How to Pray for Missionaries

Does this prayer sound familiar? "Lord, please bless the missionaries. Be with them each day. Protect them and give them strength to do their work."

Perhaps you've noticed that much of the intercession made for missionaries is general or shallow. Yet prayer is the most important service that we can render in fulfillment of the Lord's Great Commission. Every Christian should be involved in world evangelism through faithful, biblically based prayer.

But just what is it? How should we pray for missionaries? Here are some suggestions:

1. Love for God - The most important commandment for all Christians, including missionaries, is "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you mind." Missionaries are usually overworked. As a result, like Martha of Bethany, a missionary can become service-oriented rather than love-oriented. Pray that the supreme motivation for obedience to the call of Christ's love for Him will be fulfilled in their lives.

2. Genuine Love for Others - The second great commandment is "Love your neighbor as yourself " A major difficulty for many missionaries is getting along with the other missionaries with whom they serve. One mission board discovered that 80% of its' missionaries who did not return to the mission field had had problems with their co-workers. Pray that missionaries have a Christ-like love for Nationals.

3. A Deeper Relationship with God - Missionaries with schedules packed tighter than the equipment in their shipping drums, are tempted to skip or skimp on their time alone with the Lord. The only result is failure. Pray for consistent devotional lives.

4. Spirit controlled lives - Pray that the Holy Spirit and not ourselves control all we do.

5. Fruit of the Spirit- pray that missionaries will manifest the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Pray the very beauty of Jesus will be evident in the missionary's life.

6. Wisdom and knowledge- Pray that missionaries be" . . . pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."

7. Pray for courage

8. Receptive hearts- Pray for receptive hearts of those being ministered to.

9. Disciples- Pray that the ministry of the missionaries will bring maturity of discipleship.

10. A Strong Faith- Pray that missionaries will have great faith, able to lead them to ask great things of our great Lord.

11. Steadfastness- Discouragement is a favorite device of the devil. Pray that missionaries stand firm.

12. A Strong Family- Pray for marriages, parent and child relationships, and those relationships will be loving and strong.

13. Protection- Like soldiers on the front lines, missionaries are prime targets of the enemy. Pray for the Lord's powerful protection for His servants.

14. Material Needs- Pray that God will supply all their financial and material needs and that we can understand the needs.

15. Health and Strength- Pray that the Lord will grant the measure of strength and health that will bring His greatest glory and the greatest good for the missionaries.

As you pray for these goals, please use these suggestions to help focus on specific needs.