8 Thoughts About Missions and Prayer.

2 Thessalonians 3:1, "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:"

Prayer is vitally important in the "Great Commission" our Lord has given us. Prayer is the "powerhouse" behind all our efforts to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ into all the world.

Here are some thoughts concerning Prayer and Missions...

• Souls won to our Lord in "unreached" lands will be won by praying missionaries, not by professional ministers.
  

• Clever schemes and ingenious strategies will never open closed doors or demolish Satanic strongholds; only earnest and diligent prayer by God's people can accomplish this. 2Co 10:3-5, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"
  

• It seems that in many circles, the priority, focus, and emphasis of missions is money, and prayer is secondary. 
  

• In the New Testament Church, prayer was the priority, focus, and emphasis, in missions and money was secondary.  Act 4:29-31, "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness."  

• Our greatest failures in getting the Gospel to every creature throughout the world are rooted in our prayer failures.
  

• It is very possible to, and many do, give financially to missions without praying, but it is well-nigh impossible to genuinely pray for missions without giving.
  

• Our Lord made it perfectly clear that the answer to the need of missionaries (laborers) on the field is found in earnest prayer by the people of God. Luke 10:2, "Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest."
  

• New Testament missions was born of fasting and prayer (Acts 13) and can only be adequately maintained by fasting and prayer.

God has given us many wonderful prayer promises, and Jesus stated clearly in John 15:5 that without Him we "can do nothing!" Therefore, prayer must be a priority in all of our church ministries, but especially our missions programs.