"How I Learned to Pray for the Lost"
Here is a remarkable testimony which
should be of real help to many readers. Since the nature of the testimony is
personal, the writer requested that her name be withheld. The letter
accompanying this testimony says in part: "This is the result of my search
for the right way of praying for the unsaved.
I
have found it to produce amazing results in a very short time. After more than
20 years of fruitless praying, it seemed that there was no possible chance for my
loved ones to ever return to the faith. But after only a few weeks of the type
of praying that I have outlined here I have seen them studying the Bible by the
hour and attending every church service possible.
Also, their whole attitude toward Christianity
has changed, and all resistance seems to be gone. I have taken my place of
authority in Christ and am using it against the enemy. I have not looked at
myself to see if I am fit or not; I have just taken my place and have prayed
that the Holy Spirit may do His convicting work. If each and every member of
the Body of Christ would do this, what a change would be made in this world!
Believers everywhere are burdened for
unsaved or backsliding loved ones. However, many are praying in the spirit of
fear and worry instead of in faith. This has caused me to seek for definite
light on how to pray, feeling the need of praying the right prayer and also the
need for a definite promise or word from God on which to base my faith when
praying for the unsaved. Praise God--He never fails to give such needed help.
Perhaps because the salvation of some
seemed to me to be an impossibility, the first verse of Scripture that was
given me was Mark 10:27: 'With God all
things are possible.' The next Scripture verse had occupied my attention
for some time, but it took on a new meaning: 'For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations [speculations]
and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (II
Corinthians 10:4, 5).
This shows the mighty power of our
spiritual weapons. We must pray that all of this will be accomplished in the
ones for whom we are concerned; that is, that the works of the enemy will be
torn down.
Finally, I was given the solid foundation
for my prayers-- the basis of redemption. In reality, Christ's redemption
purchased ALL mankind, so that we may say that each one is actually God's
purchased possession, although he is still held captive by the enemy.
We must, through the prayer of faith,
claim and take for God in the name of the Lord Jesus that which is rightfully
His. This can be done only on the basis of redemption. This is not meant to
imply that, because all persons have been purchased by God through redemption,
they are automatically saved.
They must believe and receive the Gospel
for themselves but our intercession enables them to do this. To pray in the
name of the Lord Jesus is to ask for, or to claim the things which the Blood of
Christ has secured.
Therefore, each individual for whom prayer
is made should be claimed by name as God purchased, in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ and on the basis of His shed Blood. We should claim the tearing
down of all the works of Satan, such as false doctrine, unbelief, atheistic
teaching and hatred which the enemy may have built up in their thinking. We
must pray that their very thoughts will be brought into captivity to the
obedience of Christ.
With the authority of the name of the Lord
Jesus, we must claim their deliverance from the power and persuasion of the
evil one and from the love of the world and the lust of the flesh.
We should also pray that their conscience
may be convicted, that they may listen and believe as they hear or read the
Word of God. Our prayer must be that God's will and purposes may be
accomplished in and through them.
Intercession must be persistent--not to persuade
God, for redemption is by God, but because of the enemy. Our prayer and
resistance are against the enemy--the awful powers and rulers of darkness. It
is our duty before God to fight for the souls for whom Christ died.
Just as some must preach to them the good
news of redemption, others must fight the powers of darkness on their behalf
through prayer. Satan yields only what and when he must, and he renews his
attacks in subtle ways.
Therefore, prayer must be definite and
persistent, even long after definite results are seen. And we must pray for the
new Christian even after he begins to be established in the faith. We will find
that as we pray, the Holy Spirit will give new directions.
At one time I was interceding for a soul
and began to feel that my prayers were largely ineffective. Then the Holy
Spirit inspired me to begin presenting that person to God in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
As I obeyed this leading, praying, 'I
present so-and-so to God in the name of the Lord Jesus,' I felt that my prayers
were gradually becoming more effective. It seemed that I was drawing that
person from deep within the very camp of the enemy.
Then I was able to proceed as usual,
claiming every detail of that life for God, using the power of the blood
against the enemy. This is true warfare in the spiritual realm. Thank God that
our spiritual weapons are mighty and that our authority in Christ is far above
all the authority of the rulers, powers and forces of darkness, so that the Enemy
must yield. But it takes faith and patience and persistence.
Missionaries on foreign and home fields
can resist the enemy in their districts, communities and schools by using the
power of the Blood of Jesus against the powers of darkness, sin and unbelief.
With the authority of the name of the Lord Jesus they can demand the enemy
retreat.
Note that 'It is the Spirit that
quickens the flesh profits nothing' (John 6:63) and that 'The letter
kills, but the Spirit gives life' (II Cor. 3:6). Therefore, we must
constantly seek the motivation of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, in our faith,
in our prayer and in our testimony. It is most important also that we confess
our own sins and have them forgiven. The enemy will
use every possible means to silence our intercession and to block our attack
against him. We must not only understand our enemy, our authority in Christ and
how to use our spiritual weapons but also how to wear the armor that God has
provided for our protection.
Thus equipped and protected, we need not
have any fear. But let us always remember that we have no power and no
authority other than that of Christ for He promised: ‘All power [authority] is given unto Me. Go ye THEREFORE and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you. And lo, I am with your always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matthew 28:118-20)
As His earthly representatives we can claim
His authority which we have been given through this Great Commission for we are
His children and have inherited ‘All
spiritual blessings’ as taught in Ephesians 1:3 including His ‘authority’ as taught by
the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:18.
'Now thanks
be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ' (II Cor. 2:14)
'Greater is
He that is in you, than he that is in the world' (I John 4:4)
---L.M.
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