May 1, 2007
by Jim McMaster
Did you know that you have at your disposal one of the most powerful tools for expanding the reach of the Gospel? Did you know that right here, right now you can be part of a team bringing the Gospel message to a people group without access to God’s Word?
Prayer is one of the most powerful weapons in the spiritual battle for souls. I’m not talking about mumbling “Lord, bless the missionaries.” I’m talking about asking an Almighty God to keep his promises and to reach the ends of the world with His Truth. I’m talking about a battle, about intercession, about calloused knees from pleading with God on behalf of your missionaries and the tribal people they minister to.
God’s Word has many passages relating to prayer. He commands it. He promises to answer it and He gives us plenty of examples of how to pray and of His answers. I’m citing just a few.
In Matthew 9:37-38, Jesus said, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers to His harvest.” Ask the Lord to send your missionaries some help. With more than 4,000 people groups still without any Scripture in their language the need for workers is tremendous. But be careful as you pray for people to go to the mission field. Usually when I pray the first heart God challenges is mine.
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
Ask God to give your missionary godly wisdom to deal with difficult situations. Find out what’s going on in his life so you can pray specifically. He may need help adjusting to a strange culture and learning a difficult language. He may be discouraged and ready to quit. His troubles may be physical or financial. Whatever they are, your specific prayers for specific needs can make a difference.
2 Thessalonians 3:1 exhorts us, “Finally brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified just as it is with you.” Pray that the Word of God can go forth freely without opposition. Satan will not relinquish his control easily. He will definitely oppose missionary efforts. Pray that the Gospel will not be hindered.
Finally pray that God will be glorified by our missionaries’ efforts and by our tribal brothers and sisters in Christ. And just as God is glorified in their lives pray that He may be glorified by yours also.
When the prayer life of the people of God comes to be the dominant feature of Christian experience, the power of God will sweep the earth with victories of grace. You can be a part of those victories.
Excerpted from a message Jim uses as a representative for New Tribes Mission |
GET INVOLVED
