Prayer for God’s Activity

We are not the initiators of mission, nor are we the ones who make spiritual transformation happen. Fortunately, God likes doing these roles!

God does, though, invite us to partner with Him, and one of the ways we can join Him is through prayer.

We live in a world that loves instant results. But spiritual fruit comes from spiritual labor. That labor often looks like quiet, ongoing intercession. Paul requests, “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message” (Colossians 4:3, NIV).

When we pray for God’s activity, we are choosing to trust that He is already at work. We ask Him to give us spiritual eyes to perceive what He is doing, so that we can respond accordingly.

God is always at work preparing the hearts of our lost friends, and orchestrating divine moments for them to experience, long before we ever get around to speaking with them about Jesus. He is stirring questions, placing longings, and disrupting comfort. Our role is to pray into that process and be ready to step in when the time is right.

When we seek to reach people for Christ, we must remember that the real battle is spiritual. As Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12 (NIV), “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against…the spiritual forces of evil”. This understanding transforms how we approach evangelism.

Throughout church history, almost every significant movement of God has been preceded by fervent, persistent prayer. In places where the church is growing rapidly today, often in the face of persecution, believers will repeatedly attribute this growth to dedicated prayer.

Whether it's one person praying alone, a small group praying together, or larger gatherings crying out to the Lord, prayer prepares the way for God's activity. Whether alone or with others, your prayers matter.

We see this pattern as we read how Paul’s first missionary journey was initiated. “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off” (Acts 13:2-3, NIV). By being in the place of prayer, the church in Antioch was able to better hear and be promptly obedient to this direction from God, which brought the gospel to countless people across the Roman Empire.

Prayer acknowledges that while we are called to participate in God's mission, ultimately it is the Lord who brings transformation. He prepares the ground, sows seeds, waters the growth, and brings in the harvest. Our role is to faithfully participate, including through resilient prayer.

Your Next Steps

1. How often do you pray specifically for God's activity in the lives of those who don't know Him?
2. What might it look like to incorporate more prayer for the lost into your daily rhythms?
3. For the three people you identified yesterday, what specific prayers do you believe God wants you to pray for them today?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that the battle for souls is spiritual. Help me to put on Your full armor and to pray in the Spirit on all occasions. I specifically pray for Your activity in the lives of [name your three people]. Prepare their hearts, open doors for the gospel, and draw them to Yourself. Show me how to partner with You in reaching them. In Jesus' name, Amen.