How should we pray in the end-times?
Peace and safety – that sounds good. But Paul writes:
While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape (1 Thessalonians 5:3, ESV).
Perhaps financial security or safety, then Paul writes:
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money (2 Timothy 3:1-2, ESV).
Don’t be confused about latter-day praying, because Jesus tells us exactly how to pray:
Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields” (Matthew 9:37-38, NLT).
Jesus also said:
The the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come (Matthew 24:14, NLT).
Matthew 24 list many end-times descriptions. We study the end-times and miss a major point of prophecies about the latter-days. Jesus gives the right focus. The church isn’t to be worried about peace, safety, prosperity, or getting ahead at work – or the exact day that He will return.
Jesus wants workers in the harvest, to disciple the nations – and then He returns.
We are to pray, but not just pray, as Jesus gave his Last Commission to you:
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28:19, NLT).
Jesus said in Matthew 9 “workers are needed,” then in Matthew 24 “when the workers finish their task the end will come,” and finally, in Matthew 28 “you are the worker.”
(Please note the OGV twist of translation in each of the above verses and see Interruption #603 for an explanation: The OGV Translation of the Bible.)
Workers need… when we are finished the Lord will come back… we are the workers!
Our end-times prayers should focus on world-wide harvest, workers to be sent, and us to be those workers. We should ask for the confidence and training to be disciplers.
Since Jesus is the Lord of the Harvest and we are workers in that harvest, we don’t have to worry about the harvest. When we are prepared as disciplers, He will pour out the Spirit of power and conviction onto ripe fields ready to be harvested.
When I teach a conference on becoming a discipler, I say to those attending and to you right now – You can do this!
If you want to be trained as a latter-day discipler, use the QR code to register for training on June 4.
