FEBC Global

Prayer Support

Prayer is our #1 stand against spiritual warfare. Prayer is also the #1 activity that the enemy wants to derail. Prayer is powerful. The Apostle Paul exhorts the church in Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God. After he details the parts of that armor, he continues to say,

 “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel…” (Ephesians 6:18,19 ESV)

Our global partners are venturing out into the battlefield where for generations the enemy has had a foothold, and he is not going to give it up easily. God could defeat him in one fell swoop, but he has chosen to use mere human beings to carry out his mission in the power of prayer.

Jesus urged his disciples to pray to the Lord of harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest as recorded in Matthew 9-10. Three verses later he sent them out two by two with a mission. They came back with stories to tell.

Neal Pirolo, author of Serving as Senders, reminds us that “it is the prayer of a sending church that releases power through His messengers” all over the world. (p. 97) The power and scope of prayer is not limited by national borders. It covers the entire world.

The devil will use any tactics at his disposal to discourage people and derail programs and plans. You can pray for your global partners in the area of

• adjusting to new language, new culture and new food;
• travel challenges in many of third world countries;
• parenting problems arise just like they do at home, but without the backup and encouragement of fellow believers and family members
• loneliness
• interpersonal relationships
• financial stresses
• making do with the tools they have on hand to perform their ministries
• discouragement in not seeing results in their ministry
• the nationals – the people being ministered to, the fellow believers working alongside them, the government and leaders of the country can all contribute to the challenges faced by the global partner.
• Pray for stability, wisdom, compassion, self-discipline, boldness, power, love, to be filled with the Spirit of God.

(Neal Pirolo, Serving as Senders, p. 98)

The Apostle Paul wrote out the prayer he offered for the Colossian church in his letter:

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” (Colossians 1:9-12 ESV)

We are encouraged to stand in the gap for those who are working in the harvest fields. Pray and know that God is working in places we cannot see in ways we do not know. Prayer allows us to take part in ministries around the world without leaving our home. Prayer allows us to affect lives of real people on the other side of prayer. Someday, God may take you to visit the other side of prayer for you to see first-hand the effects of prayer, but know that eventually, we will see the effects of prayer before the throne of God.

“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’” (Revelation 7:9, 10 NIV)

We can’t defeat Satan on our own, and we can’t save a lost soul. Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26 NIV)

Next action step? Pray! Just do it!

Written by Marilynn Lester, member FEBC Commission on Global Partnerships.

(See the next short entry to read the most powerful prayer to pary over others.)