While all prayer partners will pray for the outreach of the church some will especially focus on the evangelistic meetings of the church. A group of three or more prayer partners should begin praying regularly as soon as the evangelistic meetings are planned and continue throughout the series.
‘Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable Your servants to speak Your
word with great boldness. Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform miraculous
signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.’ After they
prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled
with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
(Acts 4:29-31)
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and
requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the
saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me
so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.
(Ephesians
6:18-19)
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us,
too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the
mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly
as I should.
(Col. 4:2-4)
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for everyone.… This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
(1
Timothy 2:1, 3)
And to the church in Los Angeles, over a year ago, when the Lord was
mightily stirring the people through the tent meetings in progress, was sent the
word: ‘Let the Los Angeles church have special seasons of prayer daily
for the work that is being done. The blessing of the Lord will come to the
church members who thus participate in the work, gathering in small groups daily
to pray for its success. Thus the believers will obtain grace for themselves,
and the work of the Lord will be advanced.’
(E.G. White, Evangelism,
page 111.)
Through the grace of Christ, God's ministers are made messengers of light
and blessing. As by earnest, persevering prayer they obtain the
endowment of the Holy Spirit and go forth weighted with the burden of soul
saving, their hearts filled with zeal to extend the triumphs of the cross, they
will see fruit of their labors. Resolutely refusing to display human wisdom or
to exalt self, they will accomplish a work that will withstand the assaults of
Satan. Many souls will be turned from darkness to light, and many churches will
be established. Men will be converted, not to the human instrumentality, but to
Christ.
(Ibid.,p.44.)
Let us study our Bibles, and teach the words of truth. Let us do as
Christ's apostles did; let us offer prayer for the sick, for
there are many who cannot have the advantages of our sanitariums. The Lord will
remove infirmities in answer to prayer. Gospel ministers should be able to
present the subject of health reform in its simplicity. If this phase of present
truth is presented in a clear, simple, Christ like manner, it will have an
effect upon the people. There will be a response from many hearts.
(E.G.
White, Letter 128, 1909. M.M. 242.)
The power of this influence accompanied the labors of Christ and His
apostles. They united prayer and the healing of the sick with the work
of teaching soul-saving truths; and their labors were confirmed by the
marked evidences of inspiration in their words and deeds. By teaching and by
practice the message spoke with convincing power to the world. We need to come
into close connection with Him who walked the earth as the divine Healer. He
came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them; and He calls upon all
ministers of the gospel to walk in His footsteps. The healing of the sick is to
accompany our evangelical work.
(E.G. White, Australian Record,
Nov. 20, 1902.).
Next: The Ministry of the Prayer Coordinator (and the Prayer Ministry Team)