by Missions Team on February 03, 2025
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. ~ Colossians 4:2-5
God invites each of us to enter into His mission in a variety of essential ways: praying, sending, welcoming, going and mobilizing. And while not everyone is called to go to a foreign mission field, all of us are called to pray. How can we do that effectively for mission?
Jesus modeled the way to pray in Matthew 6:7-13, embedding praise and honor of God, cooperation with His plan, petitions for our needs and an appeal for sanctification. All that concerns us, personal and worldwide, fits in the context of the Lord’s Prayer. We can apply each line of the Lord’s Prayer in support of missions:
- Worship God for who He is.
- Pray for His mission in the world.
- …for the Church to be awakened and energized to God’s mission
- …for the unreached peoples, that God would prepare their hearts to receive Him, that they would hunger for His truth and peace
- …for the needs of cross-cultural Christian workers, that they would be unified, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power, direction, boldness, wisdom, and joy
- …for those who persecute Jesus-followers
- …for strength and encouragement of new believers
- Pray for my concerns and needs.
- Pray that I am in right relationship with Jesus and with others.
- Pray humbly that God would keep me from evil and from false direction.
World mission leader Dick Brogden said,
“When we ‘stand before God for the people’ …we do more for those we seek to bless than any other frenetic activity or ministry on their behalf. Extravagant daily time with Jesus—in His Word and in His presence through prayer—is the single most productive thing we can do. It is the most effective way to bless others.”
As we seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33); and as we delight in Him, our desires align with His will (Psalm 37:4). Then when we pray the words that Jesus taught us, we can insert all of our concerns, needs, petitions and desires under the banner of His will being done -- and we know that our prayer is aligned with His will.
From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ~Acts 17:26-27
*Based on ideas from LIVE DEAD
Written by Bill and Bonnie Adams, Mission Volunteers
