Prayer: The Backbone of Missions

It has been said that prayer is the great engine of missions work. Without calling on the power of the Holy Spirit and lifting all nations up to God, we will never accomplish our great commission mandate to make disciples among all of them. It is simply impossible without the filling of the Holy Spirit. When it comes to missions and seeing all nations become disciples of Christ, the Bible is clear that prayer is essential,

"Seeing the people, Jesus felt compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.""

(Matthew 9:36-38)

When we look out at the world and see the great need of missions and just how many people groups are left for us to reach, we become aware of our inabilities, our weaknesses, and our fears. There is simply too much for us to do alone. Without prayer, we cannot do missions because we will be doing missions in our own power, and our own power cannot reach people. But when all of the fears and inadequacies about missions overcome you, remember Moses,

The Lord said to Moses come and I will send you...but Moses said, "who am I that I should go...?" And the Lord said, "But I will be with you..." But Moses said to the Lord, 'Oh, my Lord... I am slow of speech and tongue..." Then the Lord said, "Who made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now, therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak."

(Exodus 3-4)