(Image courtesy VOM Canada)
International (MNN) — No matter how long you’ve been a Christian, there are likely times when you’ve wondered: how important is prayer? God knows our every thought; He knows them even before we do. So, why is prayer important?
Well, for starters, prayer is mentioned more than 250 times in Scripture. Prayer is important to the Lord for a multitude of reasons and should therefore be a priority for us as His followers. It would make sense, then, that prayer is also the best way to help missionaries. However, money is often the first thing that comes to mind.
“When people think about missions, a lot of times they think about the resources, the finances, the personnel. But the request we get the most is for prayer,” says Advancing Native Missions (ANM) CEO Oliver Asher.
That’s why ANM has created a daily Prayer Guide with 31 different ways you can pray for native missionaries. Native missionaries, or indigenous missionaries, are believers who stay in their own country to tell people about Christ instead of going overseas to share the Gospel.
“Prayer is a way of life around here, so it only made sense that we should emphasize prayer and make sure that people don’t forget the importance of prayer,” adds Asher.
“Any great awakening, any great spiritual movement, any opening to the Gospel always begins with prayer.”
(Image courtesy Vision Beyond Borders)
ANM is highlighting the 31 Ways to Pray for Native Missionaries Prayer Guide on their Web site during the month of July. But, Asher says this resource can be used year-round to intercede for native missionaries.
Download a free copy of the prayer guide here.
Would you take time to pray for a native missionary today? Pray that God would bless native missionaries and their families with every resource they may need.
Listen to the conversation with Oliver Asher about the importance of prayer.
Carl Hinkle and I have this burden and passion.
The older I get in missions, the more I realize that the main mission of missions is prayer. This is probably the most important ministry that missions like ANM, Christian Aid and Overseas Students Mission fulfill. They connect the supporting churches with the “go’ers.” Missions is all about discernment of God’s will and there is no way to find it but in daily intercession and waiting upon God for guidance. Perhaps when it is all over we will look back and see that prayer was, after all, the main ministry of organizations like MNN as well. Let us pray.