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by Kevin Pauley
“I always pray for you, and I make my requests with a heart full of joy because you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.” Philippians 1:4-5
You may not be gifted as a missionary. You may never have to face the danger of martyrdom. It’s not everyone’s task to face the devil in his lair and send him packing through the power of the Holy Spirit. You may spend the entirety of your life safely within the confines of the state or county in which you were born. But you can take part in the great battle.
Pray for those who are so gifted and tasked. You cannot imagine how comforting it is to missionaries, evangelists, pastors, or prisoners of conscience to know that there are prayer warriors calling their name before the throne of God. It is enough psychologically to know that people remember you. One of the key elements in breaking a prisoner of war is to get them to think they are all alone and forgotten. If they find out that their friends and family are moving heaven and earth to free them, you’ll never break them.
But prayer is so much more than psychological comfort. There is real power granted whether or not the recipient is aware of the prayers. A group of missionaries were serving in the jungles of South America. They were attempting to reach a tribe that was known for killing strangers. One night, the tribesmen surrounded the missionaries. The missionaries couldn’t see them in the darkness, but could hear them moving in the jungle underbrush. All night long, those men and women prayed, asking God for deliverance. Finally, in the predawn hours, the tribesmen left without firing a shot. Many months later the missionaries made successful contact and a church was begun in that tribe. They asked the natives why they hadn’t attacked that night many months earlier. The natives replied “Because of the ten soldiers.”
“What ten soldiers?” the missionaries asked.
“There were ten soldiers with rifles,” the natives insisted.
Later that same year, while on furlough, one of the missionaries was relating that story to a supporting church. After the service, an older gentleman approached him. “What was the date of that incident?” he asked. When informed of the date, the man took out a journal, checked the date and told the missionary “On that day, our prayer group was praying for you when we were impressed that you were in serious need. We prayed earnestly for you for hours. That night there were ten of us in attendance.”
You may not be a great missionary. You may never know the adventures of the front lines. But your prayers are just as needful as their service. Don’t let them down.
Meditation: Pray for missionaries, evangelists, pastors, or prisoners of conscience.
Kevin Pauley is a pastor and writer. He lives in Illinois with his wife, Lynn, their five children and two dogs. His internet address is Berea.
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