Day 13: Pleading the Case for Missionaries

““13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!””

— Romans 10:13-15 

““18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.””

— 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 

When I was growing up, even with no knowledge of the things of God, I admired missionaries, especially those who came all the way from the Western world to Africa. In fact, I still admire them today as it takes a lot of risk to be a missionary in another community in which one has never been there and understands the culture. Some lost their lives to illnesses such as malaria, typhoid, cholera, etc, and other sicknesses. The stories of missionaries have not changed all over the world. Can you imagine the risk involved in leaving behind your rich environment in which you basically lack nothing to transition to a village where there is no electricity and running water? These are some of the consequences faced by missionaries. One will ask, what will convince a person to take such a risk? Normally, people will take such a risk if there are some physical benefits, such as monetary benefits. If you can imagine what it was like for Jesus to die for man, then you will have some understanding of why a person will travel to a place for the sake of the gospel without monetary rewards.

According to Romans 10:13-15 above, anyone, irrespective of where they live or who they are, will be saved if they call on the name of the Lord. This is interesting because you cannot call on a name for the sake of it without any convincing evidence of the name that you believe in it. For one to believe in a name, somebody must be ready to explain it to them. Who then will explain? Who is ready to take the time to explain the need for the name and the understanding of calling that name? This is who the missionary is: someone who says to the Lord, send me, and I will go to that village. It does not matter what it will take. Those people in that village need to have access to God. They need to hear, mixed with faith, to believe, repent, open their mouths to confess Jesus, and take a step to walk with him daily through the power of the Holy Spirit. Missionaries take risks because they understand that Jesus’s return is tied to the gospel being preached to the ends of the earth. It can be selfish when one enjoys salvation, but others are not given the same opportunity to decide.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

Missionaries are called by God to accomplish 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, ambassadors for the Kingdom of heaven, ensuring that what God would have physically done, missionaries are doing it through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles were missionaries to the nations. Missionaries are involved in church planting, evangelism, discipleship, education, encouraging, and helping the church and its communities in the areas of need.

Prayer Points

1. According to Romans 10:13-15, people cannot hear the word of God if there is no one to teach them. Pray that God will grant grace to the church to continue answering the call to the mission fields

Nehemiah 2:7-8 “7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphratesso that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.”

2.     Nehemiah found favor with God and man; thus, everything needed to build the walls of Jerusalem was made available. Pray that God’s favor will rest upon the missionaries and open doors for all their needs to be met: financial, material, protection, and spiritual needs.

Deuteronomy 31:6: “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

3.     Pray that missionaries will be encouraged to know that they are never alone. They can count on God for daily protection, help and strength.

2 Samuel 22:3-7 “3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior from violent people you save me. 4 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and have been saved from my enemies. 5  The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. 6 The cords of the grave coiled around me the snares of death confronted me. 7 In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to ears.”

4.     Pray that missionaries be protected from any form of harm. David knew who his God was; he listed some of the things about God to remind himself. He called on God, and he heard his cry and delivered him from his enemies. Pray that every missionary will build strength in the word to stand on the promises of God, knowing that the Grace of God cannot fail.

Isaiah 54:17: “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

5. For a while now, we have heard stories upon stories about how missionaries are being attacked physically and spiritually. The word of the Lord has not changed. Bring this word before God and remind him. No weapon means NONE, irrespective of who, when, where, or what.

Isaiah 66:19 : “I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.”

6.     Pray the Holy Spirit will work in the hearts and minds of people to set them apart and send them to the nations and places where the gospel has not reached. Pray that as the gospel enters such places, the glory of God will make his expression in the lives of people.

Psalm 96:1-3 “1 Oh, sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! 2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!”

7.     Pray that God will put a new song in months of his people as they are told of the Lord’s salvation, as well as open their hearts to accept salvation. Pray that his glory be seen through the manifestation of marvelous works in the lives of people in the mission field.

“Luke 10: 1-2 “1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, 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.”

8.     Pray that the church never shies away from its responsibilities of sending missionaries into the fields. Pray that God will select and send them.

Acts 13:47: “For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”

9.     God has made the church a light unto the nations to shine froth upon every darkness. Therefore, the church has a responsibility to send forth representatives to the nations. Pray that the church will arise on this assignment. Some churches do not have missionaries.

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 4:16: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

10.     Pray that the love of Christ will continue to grow in the church so that the church is able to demonstrate that love by desiring missions as well as sponsoring and sending missionaries out to the nations.

Proverbs 14:33: “Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.”

11.  Pray for wisdom and understanding in the mission fields. Sometimes, missionaries are met with unexpected issues that heaven has to speak to help them bring solutions to the communities.

Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

12.  Pray that missionaries will engage in the word daily so that they are equipped and prepared to share and teach them.

Mathew 4: 4 “But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Luke 12:28: “But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

13.  Pray that as the word is preached, the communities will come to the understanding that they cannot live without the word of God. Pray that as they open their hearts to the word, they will keep it and apply it to their daily lives.

Colossians 3:18 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

14.  Pray that the word of God will dwell in them and compel them to do well and also encourage others.

Day 12: Waiting for a Godly Spouse

““6 But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.””

— Mark 10:6-9 

Marriage was never a worldly idea but God’s right from the beginning of creation. God had a plan in place for how marriage would look like. He created two people, a man and a woman, and then he declared his word over them , saying the man would leave his family and go take his wife and after that, God will make them one flesh by the power of his word. This means that one cannot just get up and get married as easily as we do today. There is a process. For the seek of time, we will not go too deep for now. 

Colossians 1:16-17 : “16 For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

According to this Colossians 1:16-17, all things were created, things in heaven and earth, visible or invisible …. If everything was already created, it means spouses were also created and ready to be picked up. It is now left for you to locate the one created for you specifically (flesh of your flesh). The word ‘in him’ refers to Christ Jesus. He is the center of gravity, and everything must revolve around him for it to be successful. Therefore, since everything is in Christ, a descend marriage or spouse will be found only in Him as well.

There is a process that needs someone who will patiently wait on the Lord to order their steps to the right path, right time, and right person. 

James 5:7-8 “7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” 

James 5:7-8 encourages us to wait until the Lord comes, meaning we wait for his timing, direction, and process. When it’s the right time, he will come, speak, and give directions on how to proceed. This process is described as a farmer waiting for his harvest. After planting, the farmer waits for the harvest. During the waiting time, the farmer watches the clouds and the rains, visits the farm, removes the weeds, and prepares a place to store his fruits. He is busy, although with his eyes on his harvest. Waiting for a spouse is a process as well. You invest time to worship God in word, prayer, and fellowship, serve God, be active in your local church, and be dedicated to the work of God. Preparing yourself spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

I Kings 6:7: “In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.”

Everyone ready to be a husband or a wife must go through the quarry site (1 Kings 6:7). This is the place where the clay meets with the potter (Jeremiah 18:6), and the potter molds and shapes the clay into the man and woman as he deems feet for each other. Only such prepared at the quarry site by the potter are fit to be used in building God’s temple. Remember, when the two come together in marriage, they become one- melted together at the altar. It is at the quarry site that one becomes a husband and a wife, thus Proverbs 18:22  “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord.” The man then leaves the quarry site as a husband to go look for the woman from the quarry site as well as a wife; he receives a favor from the owner of the quarry site because he followed instructions. He finds a wife; called a good thing because she also came from the quarry site, and the owner knows she is good. Remember the words used in Proverbs 18:22: He who finds a wife; not a child, girl, etc, but a wife. The ‘ He’ used here is not a child or a boy. Both are already prepared as husband and wife. Many marriages have issues because this process was not done or done right. May God help his church.

Genesis 24 gives us a template of a Godly marriage, but for the sake of time, we will just summarize some key things.

Genesis 24:3-4 “3 I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 4 but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.”

Abraham sends his servant to go find for a wife for his son Isaac (proverbs 18:22). He is a spiritual man; he must have been praying; he sends his servant to a particular place and kind of people. Abraham wants to ensure that his son marries a woman who fears God. He takes a step of faith and sends his servant, who also prayed and took a step of faith. Finally, wife Rebecca was found- a good thing (Proverbs 18:22) and came by faith to meet a husband she had never seen. God is glorified at the end.

2 Corinthians 6:14: "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?"

Abraham did not want his son to marry an unbeliever; the people around his community because he knew them. As parents, we may not directly tell our children who to marry in this modern age where they want to make their own discoveries and decisions, but we have a responsibility to pray and counsel (those who can listen) them even at their early ages and at the age of marriage to those who still have listening ears. Most marriages today are really a disaster before God. The church must do better. We must invest work to make marriages respected in the body of Christ.

Prayer Points

1. According to Mark 10:6-9, God created a man and a woman. God instituted the covenant of marriage and put forth how it had to be done. People have interpreted it in their own way. Let us come before in repentance and plead for mercy.

2. According to Colossians 1:16-17, quoted above, all things have already been made in Christ, and it’s only through him we can get a quality wife and husband material. Pray that God will give the church the grace to teach the word with understanding. Pray that the Holy Spirit will give revelation of the word of God in the hearts of minds of his people.

3. According to James 5:7-8 quoted above, pray for the grace of patience for those waiting on God for their spouses. Pray that they will wait and be active as a farmer. Pray that while waiting, they will prepare right and serve God.

4. According to 1 Kings 6:7, quoted above, pray that every man and woman desiring marriage will allow themselves to be molded by the potter at the quarry site.

Proverbs 4:10-12 “Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. 11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. 12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.”

5.     Pray for the grace of discernment, especially to counselors and mentors who guide young people into marriage. Pray that God will help them help these young ones. Pray that those seeking counseling will also have open hearts to receive counsel, not just attend them as a church requirement.

Genesis 1:27: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

6.    God created a man and a woman in his image, there was never an error, pray against this identity crisis that has exploded and is exploiting our church communities today.

2 Corinthians 6:14 “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?”

7.     Destinies have been destroyed, lives lost, people turned away from the truth because the enemy has always use false believers to manipulate lives. Pray against these lies, deception, manipulation and the tactics of the devil that often blinds the eyes of many to fall into this trap of “he or she is a believer “when they are actually wolves in sheep clothing.

John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

Proverbs 2:6 “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

8.    Pray that the Spirit of the Lord will guide the leadership of the church in providing the right knowledge, understanding and wisdom to guide and prepare properly our children and young men and women getting in marriage.

Isaiah 40:31 “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Romans 8:28 “And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

9.    For those waiting, ask God for the grace to wait on him so that you will be strengthen even as you continue to wait. During waiting, God makes all things works for the waiter’s own good and at the end of the day God makes it beautiful.

Song of Solomon 8:4 “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.”

Hebrew 13:4: “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous”

10.  Pray that our children, sisters, and brothers waiting on God will keep their purity and not defile themselves with sexual immorality before marriage because God brings judgement on such behaviors.

Proverbs 18:22: “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord.”

11.    For those who are still at the quarry site, dedicated and faithfully waiting on God, pray for help from above.

12.   Pray for the anointing for marriage to come upon them so they can be located by those spouses.

Ephesians 6:12:“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Isaiah 10:27 : And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.”

13.   For some, it’s household witchcraft, wickedness, foundation, covenants, yokes, etc, standing in the way of marital settlement. It’s a new season; we are standing on a new covenant; we are a new creation in Christ Jesus; we have been washed by the word and cleansed by the blood of Jesus. We have overcome all things that were written against us in our family bloodlines, etc.

Therefore, we must stand like in the days of John the Baptist and take our deliverance by force.

Declare that every yoke must fall off your life and let you go free into your marriage in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen and  Amen.

 https://youtu.be/GSPaVbwSQUg