Praying for Missionaries

Praying for Missionaries One of the most common questions we are asked is, "How can I pray for missionaries?"  Let me share some suggestions on how to pray: 1.  Select at least one of the missionaries our church supports and pray for their relationship with God.  I'm afraid, all to often, we assume too much in this area.  We have placed all missionaries on a high pedestal marked "Super-Spiritual Saint."  It doesn't occur to us that our missionaries have any need in regards to their walk with God.

  On behalf of your missionary, pray for his or her: a.  Feeding on God's Word b.  Prayer life c.  Filling with the Holy Spirit d.  Maturity and growth in grace e.

  Victory over Satan and the flesh 2.  Pray for your missionary's physical and emotional life.  Many missionaries live and work in difficult climates and where various diseases are prevalent.  Pray for their health and safety.  Also pray for deliverance from discouragement, loneliness and depression as they are in the thick of the spiritual battle.

3.  Pray for your missionary's family.  Pray, if married, for the husband and wife's relationship.  Pray for the children---for their salvation and growth in the Lord.  Pray that as a family, they will provide an excellent model for the people among where they serve.

4.  Pray for your missionary's ability to communicate.  Communication is the key to everything a missionary does.  We must communicate with our lives and lips.  For many, they must adapt to a new culture and learn a foreign language.

  Many languages, if not all, are difficult to learn.  And a superficial knowledge of a language makes it very difficult to communicate spiritual truth.  But knowing a language is not enough.  A missionary must adapt culturally and communicate the love of Christ with the people he is seeking to reach. 5.

  Pray for your missionary's ministry.  Here you want to support your missionary in what he is doing:  witnessing, visiting, teaching, preaching, or whatever he does to serve the Lord.  His letters posted on our Missions Bulletin Board in the church sanctuary will usually give you lots of ammunition for prayer.  Pray for boldness, open doors and open hearts. 6.

  Pray for your missionary's fellow workers.  Most probably, your missionary is not working completely off on his own someplace.  He is usually part of a team and he will likely be working closely with the believers in that country.  Probably, more than any other place, this is where Satan often gets in and causes havoc. 7.

  Pray for your missionary's country of service.  Expand to include the whole country where your missionary is located.  Pray for a climate of responsiveness to the gospel.  I would highly recommend Operation World by Patrick Johnstone as the best guide available for praying for all the countries of the world.     So, how about it?  Why not pick a missionary, write them, read their letters and get involved!  Jesus said, "Men ought always to pray and not to faint.

"  (Luke 18:1) Other missions pages: New Life Community Church: Missions Links 10 Ways to Avoid Becoming a Missionary Places to Find Information about the Persecuted Church