Mission Of Prayer

Our expectation and understanding is that we are being brought to prayer in a most diverse and different manner. Just by our given text, our ears are all pricked up, for we do not want to miss a thing. We are looking at a time when Jesus sends out the Twelve on a preaching mission. Jesus Himself has been going around teaching from village to village. Now, He calls His Twelve and, giving them authority over evil or unclean spirits, sends them with specific instructions on what they are to take, what they are to wear and what their reactions to people’s responses must be.

However, I am flooded and held curiously tight in learning, with a mind that will not let me rest. Our Teacher has brought to me this single verse of Mark 6: 9 KJV, which says just this. Be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. Other translations speak of an extra tunic or an extra shirt. Why is this holding me as it does? I’m not sure, but I know that for the first time, I’m seeing clearly that Jesus does not speak to them about taking an extra tunic, as I have always thought. It is being firmly pressed upon me that Jesus gave instructions on what to take and what to wear. What has your understanding been?

Wear sandals and do not wear an extra coat. They were to be single-layered servants on mission. They already had the Spiritual authority needed for a successful mission. Jesus saw to that aspect, the Spiritual part. Now, they had to see to the physical part, their part, and it was the obedience of being single-layered servants. This one instruction has been chosen, because it is the instruction of the Mission of Prayer.

Has not Jesus called you to the Power, Purpose, Promise and Produce of prayer? Whether or not you want to think about it, whether or not you care to accept it as fact, Jesus has called every one of His believers to a mission of prayer. Prayer is the very air we inhale and exhale. It is the call and the instruction of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, to go to the Father in His Name and ask. It is the boldness of faith, not doubting, but fully assured in faith and trust, for us to ask and believe that we will receive, as what we ask for will be granted.

Additionally, we have been told that as believers, we are to pray for ourselves, pray for others, pray for the sick and needy and receive the promised responses. We have never been called to fruitless, barren prayer. Suffice it to say, it is Jesus Himself who has instructed us to pray.

We have not first been called to pray by His servants in heaven or His servants in earth. We have been called, first and foremost by our Lord, Master and Saviour Himself, who has not only prayed for us and still prays for us, but who has told us that we too are to pray. Hear again these words of Jesus, as you have never heard them before. In fact, eat these words, feed on them, let them be your daily diet, regardless of the times and seasons. Prayer is our vital breath.

Here is just one instruction from Jesus, on prayer. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. John 15: 7.

With His immutable and forever potent and ever relevant Word, our hearts and minds are free to receive all that is being taught to us about being single-layered people of prayer, in Jesus.