You are sitting in a church meeting when someone says, “We should pray for the Lost”. Now I am sure God knows exactly the names of the lost people in the world. But often we do not as we have not cared enough to get to know them and ask if they have given their heart to Jesus.
This was made even clearer to me when I asked the members of our church to write down the names of unchurched people in our area that we could begin praying for their salvation. Many members confessed that they did not know of anyone locally. If we do not know their name, then it is hard to see how God will use us to share with them.
And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’?.” Mark 11:17
Here are some reasons to pray for lost people by name:
1. It will require you to get to know them well enough to know whether they are saved or not.
2. Someone told me not to pray about something unless I was willing for God to use me to be an answer to the prayer. Praying for them by name will make you consider, does God want me to be the answer to this prayer.
3. Will you be part of the answer by developing a relationship with them in an effort to share Jesus with them.
Dr. Mark Yoakum is the Director of Church Ministries for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. He has served as Minister of Youth, Minister of Music, Minister of Education and Executive Pastor in churches in Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas.
Written by Dr. Mark Yoakum, Director of Church Ministries, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention
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