This prayer is for anyone who is serving God far from home, whether overseas, in a hard field, or in a place where the work is slow and the results are hidden. You can pray it when you are supporting a missionary you know, when you receive a prayer letter, or on the day a team leaves for the field. It can be read aloud exactly as written, or you can use it as a starting point and speak in your own words.
Prayers for a Missionary
Father, thank you for calling people to go where they have never been and to speak your name in places that do not yet know it. We lift up the missionary we have in mind right now. Give them strength for the long days, wisdom for the decisions no one prepared them for, and a clear sense of your presence when the language feels thick and the work feels small. Guard their health and the health of their family, and keep them safe on roads, in airports, and in every place where danger can come quietly.
Lord, meet them in the loneliness that comes with living far from friends and familiar food, and in the ache of missing children, parents, and the churches that sent them out. Open the hearts of the people they serve, and soften what has been hardened by hurt or fear. Where there is fruit, help them give you the credit, and where the field looks barren, remind them that you are still at work beneath the surface. Provide for their needs, both practical and financial, and bring the right people across their path at the right time. Amen.
A Shorter Version to Pray in a Moment
Lord, bless the missionary we are thinking of today. Give them courage for what is in front of them, rest for their body and mind, and peace in their home. Open the hearts of those they are reaching, and let them see your love in the way they are loved. Keep them close to you and bring them home safely in your time. Amen.
Scriptures to Pray Alongside
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
(WEB)
Pray this for your missionary as they go about the daily work of making disciples. Ask the Lord to keep his promise of presence in every place they serve, especially when the task feels too large for one person.
Isaiah 41:10
Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
(WEB)
Use this verse when your missionary feels afraid or unsure. Ask God to remind them that he is with them and that his strength is available in the moments when their own runs out.
Romans 10:14-15
14 How 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? 15 And 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!”
(WEB)
Pray this passage for the people your missionary is trying to reach. Ask God to send faithful messengers to every community and to make the good news of Jesus beautiful in the eyes of those who hear it.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
(WEB)
Read this slowly over the worries your missionary carries, from finances to family to unrest in the region. Ask God to replace their anxiety with a peace that stays steady even when circumstances do not.
Psalm 67:1-2
1 May God be merciful to us, bless us, and cause his face to shine on us. Selah. 2 That your way may be known on earth, and your salvation among all nations…
(WEB)
Pray this psalm for the nations your missionary serves. Ask that God’s face would shine on those people and that his ways and saving power would become known among them.
How to Pray This Prayer
Choose a regular time to pray for your missionary, such as early in the morning with a cup of coffee or during a lunch break when you can sit quietly. If you have a photo, a prayer letter, or a map of where they live, keep it in front of you. Writing a name on a card and placing it somewhere you will see it each day can help the prayer stay in your thoughts when the week gets busy.
You do not have to pray alone. Invite your small group, your family, or your church to join you in praying on a set day each month, and ask them to note specific answers they see. If you are able, send a short message after you have prayed, letting your missionary know they have been remembered. Being prayed for is often one of the most encouraging things a person far from home can hear.
A Blessing to Close
May the Lord go before your missionary and walk beside them each step of the way. May he guard their going out and their coming in, and fill their days with purpose and their nights with peace. May the people they serve come to know the love of Christ through their faithful presence. Let them be strengthened, sustained, and sent again by a God who never tires.
