Hudson Taylor was one of the first protestant missionaries to China. He was the first to be sensitive to Chinese culture in presenting the gospel so as to better connect and be clear about the truths of Christ. He also taught many other missionaries to the same, establishing an entire missionary agency to penetrate China and its many people groups.
One of the ways he did this was by establishing a series of mission stations through the country that would act as sending points for hundreds of other missionaries. One station in particular was blessed far and above the others, seeing many converts. Taylor visited the station and there seemed to be no obvious reason for its success. The missionary there was no more skilled or devoted than any of his other missionaries.
Nevertheless, it was on a speaking tour of England as he was seeking to raise funds and recruit more missionaries, that a man came up to him and asked about that particular station. As Hudson began to tell him about the station, the man began to ask very specific and personal questions. It turned out that the man was the college roommate of the missionary at that station. Year ago he had committed to daily pray for his friend and continued to do so. Taylor writes that it was then that he knew the reason for the station’s success.
A few weeks ago in Sunday School we looked at Paul's letter to the Ephesians. During that session, I said that the greatest acts of spiritual warfare the Christian can do is pray and preach Christ. Paul makes the same connection in his letter to the Colossians. Specifically, he says that the work of evangelism should be upheld by prayer: "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak" (Col 4:2–4).
Paul is asking the Colossians to remember him in their prayers. Specifically, that he would have open doors for the gospel, opportunities to tell people about Christ. Paul wants to be able to speak clearly about Jesus, even while he is in prison for the sake of the gospel.
Here is the apostle Paul, called to salvation by the risen Christ, sent to the Gentiles to proclaim the gospel, theologian and missionary extraordinaire, and he’s saying “Pray for me. Pray that I might not give up in my calling to proclaim Christ. Pray that while Satan has blinded the eyes of unbelievers, closing the door to their salvation, pray that God would open the doors and give saving light and life to sinners.’ Paul understands that there is a profound connection between prayer and the proclamation of Christ.
And Paul isn't the only one to see this connection. Jesus himself understood this reality of prayer for evangelism. In his book, One-to-One Bible Reading, David Helm points out that when you read the gospel and Acts, it’s almost always in the context of prayer that people come to a deeper knowledge of Christ.
So, in John 11, after Jesus’ friend, Lazarus has died, Jesus is standing outside his tomb and he pray that those around that they might believe God sent him. Then he calls Lazarus back from the dead and John says, “Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him” (11:45).
In Luke 3, people are coming out to be baptized by John. Jesus is baptized and Luke says that after he was baptized, Jesus began praying and while he was praying, God spoke from heaven saying, “This is my Beloved Son” (3:22). It’s the context of Jesus’ prayer that unbelievers come to know he’s the Son of God.
Then, in Luke 9, Jesus is with his disciples, but he is praying alone. And when he’s done, he asks his disciples, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” (9:18). What does Peter say? “The Christ of God” (9:20)—the Messiah. In case it’s unclear here, in Matthew's we're told that Jesus says, ‘Peter, you’re right, but don’t get a big head because God was the One who revealed this to you’ (16:17).
In all of this, my exhortation is two-fold. First, do not grow weary in prayer. Paul says that we should continue steadfastly in prayer (Col 4:2). This implies that we're already praying and that we will continue to do with great consistently; we won't give up in our prayers (cf. Luke 18:1). Spurgeon said that Christians ought to be like the knights of old because "Those grim warriors often slept in their armor" leaving them ready for battle at any moment. Likewise, "even when we sleep, we are still to be in the spirit of prayer, so that if perhaps we wake in the night we may still be with God."
Second, be specific in your prayers. Keep a list of friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers whom you know need Christ. Pray for God to give you openings for spiritual conversations and for him to bring other Christians into their life as well. As summer approaches and we have more time out and about, begin thinking that about that one person with whom you want to share the gospel. Then, add to your list the members and pastors at church, and other Christians you know, that they might be faithful in evangelism.
Our goal, then, should be to view prayer as spiritual combat and evangelism as an attack on Satan's domain for the liberation of souls. And we should commit ourselves to being devoted pray-ers, especially in our efforts at evangelism. Let us fully expect the resources of heavenly poured out for the salvation of salvation through faith in Christ!
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