This blog contains quotes from missionaries and people of faith concerning missions, corporate and personal prayer. The quotes are divided up into 6 major categories.
- The Power of Prayer in Missions
- The Power of Prayer in the Global Church
- Prayers of Willing Sacrifice & Devotion
- Quotes that Awaken Prayer & Missions
- A Call for Personal & Consistent Prayer
- Profound & Challenging Quotes
The Power of Prayer in Missions
“God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world the better the world will be, the mightier the forces against evil.” – Mother Teresa
“In no other way can the believer become as fully involved with God’s work, especially the work of world evangelism, as in intercessory prayer.” – Dick Eastman, president of America’s National Prayer Committee
“To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees.” – Billy Graham
“We can reach our world if we will. The greatest lack today is not people or funds. The greatest need is prayer.” – Wesley Duewel, head of OMS International
“Prayer is the mighty engine that is to move the missionary work.” – A.B. Simpson, founder of The Christian and Missionary Alliance
“The man or woman at home who prays often has as much to do with the effectiveness of the missionary on the field, and consequently with the results of his or her labors, as the missionary.” – R. A. Torrey, Congregational evangelist and pastor
“The history of missions is the history of answered prayer.” – Samuel Zwemer
“Just a word of warning. Passionate prayers not only change the world, they have a way of transforming the people who pray. God’s goal is to recruit every one of us for his search and rescue team.” – Debbie Meroff
The Power of Prayer in the Global Church
“Prayer should never be understood primarily in terms of power but rather as relating to God who is the source of all power. The difference between the two is significant. If prayer is understood as power, Christians will readily seek power words or rituals rather than personally relating to a sovereign God and waiting for him to act in his own time. Likewise, these understandings help us comprehend the nature of spiritual warfare. Spiritual warfare is not about fighting Satan; he has been defeated by the triumphal resurrection of Jesus Christ. Spiritual warfare rather is standing firm in Christʼs mighty power. It is accepting Godʼs victory through Christ by faith and allowing Godʼsredemptive power to work through Christ.” – Van Rheenen
“I never knew before how much is dependent upon a full cooperation with the Lord in prayer. He has, in some sense, limited himself to the scope of the prayers of his people, as taught them by his Spirit. What a partnership prayer is!” – Phil Armstrong, SEND International’s first director
“I used to think that prayer should have the first place and teaching the second. I now feel it would be truer to give prayer the first, second and third places and teaching the fourth.” – James O. Fraser
“There are parts of our calling, works of the Holy Spirit, and defeats of the darkness that will come no other way than through furious, fervent, faith-filled, unceasing prayer.” – Beth Moore
“The reality is, my prayers don’t change God. But, I am convinced prayer changes me. Praying boldly boots me out of that stale place of religious habit into authentic connection with God Himself.” – Lysa TerKeurst
Prayers of Willing Sacrifice & Devotion
“The command has been to ʻgo,ʼ but we have stayed—in body, gifts, prayer, and influence. He has asked us to be witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth. But 99% of Christians have kept puttering around in the homeland.” – Robert Savage
“I wasn’t God’s first choice for what I’ve done for China. I don’t know who it was. It must have been a well-educated man. I don’t know what happened. Perhaps he died. Perhaps he wasn’t willing and God looked down and saw Gladys Aylward. And God said “Well, she’s willing.” – Gladys Aylward
“Here I am, Lord, send me; send me to the ends of the earth; send me to the rough, the savage pagans of the wilderness; send me from all that is called comfort in earth, or earthly comfort: send me to death itself, if it be but in Thy service and to promote Thy kingdom.” – Frances Xavier
“Lord, here in your precious Word I give myself, my husband, my children, and all that I have or ever shall posses, all to you. I will follow your will, even to China. Lord, open doors, and I will go and tell the Chinese of your great love. In time of need, supply for us; in time of sorrow, give us peace; in times of joy, send someone to share. Help me to never murmur nor complain. I love you, Lord Jesus.” – Tanna Collins
Quotes that Awaken Prayer & Missions
“Not called!’ did you say? Not heard the call,’ I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father’s house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face — whose mercy you have professed to obey — and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world.” – William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army
“In our lifetime wouldn’t it be sad if we spent more time washing dishes or swatting flies or mowing the yard or watching television than praying for world missions.” – Dave Davidson
“Facebook proves the very fact that is it a lie that ʻwe do not have enough timeʼ to be gathered for prayer in the name of world missions.” – Unknown
“Prayer needs no passport, visa or work permit. There is no such thing as a ‘closed country’ as far as prayer is concerned…much of the history of mission could be written in terms of God moving in response to persistent prayer.” – Stephan Gaukroger
“If missions languish, it is because the whole life of godliness is feeble. The command to go everywhere and preach to everybody is not obeyed until the will is lost by self-surrender in the will of God. Living, praying, giving and going will always be found together.” – Arthur T. Pierson
A Call for Personal & Consistent Prayer
“God is looking for people to use, and if you can get usable, he will wear you out. The most dangerous prayer you can pray is this: ‘Use me.'” – Rick Warren
“God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer.” – Mother Teresa
“If you are sick, fast and pray; if the language is hard to learn, fast and pray; if the people will not hear you, fast and pray, if you have nothing to eat, fast and pray.” – Frederick Franson
“Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” William Carey
“God’s part is to put forth power; our part is to put forth faith.” – Andrew A. Bonar
“Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.” – Max Lucado
“She (my mother) became a warrior far superior to any epic hero. She became a giant on her knees. With a sword in one hand she battled the enemies of death and disease, and with her other hand stretched toward heaven she kept beseeching God’s help and His mercy.” – Bishop T.D. Jakes
“Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.” – Soren Kierkegaard
“True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that – it is spiritual transaction with the Creator of Heaven and Earth.” – Charles Spurgeon
“If you believe in prayer at all, expect God to hear you. If you do not expect, you will not have. God will not hear you unless you believe He will hear you; but if you believe He will, He will be as good as your faith.” – Charles Spurgeon
Profound & Challenging Quotes
“Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” – Corrie ten Boom
“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” – Martin Luther
“The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.'” – Billy Graham
“Rather than set aside daily time for prayer, I pray constantly and spontaneously about everything I encounter on a daily basis. When someone shares something with me, I’ll often simply say, ‘let’s pray about this right now.'” – Thomas Kinkade
“Prayer makes a godly man, and puts within him the mind of Christ, the mind of humility, of self-surrender, of service, of pity, and of prayer. If we really pray, we will become more like God, or else we will quit praying.” – E.M. Bounds
“Prayer should not be regarded as a duty which must be performed, but rather as a privilege to be enjoyed, a rare delight that is always revealing some new beauty.” – E.M. Bounds