“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

Missions For Everyone!

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

As we continue our Lifestyle of Prayer emphasis, this week’s focus is a reminder to pray for the mission work supported by you and your congregation.  God expects every believer to be involved in sharing the good news of Jesus everywhere we go.  For some, that calling is to a coworker in a community that you’ve spent your entire life in.  For others, that calling is to take the gospel message to a people group in a distant land that you’ve never been to until responding in obedience to God’s calling.  For many, that calling is somewhere between those two examples as we carry the gospel message everywhere we go.  As we pray about the spread of the gospel, we also pray about our part in taking the message of Jesus to all the world.  Our involvement in missions ought to be an integral part of who we are as a Christian.  We give financially to missions so that their work would not be hindered by a lack of resources.  We pray fervently for missions so that we would hear how God wants to work through them, and through us in partnership with them.  As you pray for the missions and missionaries you know, pray that they would have fruitful labor as you ask God to fill them with the characteristics listed below.

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) 

Please pray each day for God to help the work of full-time missionaries, as well as your work as a missionary.

Sunday: Pray for your church staff, the preaching and teaching that takes place, the church leadership, the volunteers that are helping in so many areas, the spiritual and financial health of the congregation, and the work of the missions ministry of the church.  Pray for me (Tom Lemler) and the work of Impact Prayer Ministry.

Monday: Encouragement.  Pray that God would help you find ways to encourage those directly involved in mission work throughout the world.  Pray that you would be known as one who refreshes the hearts of others.  Pray that those being served by our missions would be encouraged.  “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.”  Philemon 1:7 (NIV

Tuesday: Provision:  Pray that each mission would have all that is needed for their work as Christians around the world are “credited” with being the instrument God uses to meet the needs of missionaries.   Pray that  you would know God’s provision as you give to others.  “Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.  And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:17,19 (NIV)

Wednesday: Wisdom:  Pray for a wisdom that comes from God as our missionaries make decisions.  Pray for the patience that is required to know God’s wisdom.  Pray that the good news of Jesus being shared through our missions would be accepted as godly wisdom.  “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.”  2 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

Thursday: Effectiveness:  Pray that the work of missionaries would be effective in reaching people with the good news of Jesus.  Pray for a knowledge of doors which have been opened for effective work.  Pray that an obedience to those open doors would bear much fruit for the kingdom.  “But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.”  1 Corinthians 16:8-9 (NIV)

Friday: Boldness:  Pray that the missionaries, and yourself, would be filled with a boldness to proclaim the gospel as we ought.  Pray for the courage to fear God more than the threats of men.  Pray for a spirit of love to fill the bold message of the gospel.  “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.”  Acts 4:29 (NIV)

Saturday: Faithfulness:  Pray for missionaries to be great examples of faithfulness and that they would be filled with joy by the faithfulness of those who hear the message from them.  Pray for a faithfulness to the knowledge of the truth in both message and practice.  “It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth.”  3 John 1:3 (NIV)