Two essential elements of a healthy missionary life

With a healthy prayer life and the right perspective, you can endure anything.

As missionaries, we must understand this from the start, that those who willfully choose to go on mission are charging headfirst toward an onslaught of attack in both the physical and the spiritual realm.

The enemy we face absolutely will not stop. He cannot stop. His nature is destruction. His focus is the pursuit, the distraction, and the deviation of God’s chosen people from their intended purpose. His default method of attack is to lie to us. He aims to make attempts at diminishing Kingdom pursuits through the discouragement and disqualification of those who step in faith to make the Gospel known.

For people who respond to the Gospel and make a choice to go on mission, I’m convinced these two things will ensure longevity:

A healthy prayer life. And right perspective.

Equipped with these we will have the endurance we need to withstand even the enemies most vicious attacks. His greatest lies are easily overlooked when our perspective is on the victory of the cross and the surety of God’s promises to his children.

Having correct perspective will keep our focus on the end goal.

We maintain this understanding by knowing the truth of God’s written word and by recognizing that our identity is secured in Jesus. We must realize that our identity it is not in our failures, nor our seemingly disqualifying attributes. Devour the written word of God. Know the truths inside of it. Live your life as a believer through the lens of the cross rather than the words of a lier. As we align our perspective on eternity and with correct understanding – the end goal will stay correctly in focus as we do the mission of Christ. “Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:2-3)

Endless prayer will sustain us through both our darkest moments and greatest victories.

Our access to God through prayer is an embarrassingly untapped resource in most people’s Christian walk. Paul emphasizes this vital spiritual discipline in his letter to the Thessalonians, saying “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thess 5:16-18) A healthy, constant prayer life will give us the communicative substance in our relationship with God that will give us both the clarity of our calling and the endurance in the shadows.

Keep your perspective right and your prayer life constant.