The first question we often ask is, why should I pray for lost people? Maybe a better question is, why don’t I? God created, loves and cares for every human being. His desire is to reconcile unto Himself every person who will accept His gift of forgiveness and eternal life. God puts people into our lives that are lost without Christ so that we can have the chance to be a part of bringing people from death in sin to life in Christ. We have been given a precious opportunity to be a part of Almighty God’s life changing work through salvation.
The Holy Spirit is constantly working in our heart and life to place lost people in our path. At the same time, He is working in the hearts and lives of those who are lost preparing them for an encounter with God—through us. He chooses to use us to be a part of His life transforming act of salvation.
At the center of that is our prayer life. As we pray, God brings to our heart and mind those who are lost. God then prepares us for these encounters. At the same time, He prepares the hearts and minds of those He has placed in our path. Prayer is how we talk with God and ask for His guidance and strength so that we would be ready and willing when the divine appointment happens.
We MUST pray daily that God would prepare us and those He has placed in our hearts and minds so that we would not miss the privilege of being a part of God’s life changing work of salvation. Just remember, somewhere back there, someone was praying for you. God placed your name on someone’s heart. They prayed, The Spirit of God moved and you were saved.
The reason we pray for our lost family members, neighbors, co-workers, friends and strangers, is because God desires to use us in the miracle working process of seeing people receive forgiveness of their sins and eternal life with God. What greater gift could you ever give someone that eternal life. And to think, God chose to use you to be a part of that. That’s reason enough for me.
Who are you praying for today?
Sean Keith is the Sunday School/Discipleship Strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention
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