Praying for the Lost
May 26th, 2008
(By John MacArthur)
Before Jesus gave up His spirit as He hung on the cross, He took time to pray for those who were murdering Him. He prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
God began to answer His prayer on the Day of Pentecost as some three thousand people repented and were baptized that day, and there have been countless multitudes that have been saved through the centuries. In response to Jesus’ intercession for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12), God has snatched many souls from eternal death.
Do you have a heart to pray for the lost like Jesus did? Do you have the passion that inspired John Knox to plead, “Give me Scotland or I die”? Is your attitude that of George Whitefield, who prayed, “O Lord, give me souls or take my soul”? Do you, like Henry Martyn, mourn when you see others trapped in false religion and cry out, “I cannot endure existence if Jesus is to be so dishonored”?
God used those faithful men as powerful tools to bring salvation to dying people. Each of them had a clear and vivid understanding of what is at stake in the gospel — it’s an issue of life or death, an eternity in heaven or hell. Do you realize that your unbelieving family members, your co-workers, and your neighbors will spend forever suffering in torment away from the presence of God if they don’t embrace Christ? That realization should drive you to your knees to plead, not only with them to believe the gospel, but with God to save their souls.
The seventeenth-century English Puritan Richard Baxter wrote,
Oh, if you have the hearts of Christians or of men in you, let them yearn towards your poor ignorant, ungodly neighbors. Alas, there is but a step betwixt them and death and hell; many hundred diseases are waiting ready to seize on them, and if they die unregenerate, they are lost forever. Have you hearts of rock, that cannot pity men in such a case as this? If you believe not the Word of God, and the danger of sinners, why are you Christians yourselves? If you do believe it, why do you not bestir yourself to the helping of others? (cited in I.D.E. Thomas, ed., A Puritan Golden Treasury [Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1977], 92)
It is one thing to pray for family and friends, those for whom you have natural affections. But God wants you to pray for all people. Paul writes, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Kings and people in authority in Paul’s day weren’t bound by civil rights and were often unjust, self-serving, and cruel. Do you pray for the salvation of people like that — those who disagree with you politically, those who advocate ungodly agendas, those who openly embrace sin and reject the Scripture?
The Bible has several examples of radical evangelistic prayer, and for the worst of sinners. Here are a few examples:
Moses interceded for Israel after catching them in orgiastic idolatry at the foot of Mount Sinai. After he confronted and dealt with their sin, he turned to the Lord and prayed, “Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves. But now, if You will, forgive their sin — and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!” Moses was willing to forfeit his life for his people, even though they were guilty of wicked rebellion!
While being stoned to death, Stephen followed the Lord’s example by praying for the salvation of his executioners: “And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’ And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ And having said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:59-60).
Standing among those who killed Stephen was a young man named Saul of Tarsus. His salvation was an answer to Stephen’s prayer. Years later, the apostle Paul communicated the depth of his concern for his people Israel, and in Romans 9 he sounds very much like Moses:
I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, [...]Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. (Romans 9:1-3; 10:1)
His brethren according to the flesh, fellow Jews, were the very ones who persecuted him so severely, disrupting his work, stirring up mobs, even plotting his assassination. And yet he loved them and prayed that God would show them mercy.
God honored those men’s prayers for the souls of the lost; He’ll honor yours too. Whether friend or foe; whether moral or immoral; whether you know them or not — pray for the lost. For those God brings your way, open your mouth in love and compassion to tell them the truth. Warn them of God’s judgment for their personal offenses against his holiness, but then tell them the good news. There is salvation in Jesus Christ from God’s eternal wrath, if they will only repent and believe. Once you’ve told them the truth, keep praying for them and trust God for the results. You will rejoice as you see God use you as He saves people from their sins and grants them new life in His Son.
Amen and amen!
Jun,
You stole my exact response, so all I can do is engage in bad netiquette and say, “Me too!”
Me three! :]
Praying for the Lost
Yes, we should. Do I? Yes, but not as often as I should.
Do I get unhappy with the enemies of Christ who are seemingly willing pawns and prisoners of the Adversary? Yes. Would I rather pray prayers of imprecations like in Psalms? Yes.
But God is a God of Justice and Mercy. His Will be done.
Truth Unites… and Divides,
Let us be thankful that other Believers prayed for US, faithfully committing themselves to the will of our LORD.
I totally agree with your statements.
We JUST CANNOT put enough emphasis on praying for the ignorant, rebellious and the mislead.
I often think upon those in Cults and False religions in my prayers, requesting the Liberty that is found only in the gift of Grace, by the Preaching and hearing of the Gospel of Grace, through US as the isntruments of God’s righteousness.
Praise by to the LORD (Isaiah 12:2 makes a good point!)
Soli Deo Gloria.
Dr. J.M.,
Your dear friend, Nick Breit, led me to Jesus while I was in Grad school. A few years ago at his retirement party, I told the story of him sharing the gospel and answering my questions…but not before about a dozen other former student had done likewise! Dr. Breit was (is)passionate for souls – begging the Lord daily, I’m sure, for opportunities to be in on His harvest. My bride and I are now in vocational missions work. I’m so thankful that Nick prayed for this lost soul! Oh, that we all would be so passionate for souls as this evangelist disguised as a university professor!
Thank You Jesus
Sir,
I appreciate your post. I follow it every day.
It is frustrating to see the false teachings that are entering churches today and those who are accepting them. It is so easy to categorize those in error/ lost as the “bad guys.” It is so easy to keep my distance from them and live comfortably.
What recourse do the lost have, but Christ? I am convicted in that I need to pray for the lost and be a light to them.
Regards,
Tim
28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, (Romans 1:28)
Question: Does the person that is in this state need prayer? Can they still be a candidate for salvation?
Kelvin, I suppose the question would be can we know when God has, in a sense, handed someone over to Satan?. I’m quite certain the answer is no, and so we must continue to pray for everyone.
It relates to the question of why people who believe in election can still preach the gospel to everyone. Simply because we don’t know who the elect are.
We cannot know men’s hearts and minds, therefore from our finite judgment everyone without exception is a qualified candidate for salvation.
If someone is praying a prayer of imprecation, should I tell them to cease and desist immediately, and they should pray for their lost brethren instead?
This is not a rhetorical question, although it looks like it. Suppose an angry, grieving mother or father of a 9/11/2001 victim prays a prayer of imprecation upon Osama Bin Laden. That is the way they are expressing their loss to God.
If anyone feels that they need to correct them and ask them instead to pray for the lost, how would you go about it?
Has anyone heard of the ministry of Ray Comfort- http://www.wayofthemaster.com and http://www.livingwaters.com e has a passion for the lost, teaches other Christians t share their faith biblically, but also helps us see why sometimes other ‘Christians’ have no desire or passion to share their faith with people, while they meet people daily who without Christ will spend eternity in a conscious punishment. Getting people to pray is easier than getting those people to put actions to their feet and to preach the gospel to all nations!
Whilst we must be careful and discerning when looking at other Christians fruits of repentance and their passion to save lost soul, some who maybe ‘Methodists’ or ‘Baptists’, but who may not be born again Christians, are sometimes the hardest to reach as they are sometimes self righteouss, especially if old people. So these people may alo be headed for hell as well, which is why non Christians, and ‘Christians with no fruit’, need Gods grace as well. Does this make sense? I hope so…
This post moves my heart.
Not a day goes by that I do not feel grief in my soul for those who are perishing. This has been continual since the Lord called me to Christ by His grace, though it is sometimes more or less.
Those who have no love for the lost probably never felt they were lost. Those who do not want others to know the love of God in Christ, probably do not know the love of God in Christ themselves. I don’t say that to be condescending or anything else, but because it breaks my heart that so many who go by the name “Christian” will never be with Christ.
An evangelist told me that it begins with prayer (that is, God’s work of evangelistic passion in the hearts of his people begins with prayer). That is true. God will hear and will act. “Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest…” “Here am I, send me.”
Oh that Christ would be made known here in the U.S. and to the ends of the earth!
Kelvin,
Genesis 50:19
“Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?”
I guess We can ONLY pray and Trust the LORD to honor His Word. Who are we to second guess His Divine Command to share the Gospel?
It is actually disturbing that you even ask the question in that way.
Jesus gave us specific commands:
Mark 16:15
“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
Paul further affirms…
Colossians 1:23
“…if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to EVERY creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.”
Romans 1:16
“For I am NOT ASHAMED of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
Jeremiah 17:9
“ The heart is deceitful above all things,And desperately wicked; Who can know it?”
Acts 1:24
“And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all…”
Which man know the heart of ANYONE else? And even to some extent, can I TRULY know the wickedness of my Totally depraved heart, apart from the gift of grace…or even then, how deep can I know it?
So we ought NOT to think of ways to get AROUND the LORD’s COMMANDS to serve as willing instruments of His works; but we ought to look and desire to fulfill the Law:
Matthew 22:36-40
““Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
The REAL question here is “Do I willingly and intently‘ love ‘MY’ neighbor as ‘MY’self.’? Enough to share the Hope that is on me by the grace of our LORD God Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit? So that they may receive this gift? That I maybe a “Wellspring of Living Waters”.
Lord Jesus help me to have a heart for the lost like your servants of old. Help me to see people from your perspective and be ready to give the reason for the hope within me.
To be ready to share with the next person who would come my way.
And to be prayerful … to be prayerful for all, evan those who wrong me.
Praise your Holy Name…