Joining the Battle of the Ages Through Prayer

One of my favorite biographies is that of J.O. Fraser. As a single missionary serving in very hard places, he pioneered Gospel efforts among the animistic Lisu tribal people of Southwestern China. His life is an inspiring tribute to God’s grace in both his life and in those who came to Jesus through his ministry.

The book that I refer to here is Geraldine Taylor’s biography him, Behind the Ranges: the Life-Changing Story of J. O. Fraser.  There is another biography of him that is also well-read, Mountain Rain.

Fraser is best known for his strong emphasis on intercessory prayer. Intercessory prayer is pleading with Christ on behalf of another. Fraser was very serious about people back home praying for his missionary ministry. I would like to share several of these quotes on prayer to encourage you in the ministry of intercessory prayer.

The vital union must be maintained.

“Now the first thing was to strengthen the spiritual base of the work. Called to a forward movement, Fraser realized not only his dependence upon the Divine Leader but also upon the support of fellow believers, one with him in Christ. He might be the hand reaching out into the darkness, but not a hand cut off and thrown ahead of the body. The vital union must be maintained. He was about to start on an exploratory journey to the Lisu of the Upper Salween, a district then wholly untouched by missionary effort, but before doing so he felt he must give expression to a desire which had long been growing.

I know you will never fail me in the matter of intercession [he wrote to his mother in January] but will you think and pray about getting a group of like-minded friends, whether few or many, whether in one place or scattered, to join in the same petitions? If you could form a small prayer circle, I would write regularly to the members.”

Lasting missionary work is done on our knees.

“I am feeling more and more that it is, after all, just the prayers of God’s people that call down blessing upon the work, whether they are directly engaged in it or not. Paul may plant and Apollos water, but it is God who gives the increase; and this increase can be brought down from heaven by believing prayer, whether offered in China or in England. We are, as it were, God’s agents—used by Him to do His work, not ours. We do our part, and then can only look to Him, with others, for His blessing. If this is so, then Christians at home can do as much for foreign missions as those actually on the field. I believe it will only be known on the Last Day how much has been accomplished in missionary work by the prayers of earnest believers at home. This, surely, is the heart of the problem. Such work does not consist in curio exhibitions, lantern lectures, interesting reports and so on. Good as they may be, these are only the fringe, not the root of the matter. Solid, lasting missionary work is done on our knees. What I covet more than anything else is earnest, believing prayer, and I write to ask you to continue to put up much prayer for me and the work here in Tengyueh.”

Intercessory prayer indispensable.

“I really believe that if every particle of prayer put up by the home churches on behalf of the infant churches on the mission field were removed, the latter would be swamped by an incoming flood of the powers of darkness…God is able to do this and much more, but He will not do it, if all we out here and you at home sit in easy chairs with our arms folded.  Why prayer is so indispensable we cannot just say, but we had better recognize the fact even if we cannot explain it.’”

Many cross-cultural missionaries have taken writing prayer letters and calling upon people to pray more seriously after reading statements like these from Fraser. Missionaries have more greatly valued their home assignments and reporting in partnering churches as well, realizing these are times to strengthen the spiritual base of the work. Many Christians have been moved by God’s Spirit and instructed to take up the ministry of prayer in greater ways as they have read Fraser’s words and considered his life.

Intercession: an act of love

Recently, I had the joy of participating in an all-afternoon prayer retreat. Interspersed between extended times of prayer were some tips and instruction about interceding in prayer for others. One speaker made this comment about praying for others:

This kind of prayer costs time and energy. It really is engaging in the battle, true spiritual warfare. It requires us to battle our flesh, focus on others, concentrate on eternal things, and to be intentional. This kind of prayer comes from the overflow of the love of Christ in us. Those who pray for missionaries do so because of the love of Jesus in them. It is His love moving them to pray. They are not bodily present in the situation for which they pray, but they most certainly are in spirit.

The apostle Paul said this to the church in Colossae:

“For though I am absent in body, yet am I with you in spirit” (Colossians. 2:5).

Let us make use of our union in Christ and our privilege of prayer to engage in the battle for the souls of those not present with us! May we allow the love of Christ to move us to intercede in prayer for missionaries! May some even take up the ministry of continual prayer for those cross-cultural servants, like Fraser, who labor to make disciples “for the sake of the Name” (3 John 7).

Related article: Dedicated to Prayer

All Scripture quotations are taken from the ESV unless otherwise indicated.

Photo of Fraser and Lisu: Courtesy https://praxeis.org/