The Necessity of Prayer in Missions

Here's a very, very brief summary of my talk during Wintersburg's Sunday School hour on July 17, 2016.

Why do we NEED to pray especially on missions?? What’s the point??

1. Because God is sovereign and salvation comes from Him alone. (John 3)

It is God who is sovereign over salvation and it is God who transforms our hearts, saving us from our filth and sin. This is why we pray for the salvation of others. Not because we are the ones that save, but because God is the one who saves.

Like Nicodemus, the Japanese are a prideful people. Many are educated and wealthy and have many barriers to believing the Gospel.

Culturally, they are a pre-Christian society which means they are totally biblically illiterate.

Spiritually, the nation of Japan has had a long history of Buddhism and Shintoism that has shaped their spiritual worldview.

Familially, many face opposition from parents, spouses, and/or relatives.

These are just a few of many barriers when it comes to the Japanese.

So for any Japanese to come to repentance and faith, we must pray to the sovereign God to change their hearts.

2. It changes the priorities of our hearts and desires

When we pray for the salvation of others, our priorities are focused on eternal matters and our desires become God’s desires, as it says in 1 Timothy 2:4 where "God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." Or in 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."

3. It brings us joy

When God faithfully answers our prayers, imagine the joy that will bring, knowing that they are saved from God's wrath and that we'll be worshipping Jesus with them in eternal glory!

4. It gives us confidence to proclaim the Gospel

Witnessing someone come to repentance and faith reveals that God is real, good, and faithful. Knowing these things, we should be excited to proclaim to others of who God is and what He's done, that He would save sinners like us!

Now I know and understand that this isn't an exhaustive list (there are so many more reasons to pray!), but these are just the four that I elaborated on during my talk.