Collegiate Day of Prayer Global: 40-Day Prayer GuideSample

Day 36: Power of Prayer

By Milton Raj (Milton is the youth pastor of New Life Assembly of God Church in Hyderabad, India.)

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

— Colossians 4:2-6

Prayer builds foundation. Spending time with God, listening to Him, and asking for His help form the foundation for serving Christ and fulfilling His purpose. What you do for God must flow out of your time with God. A real Christian witness must stem from a strong personal relationship with Jesus. This is developed through daily time in conversation with God and in the study of His Word.

Prayer helps us to know God’s guidance. Prayer is conversation with God. In addition to spending time in His Word, prayer is the primary means by which we can get to know God and receive His guidance. It is also how we express our desires, concerns, and dependence on Him. Prayer is not how to get what we want in our lives; rather, it is how to get what God wants in our lives. That’s how you gain His perspective and sense His direction in your life.

Prayer prepares others to know Christ. Prayer certainly is a key to effectively reaching others with the message of Christ. Jesus said, “ No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” It is not your presentation that will cause people to respond. It is the Holy Spirit’s power that convinces people of the truth and turns their hearts towards faith in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit does this work in response to the faithful prayers of Christians.

Prayer prepares others to partner with us. When Jesus saw the multitude of people whose lives were being destroyed and had no hope, He made this request: “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

The harvest is great in my corner of the world. South Asia has the largest share of the world's young people, with 48 percent of its population under the age of 24. Nearly 100,000 young people enter the job market daily, making it the largest youth labor force globally.

PRAYER POINTS:

• Pray that the students will know the secret of success in reaching young people is through prayer—and that they will take time to pray.
• Pray that God will raise up many more young workers in the colleges for His Kingdom.
• Pray that every college will have campus fellowships.