The Prayer Challenge #1
August 28, 2024
“Prayer is the secret of power. I very frankly believe more people are being won today by your prayer than my talking. I give out the Word of God and together we pray that God does His work. Prayer, my friend, does not primarily change things. It changes us. First pray for yourself, then pray God’s Word takes root in others. If it’s a blessing to you, it may be a blessing to others also.” -Dr. J. Vernon McGee
Dr. McGee believed that when we pray, good things follow through the faithfulness of God. This is a good place to pause and be reminded of the power behind THRU the BIBLE’s global ministry. The vision begins with prayer. The opportunities and resources open up … by prayer. The opposition and challenges are overcome … by prayer. You guessed it—the whole Word advances to the whole world, only by prayer.
Willing to play a part in this very satisfying, global mission? Here’s how to start.
- Begin right where you are. Pray with confidence that God hears you. He cares about your life and the things that concern you. In fact, He uses it all to draw us closer to Him.
- Believe that for the people you’re praying for, too. Ask the Lord to use His Word, taught in their heart language, in the way they understand spiritual things best and in their preferred delivery platform (online, on the radio, in an app, in a Home Group, etc.). Pray God meets them where they are.
Your prayer challenge this month is to pray that people meet God and His Word in the routine of their ordinary day. God loves to do that! Here’s proof:
Prayer Challenge Stories:
From the Turkish Bible Bus: “A long-time friend told me he became a Christian. This decision comes with great consequences. In my confusion, I asked him many questions and he invited me to listen to your program. ‘The answers are there,’ he said. So I trusted him and listened (in secret). At first, I wanted to list the things that I heard that were wrong to me. After a while, it seemed as if a big puzzle was being completed in front of my eyes. I don't know how to express it, but something was happening in my heart while I listened to your program. One day, I knelt down and accepted God’s forgiveness of my sin and expressed my belief in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I had never thought about it until that moment, but I knew I had to do it. I dedicated my life to Jesus Christ. I shared this with my friend and now we walk to work together several kilometers every morning to teach each other what we’re learning from the Bible or we’ll also pray together as we walk. Would you pray for us?”
From Simone, Turkish Bible Bus, 24 years old: “I came to Istanbul to study. My family was not happy at all since they wanted me to marry as soon as possible. In our region, the elders of the family decide who the children marry. My grandfather decided I would marry a distant relative when I finished school. What a horrible thought! So I kept prolonging school, semester by semester.
“I met your programs through a college friend who invited me to listen with her. In my time of distress, I heard you say that Jesus Christ is a living God and if we pray, He will help us in everything. You said He will hear our problems and troubles. I never had such a relationship in Islam. I grew to believe as I learned more from you that Jesus was the only one who could help me in this impossible situation. I prayed for months. Then, like a miracle, my family just gave up the idea of marrying me off. Jesus Christ, whom I met through you, helped me. He proved Himself to me in other personal ways, too. I am learning more about Him every day. I have now believed on His name as my Lord and Savior. Thank you, and please pray for me!”