By Rev. John Kao

Many faithful servants of God recognize the important of the Great Commission, given by our Lord Jesus to the disciples (Matt. 9:35-10:1), and its emphasis on “reaching the world through prayer”.

1. Through prayer to know the heart of God: God wants to save the whole world. He does not want any one to perish. It is God’s wish that everybody on earth regardless of colour or race should have the opportunity to hear the good news.

2. Through prayer to carry the burden of spreading the gospel: Our Lord Jesus went about all the cities and villages to preach the gospel of the kingdom. He wanted His disciples to make disciples of all nations. We should, therefore, spread the gospel at home and throughout the world and be witnesses for our Lord.

3. Through prayer to make use of various resources: Our Lord Jesus used different methods in the spreading of the gospel. He gave instructions on the training of disciples. He evangelized individuals as well as groups. He healed the sick and cast out unclean spirits. We can through prayer receive a vision and use various resources, i.e. literature, video and broadcasting etc. to spread the gospel effectively.

4. Through prayer to fell for lost souls: The disciples were able to see and have compassion as our Lord did through prayer. Jesus wept for the lost souls of Jerusalem, and so did Apostle Paul for his kinsmen and the lost sheep of the gentiles. The spreading of the gospel can be likened to a spiritual warfare. We must pray fervently for the Holy Spirit to fill us, and for hardened hearts to be softened.

5. Through prayer to raise up ambassadors of the gospel: Our Lord Jesus saw the helpless multitudes and said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few”. He told his disciples to pray fervently. Through prayer His apostles Peter and Paul and many other men and women of the Lord received their vision and mission. Consequently, they became ambassadors of the gospel. Through prayer they were also filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Today’s Christians are no different. Through prayer they are called to serve the Lord!

6. Through prayer to send workers to harvest: Our Lord Jesus told his disciples to watch and pray before sending them out. To ensure a successful mission, our Lord set His goal, devised methods, prepared provision and made orderly arrangements. To evangelize world-wide, we cannot depend on volunteers alone. We need to be called and trained before we can be sent out as workers. Those who fell they have been called by God should pray with elders of the church and follow guidance of the Holy Spirit before they are ready to be sent out by the church.

7. Through prayer to receive the power to obey: Before sending His disciples out as missionaries, our Lord Jesus prayer with them to the Lord of the harvest for power and a vision of the ways and methods in which to carry out the spreading of the gospel. We should, therefore, have clear directions, good planning, active involvement and the right message before venturing out .

May we prepare ourselves to fulfill the Great Commission by first praying fervently. We pray that the Lord will inspire, call, train, equip and send us out to gather the harvest which is waiting to be reaped.