How to Pray for the Lost
We can win anyone for whom God gives us a burden. If God burdens our heart for a soul it is evident that He intends to save that soul. It is also evident that He desires to work through us as the human vessel since He gave us the burden. Many times the soul is actually won in prayer. It is one thing to pray, it is another thing to “pray right”. Here are seven pointers for praying for the lost to be saved:
Pray Believingly
Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
Prayer is the key, but faith unlocks the door. We must pray believing that God is working in the sinner’s heart and preparing him for our visit.
Pray Realizing That With God All Things Are Possible
Mark 10:27 “And Jesus looking upon them saith, with men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
Recognize God in the picture, for nothing is too hard for God. In our praying most of us never get beyond human limitations and boundaries. We whittle God down to our own size and power. We are like the woman who said, “It’s no use to talk to my husband. He won’t listen to me.”
Pray Asking the Soul to Be Saved For God’s Glory
John 14:13 “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
We should not pray for a soul to be saved that they may be a better husband or wife. This is selfish praying. We should pray for souls to be saved so they will no longer dishonor God in their sins. Our great concern should be that they will stop trampling over the precious blood of Christ and stop spurning God’s love. This should be the real motive in soul winning rather than to put another “notch” on our belt, or add a few more figures to our report.
Pray Beseeching God to Awaken Them
Matthew 13:13, 15 “because they seeing, see not, and hearing, they hear not, neither do they understand. For this people’s heart is become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed . . . “
Every sinner needs the Holy Spirit to reveal his sinful condition. Then Christ will be revealed to the heart. We should pray that the Holy Spirit will “quicken” their conscience, plow up their heart, and ring conviction in their soul. We should pray that God will give them “hearing ears” and “believing hearts.” Pray that God shall open their understanding.
Pray Claiming That Soul Which the Blood of Christ Has Purchased
II Timothy 2:26 “And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”
In our sense every soul is God’s purchased possession, though still held by Satan through unbelief. We must through prayer claim and take for God that which is rightfully His. This is praying on the ground of redemption.
Pray Claiming the Tearing Down Of Satan’s Strongholds in That Soul
II Corinthians 10:4 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.”
The Devil has built up lies, false doctrine, stumbling blocks and many other strongholds in the minds of the unsaved to keep them from receiving Christ. He has them blinded lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine unto them. We must through prayer rebuke the Devil and claim the tearing down of his lies and warped ideas that are keeping the sinner from trusting Christ as Savior. We must exercise our authority in Christ.
Pray Perseveringly
Luke 18:7 “shall not God avenge his own elect, who cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?”
Perseverance is “not giving up.” We persevere not to persuade God, but because of the enemy. In persistent intercession we are pushing back the forces of evil. We are getting the Devil off of God’s territory. Daniel prayed for three weeks before he received his answer from God, though the Scripture says that God answered his prayer on the first day. Daniel spent three weeks wrestling with the forces of evil and hanging on to God in order that he might receive his “package.”
Now go pray for that lost soul that God has laid on your heart, claiming these truths.
