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Glory · Our Walk with Him
Prayer is not a warm-up act before evangelism; it is the engine. Paul urges believers to pray for open doors, for boldness, and for the right words, because the battle for souls is spiritual before it is physical. The early church prayed, and the word spread.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/prayer-and-evangelism · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
Colossians 4:2-4
As you read: Paul's instruction to pray for open doors and clear speech.
2Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving;
3praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds;
4that I may reveal it as I ought to speak.
Acts 4:29-31
As you read: The church prays for boldness, and the place is shaken.
29Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness,
30while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus.”
31When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
As you read: Paul asks for prayer that the message of the Lord would run swiftly.
1Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you;
2and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith.
3But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you, and guard you from the evil one.
4We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command.
5May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.
Romans 10:14-15
As you read: The harvest is plentiful, and the Lord of the harvest must send workers.
14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher?
15And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”
Paul asks the Colossians to pray 'that God may open to us a door for the word.' The most effective evangelistic strategy in the world will fail if God does not open the way. Prayer is not passive; it is asking the Lord of the harvest to do what only He can do.
“praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds;”Colossians 4:3
“A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul.”Acts 16:14
“When they had arrived, and had gathered the assembly together, they reported all the things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the nations.”Acts 14:27
The early church did not pray for safety; they prayed for boldness. 'Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness.' And the Spirit answered: the place was shaken and they were filled again. Courage is a gift of prayer.
“Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus.” When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”Acts 4:29-31
“preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance.”Acts 28:31
“on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”Ephesians 6:19-20
Paul writes that our struggle is not against flesh and blood. The person who resists the gospel is not ultimately the problem; the spiritual forces of evil are. Prayer engages the real battle, asking God to open blind eyes and soften hard hearts where human effort cannot reach.
“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”Ephesians 6:12
“in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.”2 Corinthians 4:4
“For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;”2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Jesus told His disciples, 'The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.' Evangelism begins not with a technique but with asking God to raise up people who will go.
“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.””Matthew 9:37-38
“Then he said to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest.”Luke 10:2
After prayer, the Spirit said, 'Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.' The missionary movement of the church was born in a prayer meeting, not a strategy session. When the church prays, the word goes out.
“As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.” Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”Acts 13:2-3
“The Lord’s word was spread abroad throughout all the region.”Acts 13:49
“But the word of God grew and multiplied.”Acts 12:24