August 11 2025

Monday August 11

“Through Your Prayers… and the Prayers of Many”

2 Corinthians 1:8-11

8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; 9 indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10 who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, 11 you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.

For the last few days, I have been asking for prayers for some 600 pastors in east India that we partner with to take the gospel to every creature. Many of the people that these pastors work with are unreached people groups. These are people who have little or no access to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have traveled to India on over some 30 times to dedicate clean waters with Global Partners in Peace and Development and to meet with these pastors, to encourage them, to pray with them.

In January of this year, I met with 400 of these pastors and promised them I would find at least one person in America to pray for them. I promised them that I would connect them with a believer, who loves the Lord, who believes that the gospel is what changes and transforms lives, to pray for them. I've been asking you to join me in our India pastor's prayer team and be a part of a great work that God is doing. If the Lord is speaking to your heart right now, please simply email right now at: pastormike@pmiministries.org

I like what E.M. Bounds said. He said, "One cannot rightly call himself a Christian if he does not pray." Prayer and being a follower of Jesus Christ go hand in hand. You cannot absolutely be the believer, and the Christian God wants you to be without prayer. It seems that many of our prayers are prayers that we just throw up thanking God for food, grandma, grandpa, mom and dad and some of the people we work with. Then we pray desperately when we get in trouble or have a need. But the truth is Paul said, "Pray without ceasing." 

Now, Paul believed in prayer. Paul, as we pointed out yesterday, asked for prayers for himself. He asked, "Please, please pray for me as I share the gospel that I might be bold, that I might be courageous, that I might use the right words. That there will open doors and opportunities for me." These pastors in India, are people like myself. I’m convinced, as a pastor, the only reason I've made it is because people have prayed for me. My mother was a praying woman who prayed daily for me. I will never forget Henry Gold making the commitment to pray for me as a pastor every day. From the day he was tragically killed in an accident, I felt like I lost one of my best friends, but I also lost a prayer warrior who pleaded before the throne of God for us as we serve the Lord in ministry.

We need your prayers. Pastors need your prayers. Everyone that the Holy Spirit of God puts in your heart and in your mind needs your prayers. Again I'm asking you to take one of these pastors in your heart for prayer. I wanted to point out a few more verses that the apostle Paul actually wrote in talking about people praying for him and the difference that it would make. And I would call this devotion through your prayers and through the prayers of many.

Read 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 again and notice how Paul faced death on several occasions but was delivered because, “You also joining in helping us through your prayers so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many”. And Paul wrote in Philippians 1:19, “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,  again thanking people my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” In Philemon 1:22, Paul wrote: “At the same time prepare for me lodging for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you through your prayers.”

Yes, my friend through your prayers these pastors in India will be able to survive the hardship that they face. It is beyond our imagination the persecution they deal with every day and the difficult field they work in sharing the gospel. They have very little support in taking care of feeding their family and helping provide food for the  flock that God's given to them. They often have very little education and only by God’s grace and God's wisdom are they able to preach a gospel message and teach the Bible every Sunday.

They desperately need your prayers. Would you join me? Write me an email at my email address below and just say, "Pastor Mike, I'll be one of those that will pray with you for a pastor".

God bless!

pastormike@pmiministries.org