40 Days of Prayer | Days 21-30

He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It’s the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it’s taller than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32)

If the disciples were here today, they would be amazed at the expansion of the kingdom of God. They were witnesses to the words spoken by Jesus in the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. They would remember at that point, gospel expansion resided largely in Jerusalem, but it’s impact would begin to spread like a contagious virus. Perhaps they would look out at the tribes, tongues and nations who are following Jesus today, and they would whisper to themselves in remembrance, “the mustard seed!” Their labor has been carried on for centuries after their deaths, and the fruit of their work has lived on. The kingdom started small, but it has grown to epic proportions, and it continues to grow. What a privilege that we play a small role in the kingdom’s expansion. As you see men and women, including your one, come to faith in Jesus, remember the mustard seed.

Pray your one would be added to the kingdom of God and would join the rich heritage of gospel-proclaiming believers who have come before them, including yourself!

What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it? When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!” I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance. (Luke 15:4-7)

Bigger is better, and more is greater. That’s what we’re led to believe. We celebrate large numbers and record-breaking moments, as we should. Of course, we want to see people come to Christ in large numbers. We want to see more and more people experience the joy which comes from a relationship with Jesus. The world has seen its share of revivals, and we celebrate and praise God for these moments. In the midst of the multitudes repenting and coming to faith in Christ, don’t neglect the joy of the one sinner who repents. The one, your one, is precious in his sight. God rejoices over the one sinner who repents.

As we pray for the masses today, pray for your one, too.

One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor. (Proverbs 11:24)

Generosity benefits the giver and the receiver. It is paradoxical for the Bible to assert that the more we give, the more we gain, since our hearts incline us to hoard instead of give. In Christ, we have been given a treasure in the form of good news (2 Corinthians 4:7), and there is much to gain in sharing this news with others. When we are generous with the gospel message which has been entrusted to us, it is not only for the recipient’s benefit. When we generously share the gospel with our one, we gain something too, be it in the form of intimacy with the Lord, the joy of being used by him or a reminder for ourselves in our very words about how precious this news really is.

As you share the gospel this week, remember the message you are sharing is for the recipient, but it’s also for you, too. For it is truly “more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household. (Acts 16:30-34)

Paul and Silas were a part of saving their jailer’s life twice. The first regarded his physical life, as they kept him from taking his own life. The second regarded his spiritual life, as they shared the good news of the gospel with him. As a result of his physical and spiritual salvation, his whole family came to know the Lord! You may have heard it said that family members are the hardest people to witness to, but this should not prevent us from sharing the good news with those who we share our bloodline. May there be much rejoicing in your own family over those who come to know the Lord. As you cross the street and witness to your neighbor or with strangers, don’t forget or neglect those in your own family tree.

Commit now to regularly praying for one family member who does not know Christ. The next time you see them, commit to engaging in spiritual conversation with them by asking good questions about what they believe.

The Spirit told Philip, “Go and join that chariot.” When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him […] The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about – himself or someone else?” Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture. (Acts 8:29-31, 34-35)

What a joy to have inquiring hearts initiate a conversation with us in their search of truth! We often intentionally seek out others to share the gospel with, but sometimes God has been preparing a person’s heart to receive the good news, and all that’s left is a divine encounter with a faithful Christian who is willing to share the best news we’ve ever heard. Listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance as he prompts you to share with others, especially your one.

Pray that in every situation, the Holy Spirit would give us discernment to answer questions accurately and the wisdom to always be prepared to share the good news.

Then he said to them: “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand all of the parables? The sower sows the word. Some are like the word sown on the path. When they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them. And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy. But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away. Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, but the worries of this age, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word, welcome it, and produce fruit thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown.” (Mark 4:13-20)

People will inevitably respond to the gospel differently. Some hear the truth, and Satan steals it. Others hear it and joyfully accept it, but the hardship of this world uproot and reveal its shallowness. Others allow the cares of this world to choke out the truth, and what fruit they would have produced dies. And some hear the good news, receive it with joy and produce fruit beyond what we could ever ask or imagine. You are not responsible for how your one responds to the message, but you are responsible for sharing it. God will be with us as we spread gospel seeds and may the good news of the kingdom fall on fertile soil in the hearts of hearers.

Pray the heart of your one would be like the seed planted on good soil, which produced much fruit.

In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake. For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:4-6)

The way we live as Christians looks like foolishness to the unbeliever. They are prevented from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, and consequently, the things of Christ appear strange and foreign. They are

prevented from seeing and being in an intimate relationship with God. As we share the gospel with our one, we do not share in such a way as to make ourselves look great. We proclaim Christ as messengers who are praying God would use us to shine light into the darkness of the lives of unbelievers. May this light give knowledge to those we share the good news with each day.

Pray God would give “the light of the knowledge of God’s glory” to your one.

Your way went through the sea and your path through the vast water, but your footprints were unseen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. (Psalm 77:19-20)

God could have led the Israelites across the Red Sea and into the Promised Land without the assistance of any human, but he chose not to rescue them this way. While God’s people were saved through the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, he used Moses and Aaron to do it. This is the pattern we see throughout Scripture. God’s plan of redemption for the world is accomplished through His people sharing the gospel. He does not have to use us, but He chooses to use us for His name’s sake. God leads His people through His people. Never underestimate the role you can and will play in the lives of those you are sharing the gospel with and discipling. If God is going to do a work in your one’s life, He will likely use you and other believers to do it.

As you go about your day, look for opportunities the Lord has given you to be His hands, feet and mouthpiece to those you encounter.

Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up. There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God or respect people. And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect people, yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so that she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’ Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Will not God grant justice to his elect who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay helping them? I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:1-8)

Some have labored on our knees and through the verbal proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of those close to us. The years pile high with no inkling of spiritual interest on their part, and we begin to wonder if our whispered prayers are to the walls in our room instead of to the God of the universe. Why has God not answered our prayers to save our best friend, sibling, or co-worker? We assume the hard work of sharing the gospel is spent preparing a perfectly crafted presentation, getting the message out, and watching the Holy Spirit work. But perhaps the greater work happens as we pray, when no one is watching. God hears our petitions to save those we love. He longs for them to be saved, too. He is not slow, and he desires all to repent and to come to saving knowledge of Him (2 Peter 3:9). Take heart, laborer. Always pray, never give up, and do not grow weary of the good work you are doing in sharing the gospel. Your Father hears you.

Spend five minutes praying for your one and their salvation. Pray also that the Lord would open doors to speak the truth of the gospel to them in love.

Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should. (Ephesians 6:19-20)

When we share the gospel, we are dependent on the Holy Spirit to give us the appropriate words to say at the right time. He guides us to know what questions to ask and when to ask them. He gives us the boldness to proclaim a joyous message in a humble way. Paul’s prayer for boldness was a recognition that it is easy to shrink back from the truth of the message. It is easy to allow the opinion of our hearers, or our one, to outweigh the opinion of our Father.

Pray that it would not be so for you as you share the gospel. Pray the Holy Spirit would give you power to proclaim the gospel as we should and not just as we would like to share it. Pray that he gives a humble boldness that knows what to say, when to say it and how to say it.