In my recent devotionals, I have stressed the importance of praying for the unsaved people in our lives to be saved. Today, I want to give you four ways you can pray for them:
1. Pray for openness and understanding.
Acts 16:14 says the Lord opened the heart of Lydia to heed the things spoken by Paul. Paul was speaking the gospel. And if the Lord can open Lydia’s heart, He can open your Aunt Mildred’s heart.
2. Pray that God would send laborers to them.
In Luke 10:2 Jesus said, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” I am confident that God will answer any prayer He has commanded us to pray, and this prayer is not a suggestion. Jesus commanded us to pray that God would send out laborers into the harvest.
3. Pray that God will visit them and reveal Himself to them.
I do not know of a specific promise in the Bible where it says God is going to visit someone in a dream or give them a vision. But I do see in Scripture where God reveals Himself to people in such ways, like Saul of Tarsus, who, on the Damascus Road, had a vision of the Lord Jesus Christ and was saved.
4. Pray for personal direction and for personal opportunities to share.
Jesus, in Luke 10:2 said, “The harvest is great, laborers are few. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest.” In the next verse Jesus said, “Behold, I send you.” You can become the answer to your own prayer!
So pray for the unsaved people in your life, and do not stop praying until they get saved.
Bayless Conley is a pastor and speaker known for his clear presentation of the Gospel and the way he applies the life-changing truth of God's Word to everyday life. It's this same truth that radically turned his life around when a 12-year-old boy shared the Gospel with him many years ago.
Bayless' unique background and remarkable testimony have enabled him to reach a diverse audience of people globally. In 1979, God called Bayless to share His Word on television, and in 1984, the broadcast was launched. Today, the Answers with Bayless Conley broadcast is impacting lives around the world in numerous languages.
Bayless, with his wife Janet, pastors Cottonwood Church, a thriving nondenominational church located in Orange County, California. Bayless is the author of numerous books and booklets including Cast Down But Not Destroyed, Footprints of Faith, How to Pray, Turning Mistakes into Miracles, There Is Always Hope, and a 365-day devotional called Answers for Each Day.