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How to Pray for Missions

Do you have a passion to see Jesus known and worshipped among the nations?

Do you have a burden for those in bondage to false religions and the thousands of unreached people groups with no access to the Gospel?

You can make an impact right now in the darkest places of the earth.

Through prayer, you can support missionaries who are actively doing ministry in these places and come boldly before the Father to intercede for the lost and broken trapped in spiritual darkness.

Let the following prayer points guide you. All of the verses included with each of these prayer points can be used to pray for missionaries in general or personalized for a specific missionary. As you pray into these areas, be encouraged that the Father hears you and has given you the incredible privilege of partnering with Him through intercession to see the nations transformed.

Pray for boldness.

“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel.” 

– Ephesians 6:19

Missionaries need supernatural boldness to proclaim the Gospel, especially in areas where Christians face intense persecution.

You can pray that:

  • They will not give in to fear but will remember that God has not given them a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
  • They will be filled with the Holy Spirit to courageously and boldly preach the Gospel not just with words, but in power (1 Thessalonians 1:5, 1 Corinthians 2:4).

Pray for the people they are ministering to.

Through the power of prayer, hearts that are resistant to the Gospel can be softened and become fertile soil for the truth to grow and produce fruit (Matthew 13:1-23).

You can pray that:

  • Any barriers that would keep people from following Jesus, such as family, fear of persecution, false religions, etc., will be broken down by the power of the Holy Spirit.
  • Their hearts will be soft, receptive, and open to the Gospel.
  • God will deliver them from spiritual blindness and supernaturally open their eyes to the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).
  • God will lead them to a community of believers and that they will become disciples who produce much fruit for His glory.

Pray for protection.

“But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion.”

 2 Timothy 4:17

Missionaries face a variety of dangers and challenges on the field, such as persecution, injuries, and sickness. Your prayers for protection are powerful and needed by those who are ministering in these dark and dangerous areas.

You can pray that:

  • God will preserve their health, especially in areas where there is unclean water, poor hygiene, a higher risk of serious illnesses such as malaria, and unsanitary food practices.
  • They will be protected from persecution and any hostility that would threaten their safety and hinder them from sharing the Gospel.

Pray for perseverance, strength, wisdom, peace, and joy.

“We ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.” 

– Colossians 1:9-11

As you pray for missionaries to be supernaturally equipped by the Holy Spirit to share the Gospel, your prayers are making a tangible impact both in the spiritual realm and on earth.

You can pray that:

  • God will give them perseverance and strength to endure any challenges they face with joy (Romans 5:3-5, Hebrews 10:36, James 1:2-3, Philippians 4:13).
  • They will have divine wisdom and discernment in ministry and decision making, hear God’s voice clearly, and be willing to follow His guidance (James 1:5, Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 30:21, John 10:27, Philippians 2:13).
  • No matter their circumstances, they will be filled with the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) and supernatural joy (Romans 15:13, Philippians 4:4).

Pray for intimacy with Jesus.

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

 John 15:4

As all fruitful ministry is the overflow of a deep relationship with Jesus, it is important to pray that missionaries will continue to pursue this relationship while on the field.

You can pray that:

  • Despite their busy schedule, they will intentionally set time aside each day to be with Jesus and draw closer to Him.
  • They will not attempt to minister out of their own strength but will be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit.

Along with these prayer points, take the 30-day prayer challenge! As you pray daily for 30 days for unreached people groups with no access to the Gospel, you will impact lives for eternity through the power of intercession. You may even find that your own heart is changed and filled with a deeper compassion for the lost.

Sign up for the prayer challenge and request your prayer map here.