Prayer: The Work of Missions

John Piper gave a sermon in 1988 (a year before I was born!) about life being war. The following thoughts are all from the sermon.

Life is war. If we believed this, we would live differently. Satan targets unbelief and tries to create faithlessness.

We are not fighting a worldly war. During war, we are more cautious and frugal. Because of this we need armor. We must put on God's armor. And one of most powerful devices we will use during war is prayer.

Prayer is not a civilan device. The #1 reason why prayer "malfunctions" in the hands of believers is because they try to take a war-time walkie-talkie and turn it into a domestic intercom by which they ring up the maid for another pillow. We have tried to use prayer in luxurious places where it won't work or pick up a signal.

John 15:16 -- "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit -- fruit that will last -- and so that whatever you ask in my name, the Father will give you.

God wants to answer prayer when fruit remains. Until we know that life is war, we will not know what prayer is for. Until we feel the desperation of a bombing raid and the thrill of a new strategic sensing, we'll never pray with the Spirit of Jesus.

So what do we do in order to live as praying people in the midst of war?

We embrace the sovereignty of God.

If you don't embrace God's sovereignty, you cannot consistently pray for God to bring a lost soul from death to life. You cannot consistently pray for unbelieving sinners to trust in Christ. If you don't embrace it, you can't be sure nor confident that the cause of Christ will triumph.

Romans 10:1 -- "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved." 

Can you truly pray like this?

In 1631, English missionary John Eliot crossed the Atlantic into Roxbury, MA. He invested time in prayer and learned the necessary languages to reach the Native American communities in the area. Through years of prayer and work and time, Native American communities began to believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The communities then were known as "Praying Indians."

John said "Prayers and pains through faith in Jesus will do anything."

What is the place of prayer in global missions?

Bring words of life to all peoples, all nations, all places. To spread the Gospel.

The word of God -- the Gospel of the Kingdom -- is the weapon that God designed to use in penetrating the kingdom of darkness and gathering the children of light from all nations and complete His mission.

If you don't pray, God will still work. HE WILL NOT FAIL. But if you don't pray, you won't see the work through Christ's eyes. You'll see it from a worldly perspective.

God reigns over ALL. Do not limit our God to reigning only over America. We belittle His purposes and belittle Jesus death on the cross when we do that. So get it out of your minds that God is a God who only speaks English.

2 Thessalonians 3:1 -- "Brothers, pray for us, that the word of God may run and triumph" 

So we must pray..."Father, in accord with 2 Thessalonians 3:1, today in my life and in the world, cause Your word to run and triumph. Amen."

Prayer is the walkie-talkie on the battlefield of the world. It calls in to ask for the accurate location of the target of the Word. It calls in to ask of protection of air cover.

PRAY FOR THE VINDICATION OF THE CAUSE OF CHRIST.

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Will you take up your place in the kingdom? Will you pray for believers hearts to be revived? Will you intercede on behalf of those who cannot pray for their Gospel-starved souls to be fed by salvation in Christ?

Will we rise up as if we are the generation to see the Great Commission completed? We cannot accredit ourselves as worthy of seeing it completed. If we see it, it will be because God said "It was finished on the cross. Now it's THE time."

I don't know about you, but I don't want to miss out on this. I cannot limit my world simply to campus ministry, to Madison, WI or to America. Nor can I sit idle. We are not people who go and save the world. We are people who GO because God calls. And we get to watch as Jesus saves the world. But only if we are faithful to answer.

Pray for the harvest. So much of the soil needs tilling. But many patches of the world's harvest is being tilled and simply needs someone to say yes to being a harvester. So let's pray and let's be a part of seeing the Great Commission fulfilled.

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Good and Faithful

Today, I remembered that I am loved by Jesus. 

I am loved and redeemed. I have a purpose. My heart bleeds with a deep passion for music and a deep longing for redemption because the Savior of the world bled on the cross. His pain protected me from eternal separation. His love was lavished upon me as he bled. His scars saved me from certain death. His Spirit given to me when He ascended. 

I have life because He died. I am risen because he rose from the grave after three days. I can laugh because He is joy. I long for love because He is love. I cry because He is so good that it's painful. His love HURTS. 

I remember Jesus and who He is because He remembered me many many years ago when for the joy set before Him to know me...He said yes to the cross. Every day He remembers me as He intercedes on my behalf. Every day, He loves me. He doesn't do it out of obligation or habit, but out of a kind of love that does not exist here. 

It's a strong love. Unwavering with no conditions. Inexplicable without flaws. Incomparable to any earthly love. Real and scandalous. Heart-wrenching and death-defying. Affirming and full. Explosive and life-giving. 

When I sin, I can be confident that when I look at Him in confession and repentance, He looks at me and says:

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." (Isaiah 43:1)

His grace abounds. His heart overflows to me and in me. His Spirit intercedes for me. Nothing can separate me from the love of my God through Jesus Christ.

I am more than convinced that there is nothing greater than this.

At the end of all things, I will answer to what I have done. What I haven't done. Who I was. 

My earthly rewards will not matter. My title as an intern with one of the biggest Christian non-profit organizations will not be acknowledged. God will not be impressed with my musical talents or how many times I led worship. My salary, or lack thereof, will be insignificant. 

What will be acknowledged is the love I had for Jesus in all things. God will look at me and ask the question..."Did you love Me? And did you love my people?" 

"Well done good and faithful servant. Now enter the joy of your master." (Matthew 25:23) 

God, the JUST, is satisfied to look on Jesus and pardon me. I'm reminded tonight that Jesus is the true good and faithful servant. And one day, I will be a co-heir with Christ, the one I nailed to the cross. I will share in His glory, even though I deserted Him time and time again for the fleeting joys of sin.

"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1)

"I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you will also live." (John 14:18-19)

If this isn't grace and love, I don't know what is. 

I am safe in His keeping. I am loved and known. I will never be alone. For Yahweh, Author and Perfecter of my faith has promised me love and grace. He's dedicated to me. He's faithful to me despite my spiritual adultery. He will never leave me or desert me. 

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