Many people wonder, how do we reach the lost for Christ?   Where do we begin?   What is our first task?   As churches we have agreed that our missional task begins with prayer.   We are "to call upon God for such an outpouring of his Spirit that his people will be assured of his love through his Word, seek to please the Saviour in all things, manifest the godly life and be filled with prayerful and sacrificial compassion for the lost in all the world."   

 "Prayer is the first work of missions!" It is so true! When we talk about missions – it all begins with prayer. In Colossians 4:2-4 – before Paul talks about sharing the good news with others he stresses the importance of prayer.   "Devote yourselves to prayer," says Paul. The word "devote" comes from the Greek word which means "to be courageously persistent" or "to hold fast and not let go."

Suppose you’re on a long bridge suspended over a fast moving river with your two-year old granddaughter.  She gets excited because she sees a boat in the water. She leans over the railing and accidentally slips over  But at just the last moment, you grab on to her arm. There is she dangling over the raging water. You hold on to her and you don’t let go. In fact, you hold on to her as long as it takes – even when the railing digs into your arm pit – you hold on until she is safe with her two feet back on the bridge.
That is what our prayer ought to be like for unbelievers, says Paul. You ought to be devoted to prayer.  To hold on to prayer, to never let go, to persistently approach the throne of God, to pray at all times, without ceasing – for outsiders, for unbelievers, the lost – people who are not just falling off a bridge – they are heading for hell. We are to pray as long as it takes for the lost to be found, for unbelievers to come to faith, for those on the outside to be inside.

Why is prayer so important? Well, for a number of reasons.  If you want a harvest, you need workers in the field.  If you plant corn and never work out in the field to pluck the corn by hand or machine – you’ll have no harvest. The same with the harvest of souls. If you and I don’t go out in the mission field – not just overseas – but right out there in our neighbourhoods – the harvest won’t happen. For this reason in Matthew 9 Jesus urges us 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."  This is why we need to pray – pray for more workers!

There is another reason we need to pray – Paul mentions this in Colossians 4:3:  "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." Paul is in prison – most likely in Rome. But even there, Paul wants to keep first things first – and that is sharing the gospel with unbelievers. And so Paul asks for prayer – prayer for open doors – that there might be opportunities for him to share the good news of Jesus.
  This is where it all begins – prayer.  Everyday when you get up in the morning your first words ought to be: "God, give me open doors today. Give me opportunities to share about Jesus. Put people in my pathway who are lost, who need the gospel."  Everyday – make this your first conversation with God – your first work, the first thing – just pray for open doors.

Then notice what Paul adds in verse 4: "Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should." Suppose you found an open door for the gospel. You meet somebody at work or on the street or at a local coffee shop – there is an opportunity to talk about Jesus. Would you know what to say? Would you be able to share the good news of Jesus clearly?  That is why you need to pray – that God would put words in your mouth – words that plainly, honestly, and clearly shows the lost the way home to Jesus.   This is not always easy – that is why you need to pray. In Acts 4 we read how follower of Jesus, Peter and John, found it very tough to share the gospel.  They were harassed and even put in jail. What do they do ... but pray. Their prayer: "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness."  Oh yes – boldness and clarity. That is why we need to pray.
When it comes to reaching the lost for Christ, prayer is our first work and our most important work.   Pray for willing workers to share the gospel and bring in the harvest.  Pray for open doors.  Pray for boldness and clarity.

Do you want to grow in this important work of prayer?   Then check out the many prayer resources.

More info:   https://ministryformation.com.au/the-four-fold-task/pray