returns there will be believers in every town, village, city, and neighborhood on this planet who are gathering together as churches, proclaiming the gospel, and worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Moreover, missionary success and the expansion of the gospel to the ends of the earth will come about in the midst of the manifold persecutions, trials, government restrictions/mandates, martyrdom, apostasies, false teachings, ensnaring religions and philosophies, etc. which, until our Lord returns, Satan will continue to amass with the intentions of destroying the gospel, missions, and the true church (Mat 16:18). 

God's church, nevertheless, will continue to grow and be faithful and fruitful in the face of all such tribulations of this present evil age. In fact, Satan's attempts to destroy the church will even result in the furtherance of the gospel into all nations and the planting of new churches. We have a frustrated and defeated foe (John 12:31-32; Col 2:15). Christ's kingdom is unstoppable and will not be shaken!

By the Holy Spirit, the preaching of the gospel of Christ has the power to open the eyes of unbelievers and turn them from the darkness and power of Satan and to the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (Acts 26:18; 2 Cor 4:4-6; Col 1:13-14; Rom 1:16). Every stronghold raised up against the knowledge of God will be shattered by the gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 10:3-5). 

Pray, therefore,  that those throughout the earth who are walking in darkness would see a great light (Isa 9:2) and be saved to the glory of God so that the Name of God would be magnified in all the earth. Pray that the gospel would shine forth into the deepest jungles and the darkest cities. Pray that every wall Satan has set up against the gospel will be torn down by the gospel. 

May God be glorified! And may the Lamb receive the full reward for his suffering! 

Therefore . . .

Pray! (Mat 9:37-38) Send! (Rom 10:13-17) Go! (Mat 28:19-20)
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15 Scriptural Prayer Concerns for Missions:

1. Pray that God’s name would be great among the nations (Psa 113:3; Mal 1:11; Mat 6:9).

2. Pray that the Word would spread rapidly and be honored (2 Thes 3:1).

3. Pray that the kingdom of God would come (Mat 6:10).

4. Pray for peace in areas of the world hostile to the gospel (1 Tim 2:1-4; Prov 21:1).

5. Pray that God would send out missionaries (and seriously consider going yourself) (Matt 9:35-38; 28:18-20; Rom 10:14-17).

6. Pray fervently with a broken heart for the salvation of unbelievers (Rom 9:2-3; 10:1).

7. Pray that God would open doors for the Gospel (Col 4:3).

8. Pray that the Gospel would be clearly communicated (Col 4:4)

9. Pray that missionaries would proclaim Christ with boldness (Acts 4:29; Eph 6:18-19).

10. Pray that God would provide for missionaries their daily needs, both spiritual and physical (Mat 6:11).

11. Pray that missionaries would be devoted to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4)

12. Pray that missionaries would be strengthened by the power of God (Col 1:11; Eph 3:16).

13. Pray that missionaries would not fall into sin or temptation (Mat 6:13).

14. Pray that missionaries would be protected from the attacks of the evil one (Mat 6:13).

15. Pray for missionaries as they seek to train and establish leadership in new churches (Acts 14:23; 2 Tim 2:2).


1 comment:

FAYE R MORRIS said...

KENAN, thank you for your 15 Scriptural prayer concerns for Missions; I covenant with you to share this with my small group class and urge them to join with me in praying in this way for you and all the missionaries we know. May GOD richly bless you and use mightily for HIS great glory!
BLESSINGS, FAYE MORRIS