"Prayer is the mighty engine that is to move the missionary work." - A. B. Simpson
The missionary task goes forward by prayer. There are many ways to pray for missionaries. The following are two suggestions for praying for the needs of missionaries.
Personal: Pray for missionary families that they will communicate well with each other, stay healthy, their children will enjoy living cross culturally, that their children will find good schooling, their family members left behind in their home countries, their support level will remain high.
Ministry: Pray that they will be fruitful, safe, protected from demonic influences, and culturally effective in ministry.
Suggestions from Wycliffe Bible Translators
Wycliffe Bible Translators work worldwide and have developed the following suggestions for praying for missionaries:
- Pray for Open Doors - "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message...." (Colossians 4:2-3a NIV)
- Pray for Boldness - "Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel...." (Ephesians 6:19 NIV)
- Pray that God's Word will Spread - "Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord's message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you." (2 Thessalonians 3:1 NLT)
- Pray for Protection - "Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer." (2 Thessalonians 3:2 NLT)
- Pray for Effective Ministry - "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5 NLT)
- Pray for Travel - "And then he told them, 'Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.'" (Mark 16:15 NLT)
- Pray for Refreshment - "Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT)
"The tragedy of our day is not unanswered prayer but unoffered prayer."
Thank you for praying for Bible Fellowship missionaries.