By Michael Smiel, US Office
Our mission cannot be accomplished without prayer. A.B. Simpson said, “Prayer is the mighty engine that is to move the missionary work.” God has included our prayers in the work of reaching the unreached with the gospel. However, it’s not always easy to know how or what to pray for. Here are 8 simple ways to pray to SEND a message of hope to the world and I'm hoping it leads to you discovering your favorite way!
1. Pray Scripture
As you read the Bible, you may come across a particular passage that stands out to you as being missions oriented or maybe you intentionally select a passage to use. It could be Romans 10:13-15 that gives you an idea to pray for the process of how the unreached would hear the gospel. Matthew 9:35-38 is a direct request from Jesus to pray for more people to go to those ready to hear. Or you could pray about Revelation 7:9-10 and imagine what all the nations worshipping together would look like. The Scriptures provide a plethora of ideas of what to pray about concerning missions!
2. Pray for People Groups
Sometimes we simply need a face to focus on as we pray. Pick a people group and take advantage of the vast amount of information that we have access to through technology. Focus on their country, culture, language, lifestyle, or religious customs. Begin to learn about their lives and allow for the Holy Spirit to meet you there as you pray. Learn more about the regions, countries, and ministries SEND is involved in here: Asia, Eurasia, Europe, and North America.
3. Pray for Ministry Roles to be Filled
There are so many missions ministries and opportunities waiting for the right person to take action. Check out SEND’s opportunities and pray that the right people would come along to meet those needs.
4. Pray for Missionaries
Almost every missionary sends out some form of communication whether by mail, email, or social media. If you or your church supports a missionary, ask about what kind of ways they communicate and make sure you get in the loop. Then you can stay up-to-date and pray for their specific needs. Check out our missionaries and their stories here.
5. Use a Prayer Calendar
Use a prayer calendar to pray for one missions related request every day. SEND has daily requests from all over the world available here.
6. Digital Prayer Walk
A digital prayer walk is one of the most creative ways to pray on this list. Pick a location of interest in the world and use Google Maps’ street view to put yourself in the city of your choice. “Walk” around the city from the comfort of your favorite chair and pray for what you see as you feel led.
7. Pray Together
Sometimes praying in a group sparks ideas for prayer that wouldn’t come up if you were praying alone. Gather family, friends, or your small group and begin to pray for a location or people group.
8. Pray Briefly but Frequently
Commit to pray for missions when you do something specific that you do on a regular basis. You might say, “I’ll pray for missions as I brush my teeth.” or “When I drink a cup of coffee, I’ll pray for the Japanese to receive the gospel.” The prayer doesn’t need to be long, but it can be frequent!
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