Many Christians are functional deists. In other words, they believe in God, but after years of seemingly unanswered prayers and bitter life experiences, they have concluded that He doesn’t hear or respond to their prayers. He has wound up the universe as a clockmaker winds up a clock and then walked away. As a result, their prayer life and study of the Word languish and eventually die. Theists (like Deists) also believe in God, but they have an experiential knowledge of God, experiencing Him as a personal, loving Heavenly Father who is intimately engaged in every aspect of their lives. Hence, prayer and Bible study become core to their daily spiritual life — their living connection to God.

For missionaries, prayer is even more significant. It is the oxygen of mission. Why? Not merely because prayer is how we connect with and listen to our Heavenly Father. No. We wage war with prayer to grow God’s kingdom and push back Satan and his demonic forces. Prayer is how spiritual strongholds are torn down (2 Corinthians 10:4-5), how the prayers of witches and occultists against missionaries are defeated (Matthew 6:13), how demons are cast out (Matthew 17:21), and how we turn to God for protection when His Church is under persecution (Acts 4:23-31).
Missionaries engage in a wide variety of prayers. Prayers of agreement when engaged in a ministry of reconciliation between hurting members (Matthew 18:19). Prayers of consecration for individuals (Luke 2:22-24), for families (Joshua 24:15) and for houses of worship (2 Chronicles 7). There are prayers of praise (John 11:41, Luke 11:2), and also prayers of intercession for church members (Ephesians 1:15-18), for fellow Gospel workers (Luke 22:32) and for the Body of Christ when dealing with faithlessness and sins from the past (Daniel 9:1-19).

Prayers are offered for loosing and binding when seeking reconciliation and upholding church discipline (Matthew 18:18), they are offered when we ask God to rebuke Satan when he attacks members, new disciples, and the local congregations (Zechariah 3:2), and prayers are offered when we need God to fight our spiritual battles for us (Psalm 35:1). Prayers of confession are taught to new disciples (Psalm 51), as are prayers of supplication in the name of Jesus Christ (John 14:14). Some use and teach the ACTS model (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication).

In spiritual warfare, praying through the armor of God is helpful, as outlined by Winston Ferris in The Armor of God (2003). We pray for the belt of truth (John 17:17), for the breastplate of righteousness (Genesis 15:6; Deuteronomy 6:25), for feet shod with the Gospel of peace (Isaiah 52:7), for the helmet of salvation (Romans 12:2), for the shield of faith (Luke 17:5), and for the sword of the Spirit (Hebrews 4:12). When discipling new believers, we teach how to pray through the sanctuary as outlined by Carrol Johnson Shewmake (1990) in Sanctuary Secrets to Personal Prayer. We enter His courts with praise (Psalm 100:4), and then pray successively at the altar of sacrifice (Isaiah 1:18; 1 John 1:9; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:5), at the laver of washing (Psalm 51:7; John 13:8, 17:15-17), at the lampstand of the Holy Spirit (Luke 12:12; John 16:8), at the table of His presence (John 6:35, 51-58), at the altar of intercession (Psalm 141:2, Matthew 5:43-48, Revelation 8:4) and at the Most Holy Place (Leviticus 16; Hebrews 4:15-16).

Through Moses’ prayer (aided by Aaron and Hur) and the bravery of Joshua, the Israelites defeated the Amalekites (Deuteronomy 25:17-19; Exodus 17:8-16). Through prayer, the Apostolic Church gained victory over the persecuting Sanhedrin (Acts 4:23-31). Through prayer, Hudson Taylor opened the pagan inland regions of China to the Gospel. Through prayer, the Gospel still moves forward today. Thus, when people ask AFM, “What can I do to bring the Gospel to the unreached?” our response is “Pray, Give, Go.” When we unite in prayer, Satan trembles, the forces of darkness yield previously unreached people groups, God’s kingdom grows, and we bring closer that glorious day when Jesus returns for His own. Please unite with AFM missionaries in prayer for the unreached so that they may one day experience the joy of salvation and walk humbly with God.

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