Do you sometimes seem to "get stuck" when praying for
missionaries? Are you frustrated because your prayers seem
general or shallow? If so, here are some specific things you
can pray for when you are interceding for missionaries:
Love for God
Overworked missionaries can become service-oriented
rather than love-oriented. Pray that your missionaries' love
for the Lord will deepen, and that love for Him will always
be their prime motivation for service.
Love for Others
Yes, missionaries are human, and just like you, sometimes
they have trouble showing love and respect to those
"difficult to love" people - either their missionary
coworkers or nationals. Pray that the Lord will make your
missionaries love " ... increase and abound in love one
toward another; and toward all men, ... " (1 Thess.
3:12)
A Deeper Relationship with God
Missionaries' schedules can become so packed that they might
skip or skimp on their time with the Lord. Pray that your
missionaries would follow Jesus' example. It's hard to
imagine any missionary having a busier life than He did, yet
He consistently sought out time alone to commune with His
Father.
Spirit-Controlled Lives
Just like the rest of us, sometimes missionaries have a
tendency to do the Lord's work in the energy and ingenuity
of the flesh. Pray that all of our missionaries' actions
will be under the control and by the power of the Holy
Spirit.
The Fruit of the Spirit
As you pray that your missionaries will be under the
control of the Holy Spirit, the very beauty of Jesus will be
manifest in their lives.
Wisdom and Knowledge
Strong-willed missionaries often come into conflict when
two or more of them have opposing viewpoints. Pray that
missionaries will have the wisdom of God, which James
describes as " ... first pure, then peaceable, gentle,
and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality, and without hypocrisy'. (James 3:17)
Courage
Imagine your missionaries making the same prayer request
Paul did in Ephesians 6:19: "And for me, that utterance may
be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make
known the mystery of the gospel, “
Receptive Hearts
Pray for divine providence, that the Lord will lead your
missionaries to people whose hearts will be open to hearing
and receiving the gospel message.
Disciples
Pray that your missionaries will experience the joy of
leading others to salvation, and of "Teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…”
(Matt. 28:20)
Strong Faith
The apostles once made a direct request of Jesus:
“.... Increase our faith. " (Luke 17:5) Pray that your
missionaries will have great faith that will lead them to
ask great things of our Lord.
Steadfastness
Pray that your missionaries will follow Paul's advice to
the Corinthians. "... be ye steadfast, unmovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that
your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Cor. 15:58)
A Strong Family
Cross-cultural living can magnify even small family
conflicts. Pray that members of missionary families will be
drawn together, not torn apart, by living in a new culture.
Protection
Missionaries are prime targets of the enemy. Join Jesus
in praying to the Father: "I pray not that thou shouldest
take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep
them from the evil." (John 17:5)
Material Needs
Missionaries often face harsh living conditions, and may
have to struggle to meet basic physical needs. Pray that the
Lord will supply all their financial and material needs
"But my God shall supply all your need according to his
riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4: 19)
Health and Strength
In today's increasingly violent world, missionaries face
not only sickness, but may also be victims of crime, or even
get caught in the midst of civil wars. Pray that the Lord
will grant the measure of health and strength that will
bring His greatest glory and the greatest good for
missionaries.
The next time you sit down to pray for your missionaries,
use this list as a guide to help you pray specifically, and
consistently. They need you, and the Lord desires to use you
to help fulfill His Great Commission. Your prayers count!