January 18, 2022
Prayer for Laborers
Lord’s Prayer Focus: The Father’s Provision
The Father knows that His sons and daughters have needs. Some needs are physical, some emotional, and some spiritual. We are needy people, and that’s okay! The Father loves to respond to the hearts of His children when they come to Him humbly and desperately. Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread…” (Matt 6:11). At the Father’s table, He has prepared for all of us more than enough to provide. You are invited to pull up a chair and to seek His provision.
Matthew 9:35–10:5 (ESV) — 35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
10:1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,
Jesus urged his disciples, “...pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:38). Jesus is still urging us today to pray earnestly that God will raise up individuals to be sent out to introduce people to Jesus. If we look at the context of this passage, just as the disciples begin praying for more laborers, Jesus selects them. In the very next verse (Matt. 10:1), Jesus gives his disciples authority and He sends them out to labor in the fields.
Jesus exposes what often happens when the Church gathers to pray for more souls to enter the kingdom. We pray that someone else will be sent on mission, when the whole time Jesus is wanting to choose us to be the ones to labor.
Consider:
Prayer Points:
Lord’s Prayer Focus: The Father’s Provision
The Father knows that His sons and daughters have needs. Some needs are physical, some emotional, and some spiritual. We are needy people, and that’s okay! The Father loves to respond to the hearts of His children when they come to Him humbly and desperately. Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread…” (Matt 6:11). At the Father’s table, He has prepared for all of us more than enough to provide. You are invited to pull up a chair and to seek His provision.
Matthew 9:35–10:5 (ESV) — 35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
10:1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,
Jesus urged his disciples, “...pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:38). Jesus is still urging us today to pray earnestly that God will raise up individuals to be sent out to introduce people to Jesus. If we look at the context of this passage, just as the disciples begin praying for more laborers, Jesus selects them. In the very next verse (Matt. 10:1), Jesus gives his disciples authority and He sends them out to labor in the fields.
Jesus exposes what often happens when the Church gathers to pray for more souls to enter the kingdom. We pray that someone else will be sent on mission, when the whole time Jesus is wanting to choose us to be the ones to labor.
Consider:
- Do you have an earnest desire to reach people for Jesus? If not, why?
- Are you including yourself in Jesus’ command to pray for more kingdom laborers?
Prayer Points:
- Pray specifically for those who will be equipped through Deploy Crosspoint that will begin with the Calling Lab on February 3rd.
- Pray that God would provide more kingdom laborers to live deployed on mission.
- Read Matthew 9:36 again. Ask the Lord to give you His compassion for people who need God.
- Ask the Lord how He wants you to labor for His kingdom.
Posted in 2022 Prayer and Fasting