In this essay I will write about how to prayer for the person who has walked away from the Lord and the lost. These two groups compose the most of those we pray for. Here is one reality for both groups if they do not get saved they will die in their sins.
The back slider or the person who once the knew the Lord and walked away is in a very precarious position. The reality is that they knew the Lord. They had experienced His salvation, grace, love and mercy. They walked in the goodness of God. It may have been for a short time or long one but they had a relationship with the Lord. Now for some reason or another they are no longer serving the Lord. You can tell by their fruit. Now I know that some who will read this essay will say that these people were not truly converted so they never really were saved and there are others who believe in once saved always saved.
We all know someone who fervently served the Lord and for one reason or another they turned away from Christ. The reality is that Jesus is not their top priority, they are doing all the same things they did before and maybe even worse. The problem with someone like this is that they will say, "Yes, I know all about the Bible and what I should do but I will later." I have a brother who says that. So how does one pray for your loved one, friend or former church member.
First, you ask the Lord to open up their eyes, heart, mind and ears to the gospel. You pray that God will arrange circumstances, people and situations where they come into contact with the Lord and His people. Ask the Lord to put a dis-satisfaction with their life and that they will want to come back to the Lord. Ask the Lord to break the demonic strongholds that have been built up in their lives. Pray that the Lord will expose their condition and begin a work of conviction in their hearts. Pray that they do not rest day or night until they make it right with God. Ask the Lord to spread His love and mercy in their lives. Pray that the Lord will send the right laborer to talk to them. Plead for them day and night and keep praying because many times it takes a period of time to see this happen. When the Holy Spirit speaks, go and do your part. I have been used many times in restoring a back slider. I will praying and then the Holy Spirit will tell me to go and visit someone and they are ready. It is amazing. The Holy Spirit loves the back slider he does not want them to miss one moment of salvation so He works behind the scenes. Our part is to pray and be ready to do His biding.
The largest group of people you will ever pray for is the lost or unsaved. In my community alone they number over fifty thousand. When praying for the lost I break them up into groups. Children, young people, young adults, young families with children, families with youth, empty nesters and seniors.
I pray that God will speak to the children and youth because they are the age where most people will get saved, 80% of all who come to Christ will come in this age bracket. When someone is young they have a greater capacity and ability to receive Christ. They believe what you say and they have not be harden by time, environment, worldly influence or demonic attack. They have the faith to believe. As they get older the pull of friends and the world become stronger. They listen to voices of media, fashion, fame, popularity and money.
This is why we need to pray for families with young children and youth. I remember one time a little girl told her mom and dad she wanted to go to Sunday School because one of her friends told her how much it was. She asked all week so out of obligation they came and got saved and became an active part of the church. That is why most of our resources in the church should be spent on children and youth ministries because they bring the best results.
When you pray for the younger generation claim the promise of Prov 22:6, which states that when we train a child in the way they go when they are old they will not depart from it. Interesting fact is that the writer is not talking about later in life, he meant when the child has facial hair which in Jewish time period could be anywhere from 13-17. If you start early and stay with it you will see your children serving the Lord.
Bind the enemies ability to work in their lives, ask the Lord to deaden and silence the call of the world. Ask the Holy Spirit to work in their lives creating situations, circumstances and
bringing the right people at the right time for the right reason into their lives. Plead for their souls day and night, fast and pray.
When it comes to the older person, pray that God would take a piece of information, an exposure to Sunday School, a piece of literature, a friend or maybe a media presentation and use it to reach them. The longer you live the more chance there is to come across something the Lord can use. Pray that this will bear fruit. Stay in prayer and be like Abraham when he prayed for Sodom. He asked the Lord for as little at 10 people. You can do the same. The reality is that is that if you do not do it. Someone could miss eternity. The Lord told Ezekiel. "I am holding you responsible, if you do not tell them they will not hear." I believe God is saying the same to us. "If you do not pray they will not hear."
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