African Network of Prayer Newswletter
FEATURED NATION FOR FOCUSED PRAYER : ANGOLA
Total land area: 481,350 sq miles
Population 2014 (est.) : 24,3 millionCapital and largest city: Luanda (6,5 million)
Official language: Portuguese
Natural Resources: oil, diamonds, iron, phosphates,
copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite and uranium.
Most of Angola’s people live in rural areas and work on farms and tend cattle. Many of these farmers live hand to mouth.
2,000 years ago Jesus commanded His disciples,
“Go make disciples of all’nations’.” There are 16,000 ethnic groups living today. More than 6,800 (well over one third) of the 16,000 lack a community of believers with adequate numbers and resources to successfully fulfill His command. Statics show that 1 in 4 people remain without reasonable access to the Gospel, one fourth of the world has no witness of Jesus Christ. These groups are found all around the world, not just in the 10/40 Window. Angola represents one of these people nations without a witness of the saving message of Acts 2:38.
Our Christian faith is at the center of our identity, prayer is the foundation of all we do as we seek to participate in God’s redemptive work in our world.I believe that persistent, intensive and focused prayer is a vital element that is lacking in reaching the unreached nations with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The minds of people are deceived and cannot see or accept God’s Truth and salvation. “Pray ye therefore…” ask God to open minds to receive divine wisdom that comes from Him alone. Praying is the means by which everyone can be involved in missions. Jesus said, “go into all the world and make disciples of all nations…” (Mt. 28:19-20), that is a command to every believer. He also said that when we accomplish this task, the end will come, but the end will not come until this task is accomplished (Mt. 24:14). Global Missions understands that prayer is the means by which every one of us can be involved in the mission of going “…into all the world…” Prayer isthe “process” which helps every one to “go”. Prayer produces the power to call and send apostolic laborers into the field that will take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to unreached people groups so they can experience God’s salvation and glory.
Matthew 9:37-38 directly connects harvest and prayer to one another and applies all Christians.Prayer is the key word in the execution of this command.
In Matthew 9:38 Jesus’ command is to “pray” rather than “therefore go” which is used in Matthew 28:19- 20. Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15 contain instructions to those who have been “called by God specifically” to go into the harvest field. It is clear that not everybody is called to preach, but Matthew 9 makes it clear that everybody is called to pray
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
(Luke 10:1-3). God calls enough people – the problem is that too few obey the call
(Luke 10:1-3). God calls enough people – the problem is that too few obey the call
Jesus’ solution to the dilemma of the plentiful harvest with few workers is focused prayer.
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