January 20, 2023
Many people today are not believers in God. You know the scenario. You have a close friend, family member, partner, or person you’re dating who doesn’t believe in God or doesn’t believe in the God of the Bible. You want to see them have the blinders removed (2nd Corinthians 4:14) and be granted repentance and faith so they can be saved.
They think that their lifestyle is all they need to make them happy, healthy, successful, and live their life to its fullest. They don’t realize that their decisions are affecting their own future.
Their lives could be drastically changed if they were to change their lifestyles. People have different lifestyles because of the choices they made, and God doesn’t like that. He says that there is only one right way, and that is to follow His ways and commandments.
But many people won’t listen. People who believe that there is no God will likely never believe that their choices and lifestyle will affect their future. They will not believe that they will have to answer to God one day.
So, how do we help these people change their lifestyles?
We pray for them. We pray for their salvation. We pray for them to be saved. We pray for them as if we are praying for ourselves. By praying for them, our goal is that they begin believing in God.
Also, by their knowing you are praying for them, we as Christians can have an effect on those around us. And just maybe, they will start thinking about the issues you have been talking about – Christ’s death and resurrection, and their salvation.
Here are several ways you can pray for another’s salvation.
The person you’re targeting with prayer may not believe in God, but you can pray that God would grant them a soft heart, one that would be receptive to the Gospel. Others may think that there is no hope for them to get saved. However, there is always hope. You should pray that God would soften the heart of those who are non-believers and those who are not Christian.
The best way to pray for such a person is to pray that God would grant him a soft heart. For we know that sin dulls and hardens the heart, making it difficult for those who haven’t been saved to believe (Exodus 9:34, Hebrews 3:13). So, commit this item on your prayer list to God, and ask that He would soften their heart and give them receptive ears. Over time, you may find that their perspective has changed.
Know that we should all have soft hearts that are open to receiving the Gospel message. Thus, we should also pray that God would soften our own hearts so that we can receive Him.
God can make anyone softhearted. It is only He who can change a person into what He wants them to be. When you pray to God, you are asking Him to intervene in the situation you are facing. If you commit this item on your prayer list to God and ask that He would soften the heart of the person you are praying for, you may find that the perspective of that person is changing.
The Bible clearly teaches us that God is the one who grants someone repentance (2nd Timothy 2:25). It’s difficult for someone who has been blinded by Satan to see and understand the truth. It could mean that the person you’re praying for is involved in things that they would have trouble giving up.
Repentance means to change one’s mind about something that one has done wrong. There are some people who don’t think that they have done anything wrong, but this is not true. We all sin against God in one way or another. Someone who has been born again cannot continue to sin. When you pray for someone else, you are asking God to forgive them. You are asking for their repentance and forgiveness. When a person repents, he or she stops doing whatever bad thing they have been doing. It doesn’t matter if it was only once or many times.
So, pray to our Father in Heaven that He would grant them the ability to see the error of their ways, repent of their sins, and believe in what Jesus did for them on the cross. Your prayer is a powerful way to help them.
Another approach in your prayers is to ask God to place other Christians in the path of the person you’re praying for to witness to them, develop a friendship, or help them in their time of need. All of these things can impact their life for the good and could help win them for Jesus.
By asking God to send someone to this friend or loved one that you are praying for, He will hear you, and He will answer you. This will help you to have a better relationship with this person. In the future, if this person becomes sick, you should call them or visit them, and, I suggest, you pray for them in their presence. Ask God to send someone to help them to get well.
God is capable of doing whatever He wants, so if He wants to heal your friend or loved one, He can. Praying for someone who is sick in their presence may help to change their beliefs about having a relationship with God.
To pour fuel on your prayers, take an active role in the person’s life by inviting them to a Christian gathering, a church service, a Christian meditation session, or even witnessing to them when appropriate. All of these things in combination with prayer can work mightily in their life. The Bible tells us that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous accomplishes a lot (James 5:16).
Remember, Christians are different from everyone else. God created us, and He wants us to show Him our love through the way we treat others. When you invite someone to a Christian meeting or service, it will be good for you as well as them. You will get closer to God. When you are sharing about God and His Word, the Holy Spirit will come into your life. This can be an exciting time. We all need encouragement, and sharing the hope of Jesus with others is a way to encourage them and ourselves.
There are many ways to have a spiritual impact on those we love who haven’t found salvation. When we are living in a spirit of love, we are going to be able to influence others positively. Our prayers and sacrifices will be appreciated by God.
People will respect us more if we are willing to make sacrifices for others. We can make a difference in the lives of others by loving them as Jesus Christ loves us. When we show love, we are demonstrating that we truly believe in God. We are showing others that we truly are the children of God and His Son, Jesus. We will have a greater chance of influencing others if we are always mindful of God and our loved ones.
Keep in mind, though, that their salvation may not happen overnight and that it takes time to develop relationships and see someone make progress. The Bible tells us that winning the lost is similar to tending a garden. Some Christians plant seeds, some water, but it is always God who gives the increase (1st Corinthians 3:6).
If you don’t see results immediately, don’t despair. Just keep praying about your friend or loved one to our Father and doing what you can to influence them. When they are ready, God will do the rest. Thank God that He is merciful toward us. Also, please remember to pray for our nation.
I’m Lori Stith, The Stoicess
Your Christian Life Coach
AND I believe in YOU!
If you like what you mentally, now see, join my website to learn and think like me at StoicMatchmaker.com.
July 25, 2024
July 23, 2024
