Prayer is the most important, as well as most available avenue by which you can become a participant in the Great Commission. Prayer demonstrates our dependency on God and our trust in Him to answer us wisely and move on our behalf. Truly all power is HIS. Here I have included some resources to help you in your prayers for missions and missionaries. 

Resources:

• www.imb.org - The official International Mission Board website.
• www.imb.org/compassionnet A comprehensive daily prayer guide with specific requests and answers from the mission field via e-mai.
• PRAYERplus – This is one way for your church to change the world by committing to pray for an unreached people group. Contact them at prayerplus@imb.org.
• To subscribe to our mailing list and receive regular e-mails containing praises and prayer requests, simply send us a note at maihaske@maihaske.net and be sure to include your e-mail address.

Scriptures and Thoughts to Guide Your Prayers:

[Matthew 9:36-38 (NASB)] – 36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.  37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  38 Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

· PRAY for God to give us compassion for the lost as He has compassion.

· PRAY for confidence and faith that the harvest is in fact plentiful even when fields seem unproductive. PRAY against discouragement and PRAY for and expectant spirit.

· PRAY for laborers to join the work force, whether they are volunteers, short-term missionaries (2-3 yrs), or career. PRAY especially for churches to become partners with missionaries.

· PRAY that God would call more men to join His work force in the West African fields. In a patriarchal society, the godly witness of men (especially those with gray hair) is much needed. We are thankful for the many women that have endured much to minister in this “man’s world.” May their service be an inspiration and challenge to the men, both young and old, of our churches.

· Remember that the harvest belongs to the LORD. He is the one who calls and the One for whom we reap. Therefore, PRAYER is the first and primary work to which we are called.

[Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB)] – 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

· Remembering that the authority to preach the gospel and make disciples comes from the Lord, PRAY that missionaries (and all Christians) would be bold in their witness for the Lord Jesus. Some governments may not allow evangelism, but pray that Christians in those places would obey God rather than men, willingly accepting the consequences for doing so.

· PRAY for churches to accept these “marching orders” from our Commander and make them their top priority. PRAY for them to take it upon themselves to proclaim the gospel and start churches where this has not been done.

· PRAY for missionaries to remember and have faith that Christ is with them, even to the end of the age. PRAY that others would step out in like faith to help them with the task.

[Matthew 5:10-12 (NET)] – 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.  11 "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me.  12 Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.

· Persecution is a fact in the Christian life. Jesus reminded us that no slave is greater than his master, and the world crucified our Master. All Christians who follow Christ in a world that has rejected Him suffer persecution in one way or another. The risk of physical harm, however, is very real for many believers in parts of the world other than America. While missionaries may risk deportation, local believers continually put their life and livelihood on the line in order to follow Christ. PRAY first for boldness as well as wisdom.

· We may be tempted to pray against persecution, forgetting that the context of Romans 8:28 is just that. Even persecution can be used by God to refine and strengthen His church as He develops in us hope and endurance toward eternal life. Christians should not seek persecution, but neither should we consider it our failure if it comes. PRAY, then, for the Holy Spirit’s enabling power to endure all manner of trials, especially for new believers around the globe.

[Philippians 1:27-30 (NET)] – 27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that– whether I come and see you or whether I remain absent– I should hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, by contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,  28 and by not being intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of their destruction, but of your salvation– a sign which is from God. 29 For it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him,  30 since you are encountering the same conflict that you saw me face and now hear that I am facing.