Who would you most like to see come to know Christ as their Savior? Your spouse? One of your children? A dear friend? A grandchild?
If you’re like me, every time you think of this person, your heart aches. You know if they don’t accept Christ, they’ll die one day and spend eternity in hell. This frightens me—that someone I love could spend eternity separated from God (and from me).
May it never be!
But the reality is that one day we’ll all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account. The entrance exam to heaven has one question:
The entrance exam to heaven has one question:
Who are you trusting in?
There’s only one right answer: “I’m trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior.”
For years I couldn’t give this answer. The best I could do was hope my good works outweighed my bad works on judgment day. Some of my acquaintances, friends, and loved ones can’t give this answer because they haven’t yet come to faith in Jesus Christ. They’re still trusting in their works to get them into heaven. They don’t understand the truth of Ephesians 2:8-9:
“For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man shall boast.”
Because I love them, I witness to them, serve them, and do my best to demonstrate God’s love to them. But the most important thing I can do is to pray for them.
And what do I pray?
I ask God to open their hearts to believe. Scripture tells us that no one comes to God unless the Father draws him (John 6:65), so it makes sense to ask God to draw our loved ones to himself and open their hearts to believe.
The book of Acts tells of a woman named Lydia. She was a religious woman who was trying to worship God as best she knew how. But she hadn’t trusted Jesus as her Savior. Paul shared the Gospel with her, like we should with our unbelieving loved ones. And then something miraculous happened. Acts 16:14 describes it this way:
“The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.”
Apart from God opening a person’s heart to believe, the message of the Gospel falls on deaf ears. The spiritually dead cannot receive the life-giving truths of Scripture unless God opens their hearts. This is the secret of praying for unbelievers. This is what we should pray for.
The message of Acts 16 is simple: Pray for the people you love who don’t know Christ as their Savior. And when you pray, ask God to open their hearts. Pray and don’t stop.
“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Rom. 10:10).
Who are you praying for today?
If you leave your loved one’s first name in the comment box below, I’d be honored to pray for them.
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Please pray for my daughter, Christa, and my neighbor, Jon. They’re both so stubborn! I’ve witnessed to them multiple times over the years, but they aren’t willing to surrender to Christ. They know they’re sinning and prefer to keep doing it.
Father, I pray for Christa and Dee’s neighbor Jon. Thank you for putting Dee in their lives and inspiring her to be a bold witness to them of your goodness and mercy. Help her not grow weary in doing good, knowing she’ll reap a harvest if she doesn’t lose heart. Draw them to yourself, kind Father. Save them, for their good and your glory. Amen!
Hi Lori!
Please pray for my sister, Melissa! I’ve shared the gospel with her several times to a point where she says she doesn’t want me to talk to her about Jesus anymore. The only thing I can do is pray for her and I would appreciate if you could too! Who can I pray for, for you? Or any other prayer requests?
Father, you alone open unbelievers’ hearts to trust in you as Savior. Please open Melissa’s heart to the truth of your gospel and the love and forgiveness you offer her. Save her, we pray, and help Katie not grow weary in praying for her. Hear, Lord. Move, Lord. Save, precious Jesus. Amen.
Thank you so much!
Nancy
Father, you know Nancy because you created her. Draw her to yourself in salvation, healing, and wholeness. Open her heart to believe. And use Cheryl in her life to point her to yourself. In the strong name of Jesus I ask, amen.
Thank you for your consistent ministry in my inbox. I appreciate the encouragement and motivation to keep my eyes focused on His heavenly kingdom both in heaven and on earth. Thank you for joining your voice with mine in praying for Paige, Garrett, Matthew, Liz, Ollie & Teagan, and many others whose eternities matter to our Eternal King.
Father, you see these names Helen has shared with me. You know their hearts, their sins, their struggles and you love them so much. Please, kind Father, draw them to yourself in salvation. And strengthen Helen to be a faithful witness and a prayer warrior, knowing that you are faithful. Amen!
Amber