Prayer Letter Extras

Praying for the Unsaved

At one point last year, I wanted to prepare a youth group lesson on prayer.  Specifically, I had in mind praying for unsaved friends and family members.  When I went to look for a Scripture passage related to this, I found very little - almost nothing actually.

Now to be clear, there is plenty about praying and even praying related to the proclamation of the Gospel message.  But what I did not find much of were prayers or instruction for prayers specifically for the salvation of unsaved people.

Again, to be clear, it is a good and healthy thing to pray for an unsaved person, such as a family member or friend, to come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  We should all be doing that.  But what I found (and I'm finally getting to my point here), was that the bulk Scriptural instruction - mostly in the form of "example prayers" was for the person doing the witnessing rather than for the recipient of that witnessing.  And I found some great "example" prayers which I have been going over with the youth group and having them pray for one another.

I'll give you a few examples below (there are others too).  And would you do us a favor and pray these prayers for us?  And while you are at it, pray them for the others you know in your church who are witnessing to family members and friends.

 Ephesians 6:18-20  With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

 John 4:35  "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.

 Acts 4:29-30  "And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus."

 II Thessalonians 111-12  To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.