We’ve all been there: those days when we think it can’t get
any worse. We’re out of coffee. The stinky P.E. outfit didn’t make it into the
washer. Thanks to the dog, the white pants have muddy paw prints. It’s raining.
Maybe it’s worse. Your child is diagnosed with cancer. A
parent needs hospice care. Without warning or explanation, you lost your job,
your spouse walked out or your teen rebelled (in a really stupid way).
In other words, all hell breaks loose. You may or may not
categorize these difficulties as “spiritual warfare.” But, for Christian
workers serving in hard-to-reach places around the globe, both minor
inconveniences and devastating life events may be the result of spiritual
oppression and attack. They are often the enemy’s attempt to distract Christian
workers from sharing God’s good news among the nations.
Recently, a friend who works with a team among a
hard-to-reach people group in Asia posted on his Facebook page: “We are under
intense spiritual warfare right now and would covet your prayers.”
In the span of 24 hours, a visiting volunteer had gotten
word that his father died unexpectedly. The volunteer needed to return quickly
to the U.S. A toddler, the child of a team member, suffered a serious accident and
required emergency medical care. Yet another couple was unexpectedly en route
to the U.S. with their 10-year-old son. The boy was diagnosed a few days before
with leukemia.
In the span of 24 hours, all hell broke loose.
Confronting hell on earth isn’t easy, but if the best
defense is a good offense, then the best offense against spiritual warfare is
prayer. Here are four ways to pray for Christian workers (and yourself) when facing
oppression:
1. Pray
for peace.
Unexpected news brings unexpected chaos. Disorder,
disillusionment and muddled thinking may rule the day. Under normal circumstances,
it is difficult for anyone to manage the myriad of details that follow
unexpectedly bad news. It is especially difficult when those details must be
worked in a cross-cultural setting with the potential for miscommunication and
misunderstanding. As you pray for Christian workers dealing with bad news, pray,
as Paul did, that the “peace of God that surpasses every thought will guard
(their) hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7, HCSB). Pray for clear
thinking, effective communication and strong support to manage the details. Pray
for peace.
2. Pray
for courage.
Chaos often leads to uncertainty. Uncertainty may lead to
fear. Fear can lead to mental paralysis or irrational decisions. It is easy to lose courage when all hell
breaks loose. The Israelites lost courage more than once. In Exodus 14 with the
Egyptians in pursuit, the Israelites struggled with paralysis and
irrationality. “It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to
die in the wilderness,” they ranted to Moses. But Moses encouraged them. “Do
not be afraid,” he urged. “Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord
will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again”
(Exodus 14:13, HCSB). Pray that Christian workers will have courage when all
hell breaks loose. Pray that God will conquer the enemies of exhaustion,
disease, fear, helplessness, uncertainty and despair. Pray that the enemies
they see today they will never see again.
3. Pray
for endurance.
Christian workers are not super heroes. They tire, and they
may sometimes despair. The struggle of living cross-culturally coupled with the
heavy burden of sharing Christ in a dark place requires tenacity and
perseverance. The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, “For whatever was written in
former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through
the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4, ESV).
Pray that Christian workers will look to Jesus through His Word as they endure
bouts of spiritual warfare. Pray that they will see themselves as “prisoners of
hope” who reside in the fortress of God’s great love (Zechariah 9:12).
4. Pray
for help.
Jesus told Peter that the “gates of hell” would not prevail
against the work of the church (Matthew 16:18). In this word picture, the gates
of hell are stationary. They do not move. Yet, any Christian worker will tell
you that spiritual attacks seem to intensify as the Gospel begins to spread,
especially to those who have never heard the name of Jesus. As a result,
spiritual warfare can be a positive sign that the church is gaining new ground
against the enemy. As you see spiritual warfare increasing in your community
and around the world, pray all the more for God to send reinforcements (Daniel
10:10-14). Jesus encouraged his disciples to ask God for more workers (Luke
10:2, Matt. 9:38). Pray that God will send help to Christian workers facing
difficult circumstances. Thank Him that “the gates of hell” will not prevail
against the work God has given to the church.
Labels: Christian workers, courage, despair, discouragement, enemy, hell, Missions, oppression, peace, prayer, spiritual warfare
