Spiritual Development - May 2019
In light of my recent trip to Ecuador, I became convinced that I need to regularly be praying for missionaries around the world. Former IMB president, David Platt, provides these suggestions for how we can pray for those serving around the world to take the gospel to all people.
1. Pray that they would be confident in God’s Word (Acts 13:4–5) - Missionaries are sent not just to learn culture or do humanitarian relief but to confidently proclaim the Word of God.
2. Pray that they would be filled with God’s Spirit (Acts 13:6–9) - Believers already have the Holy Spirit in them, but at times the Spirit fills someone in a special way to enable him or her to proclaim God’s Word.
3. Pray for their victory in spiritual warfare (Acts 13:10–12) - When our brothers and sisters take the gospel into the nations, they are going into a war. The devil is dead set on destroying souls and diverting mission.
4. Pray for their success in gospel witness (Acts 13:12) - Pray that many would come to know Christ in all walks of life from the faithful witness of our missionaries.
5. Pray for peace with other believers (Acts 13:13) - Satan attacks from all angles, both inside and outside. Pray for peace within families, in marriages, with children, and with companions and ministry partners.
6. Pray for favor with unbelievers (Acts 13:14–15) - Nonbelievers are blind to the gospel, and many are violently opposed to its message. Pray that missionaries would find favorable opportunities to share the gospel with them.
7. Pray that the gospel will be clear through them (Acts 13:16–47) - Although cross-cultural communication is difficult, pray that missionaries, by grace, would clearly communicate the character of God, the sinfulness of man, the sufficiency of Christ, the necessity of faith, and the urgency of eternity.
8. Pray that God will open hearts around them (Acts 13:48) - God alone draws people to himself. Pray that he will open hearts and minds to believe and be drawn to eternal life with Christ.
9. Pray for their joy in the midst of suffering (Acts 14:1–2) - Missionaries often face various forms and levels of suffering in their work. Pray that they would experience the joy of intimacy with Christ in the midst of it.
10. Pray for their kindness in the midst of slander (Acts 14:1–2) - Though missionaries face suffering and difficulty, pray that the character of Christ and the power of his Spirit enable them to respond with grace.
11. Pray for supernatural power to accompany them (Acts 14:3) - Pray that missionaries would speak the Word with boldness and that supernatural power would accompany its proclamation.
12. Pray for Christlike humility to characterize them (Acts 14:4–18) - Pray that missionaries would overcome the temptation to be prideful in their work by the power of the Spirit.
13. Pray for their patience (Acts 14:8–18) - Missionaries face ups and downs and wins and losses in their work. Pray that they might respond with longsuffering.
14. Pray for their perseverance (Acts 14:19–20) - In 2 Corinthians 4:8–9 Paul wrote, “We are . . . struck down but not destroyed.” Pray for missionaries to persevere through setback after setback, beatdown after beatdown, and struggle after struggle.
15. Pray that God would use them to multiply churches (Acts 14:24–28) - Pray for the multiplication of churches filled with people who know the Word led by pastors who teach the Word.
Recommended Resource— Spiritual Gifts by Thom Schreiner
What are the spiritual gifts? Do all Christians have them? Have the miraculous gifts ceased? The topic of spiritual gifts is often a point of contention among Christians. In Spiritual Gifts: What They Are and Why They Matter, Dr. Thomas R. Schreiner, a leading New Testament scholar, answers these questions.
Schreiner shares his personal experience related to spiritual gifts, but more importantly, he unpacks what the Bible has to say about them. In doing so, he brings a spirit of humility and charity, reminding us that though spiritual gifts are important, we can have unity in Christ even where we disagree.