Pray for Laborers and Open Doors
Soul winning should be soaked in prayer. We ask God for laborers, open doors, boldness, wisdom, and opportunities to speak the Word clearly.
- Pray for more laborers.
- Ask God to open doors for the gospel.
- Pray for boldness without becoming harsh or reckless.
The harvest needs laborers
Matthew 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Matthew 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
Jesus did not tell us merely to complain that few people are witnessing. He told us to pray for laborers. A church that wants to reach people should pray for soul winners and then train believers to become those laborers.
Ask for an open door and clear speech
Colossians 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
Colossians 4:4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Paul wanted both opportunity and clarity. An open door is not enough if the message is muddled. Good soul winning asks God for both.
Pray for boldness
Acts 4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Biblical boldness is courage to speak the Word. It is not rudeness. A bold witness can still be patient, respectful, and compassionate.
Compare Scripture with Scripture
Scripture trail: Matthew 9:37 • Matthew 9:38 • Colossians 4:3 • Colossians 4:4 • Acts 4:29 • Acts 4:31 • Matthew 9:37, Matthew 9:38, Colossians 4:3, Colossians 4:4 • Matthew 6:6-13
Do not rush past the references. Open them, read the surrounding verses, and make the Bible carry the weight of the conclusion.
Think it through
- Which verse would you actually open first if a real person were confused about this subject, and why?
- What question could you ask after reading the verse to discover whether the hearer understood it?
- Explain the truth aloud in plain language while keeping belief in Christ—not works, reform, baptism, or prayer—as the saving condition.
Teach it back
Without looking at the lesson explanation, summarize Pray for Laborers and Open Doors in two or three sentences and support your explanation from Scripture. If you cannot explain it simply yet, return to the passages and work through them again.
Slow down and work the text
Reopen Matthew 9:37, Matthew 9:38, Colossians 4:3, Colossians 4:4. Read enough before and after each verse to see the setting. Do not settle for remembering a slogan when you can inspect the wording for yourself.
- Write the main claim of Pray for Laborers and Open Doors in one sentence.
- Underline or write down the exact words in the passages that support that claim.
- Compare at least two of the passages. What truth becomes clearer when they are read together?
- Ask what could be misunderstood if one phrase were isolated from its context.
- Explain this truth aloud as though you were speaking to a real person who has never heard it clearly before.
- Which verse would you open to explain this truth?
- What simple question would reveal whether the hearer understood it?
- Can you explain the truth clearly without pressure or added saving conditions?
Pray for laborers, opportunities, clarity, and boldness. Soul winning is spiritual work, and faithful witnesses should depend on God.
Boldness With Compassion
19 min