Jesus often used the harvest analogy (Luke 8:1-15).  It was His way of explaining that many people will belong to His Kingdom as they actively respond to the proclamation of the gospel.  The ‘seed’ is the Word.  The harvest demonstrates organic growth of faith.  As He sends out 72 in addition to the Twelve, He points out that they are not enough to do the job.  Many people would come to Jesus if they knew about Him.  They are the potential harvest but cannot be included until they hear the gospel and respond.  That is why many more need to be commissioned.  

Jesus gives the 72 a command to pray that God will send out other workers too.  Surely, God can commission anybody He chooses so why should the trainee missioners be told to pray that God will do what He obviously wants to do with people.  It is simple: His plan is to get us to work with Him, to understand the dynamics of the gospel; not just to do prescribed tasks, but to desire God's objectives with Him, and to pray that He will bring them to completion (Colossians 4:2-4).

The prayer is quite dramatic because ‘send out’ used the same Greek word as 'to drive out' demons (Luke 11:20).  It is the same word used to describe the Holy Spirit driving Jesus out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Mark 1:12).  Such an encounter was utterly distasteful to Jesus, but the Spirit compelled Him.  If believers are to confront the darkness in this world with the light of Christ it will be well outside their comfort zone and require God's authoritative command to get them (and us) moving!  At the same time as His followers were praying that God will send out more workers, Jesus gave the ‘Go!’ command to them.  And He made it clear that this was no 'walk in the park' - the journey was potentially frightening.

The greatest two weaknesses in today's church may well be in these two areas, prayer and action.  In both God expects us to work with Him as He works in us.  The initiative comes from Him - Philippians 2:13 says "... for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose.”  But the response needs to be ours.  If God provokes our hearts to agree it is good, then pray for it.  If God gives the instruction, then do it!  And if you pray for God to send people, do not be surprised if He sends you too!  Your 'mission station' may be in your home or office, factory or construction site, transport industry or classroom.  So, pray with another believer at work or community, and then let the Lord guide you to be part of the answer to those prayers – going beyond your comfort zone with the Word of Truth to announce the light of Christ.