Originally written by Betty Byrd
A few days ago, a friend asked, “What are three Scriptures that excite you about praying for unreached peoples?” Almost immediately, three of my favorites came to mind.
At the top of the list is Revelation 7:9-12 because it depicts the magnificently glorious end of all that praying:
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
“Amen!
Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
Who wouldn’t be excited to pray for unreached peoples, knowing that the prayers being prayed are resulting in the salvation of those with whom we will join around the throne of God?!
But what gives me the idea that the scene above is happening because of prayer? One verse that convinces me is Luke 10:2. Listent to what Jesus said:
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
Not only is this verse exciting, it is also motivating! Jesus has given us a role in making sure every people group, language group, tribe, and nation hears that Jesus saves.
After all, Paul said in Romans 10:14, “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?”
Jesus said in Luke 10:2 that our part is to ask God to send out those preachers, those teachers, those harvest workers so that those multitudes of people from all those nations, all those tribes, and all those language groups can stand around His throne. The knowledge that God asked me to ask Him is not only exciting – it’s motivating, too. Who wouldn’t be both excited and motivated to be entrusted with such a special job straight from the mouth of Jesus?!
Good question! Recently, after inviting a few people from my part of town to pray for spiritual awakening around the block and around the world, I’ve been thinking that maybe there are some people who are not excited and motivated to pray for unreached peoples, That’s okay, though, because in Matthew 18:19-20 Jesus said, “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
One of the faithful few just called to say she won’t be able to pray with us tonight. But that’s okay. Two or three will be there. And Jesus will be there, too.
Now that’s exciting, motivating, and encouraging stuff!
Betty
P.S. What three Scriptures excite you about praying for unreached peoples?
