This Sunday we’re commissioning the P**** family to serve in southern Togo in medical and maintenance missions at the Hộpital Baptiste Biblique. For them, it will be through respiratory therapy and general maintenance work that they will be doing the work of evangelism and discipleship with the Togolese people.
As their home church family, we have to remember that we aren’t just bystanders watching this happen. As we commission them Sunday to Togo, we enter the battle with them by holding the rope: By supporting them, encouraging them, and holding them up with our prayers.
In light of who we’re called to be as their sending church, let me share with you four verses that speak into how we can be praying for the P*****’s (and our other missionaries as well).
1. Pray for open doors for gospel proclamation.
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ.”
Colossians 4:2-3
As our missionaries go out, they go ultimately as agents of reconciliation. They go as those sent out to proclaim the good news of salvation that is found in Christ alone. Pray that God would do what only He can do in providing opportunities for our missionaries to share this good news.
2. Pray for bold, Spirit-given words.
“[Pray] also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.”
Ephesians 6:19
As the Lord answers our prayers for open doors, pray that our missionaries would fearlessly proclaim the good news. That their words would be "seasoned with salt" (Colossians 4:6).
Studying through Acts, we saw the early believers praying for this same thing. Being persecuted in Acts 4, their first recorded prayer was a request for boldness in proclaiming the gospel. The good news of Jesus is the greatest possible news we could share with the world: Let’s proclaim it boldly ourselves, and let's pray for our missionaries to do the same.
3. Pray for the gospel to spread rapidly.
“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honoured, as happened among you.”
2 Thessalonians 3:1
The phrase “speed ahead” means, to spread rapidly. Let’s together pray for gospel growth.
Knowing the return of Jesus is near, may we have a sense of urgency in our prayers for our missionaries (and in our lives as well). Pray for the gospel to be honoured whenever it’s proclaimed, and for the message to spread rapidly in power.
4. Pray for protection from those who want to harm them.
“[Pray] that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith."
2 Thessalonians 3:2
Not everyone is excited when the gospel advances. Every power in hell will do whatever they can to stop the light of Christ from shining in the darkness. So let’s pray for protection for our missionaries from those who seek to do them harm.
The W*****’s shared yesterday a story in their most recent update of a man, sent by a witch doctor, who traveled from outside town to camp out in front of the hospital they are serving at. Why? The hospital is emitting too much Light.
So all day, this man sits outside the hospital doing “incantations against the Light.”
I love what Erin writes:
“One of our missionary friends was able to speak with this man and tell him that there is no way that he will be able to stop the Light. He can sit there all day, speaking curses and incantations but the victory belongs to the Light. Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness..." Our friend shared the good news of Jesus with this man, sharing that in Jesus is life, and his life is the Light for all mankind. This light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it. That's why we're here. The darkness is also here. But it cannot overcome the Light. Oh, there is so much darkness. Regularly our friends (both Togolese and missionary) find voodoo offerings outside their homes, on their pathways, at street corners. (Things like bowls of chicken heads or feathers, sea shells, bits of bone and cloth). The darkness doesn't want us here, but that's because it knows it's losing. Evil will not prevail. Our job is to shine the Light so that all may see.”
What great reminders in what she's written! It’s a great reminder for us to be faithfully holding up our missionaries in prayer, asking for God’s protection against those who seek to do them harm. It's a great reminder of our calling to shine the Light for all to see. And it’s a great encouragement to be reminded afresh, “Evil will not prevail.”
May you be encouraged by these truths today and may we as a church family be found faithfully lifting up our missionaries in prayer.
- Mark
