Praying for a Missionary
Prayer can be said to tip the scales in the Kingdom of God and the advance
of the Gospel. Global Teams holds prayer to be so vital that we require new
missionaries to have a minimum of TEN daily intercessory prayer partners before they are
allowed to leave for the field.
Here is a way to pray meaningfully for your missionaries every day, even when you don't
have new requests. By following this simple plan you can stay alert and keep from falling
into a rut, ready for God to use you as you pray. Remember, it really does make a
difference whether you pray or not. God wants more than just the missionaries' own
prayers. Even Paul the Apostle was helped because of the prayers of many. (2 Cor. 1:11).
So keep at it. God will enrich your own life and accomplish great things in answer to your
prayers.
Sunday
Pray that God would make His Word fresh to your missionaries every day. That He would
draw them to prayer and meet them in a special way. Ask the Lord to help them live and
serve in the power of the Holy Spirit, not in their own strength. Pray that they will
recognize their own sins and improper attitudes and confess these to God. They are
involved in heavy spiritual warfare. Ask God to help them use the weapons He provides.
They need continually to renew their vision for the work.
Monday
Pray that your missionaries will have the wisdom and emotional strength to do their
work well. Ask the Lord to help them come up with creative ways to meet the challenges of
their ministry. They are living and working in a foreign language and culture. Ask God to
grant them patience with themselves and others, also for a good sense of humor to laugh
with others at their mistakes, yet to learn from them
Tuesday
Pray for loving, supportive family relationships: husband-wife, parent-child, siblings.
Ask God to give them warm, happy experiences. Pray that hardships will pull them together.
Pray that single people would find rewarding friendships and contentment. As your
missionaries serve in cross-cultural ministry, ask God to give them a deep and genuine
love for people and wisdom to know how to express it.
Wednesday
Pray that administrators, within the mission organization, as well as in the country of
ministry, will make good decisions, provide wise counsel and be encouraging. Pray for
unity and spiritual vitality in the organization. The field personnel depend on colleagues
who serve in the "home office." They are a vital part of the whole team but
their work is often difficult because people do not view them as doing "real"
mission work. Ask God to meet their needs. Pray that all missionaries, wherever they
serve, will have a servant attitude towards fellow workers and the local people.
Thursday
Intercede for good health and for wise decisions concerning treatment of health
problems. Pray for safety in travel and all areas of everyday life. Ask God to protect
them. Pray that computers and other equipment will function well. Some missionaries have
financial needs that add stress to their work load. Pray for adequate prayer and financial
support.
Friday
Missionaries could not serve without faithful friends and churches at home praying for
them and providing necessary funds. Ask God to bless these important partners and to give
them great satisfaction and joy in their role. Pray for strong bonds and mutually helpful
relationships between missionaries and the home team during field time and furloughs. Pray
for great understanding of each others roles in the mission task.
Saturday
Pray the God would prepare the people to receive His Word. Ask Him to raise up
spiritual leaders from among local believers. Pray that new believers will feel
responsible to reach out to family, friends, community, and beyond. Ask the Lord for a
deep moving of the Holy Spirit in every community. And do not forget to pray that God's
Good News will reach those who have yet to hear.
Adapted from "Prayer Tools for Far Away Friends" by Wycliffe Bible
Translators. Used with permission. |