Praying For The Lost

“And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:30).

She grew up in church and gave her heart to God at an early age. She’d survived verbal and physical abuse, even a brain aneurysm. But she lost her way and became an alcoholic. Her life spun out of control.

She was out of touch and out of reach. Her prayers became “alcoholic binge” prayers. She desperately needed an intercessor, someone who would stand in the gap and make up the hedge for her. God placed her on the heart of a prayer warrior, who prayed for her, until the chains broke. Praise God!

Who can pray for the lost, when they are bound in chains? James 5:16 reminds us, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” God does not want us to cease praying for the lost.

Prayer Directives

Unite your prayers with us by praying for the lost in the following ways:

• Pray for mercy and truth (Proverbs 16:6)
• Pray for repentance (Acts 3:19; 1 John 1:9)
• Pray a spirit of forgiveness for others and themselves (Matthew 6:12; Isaiah 1:18)
• Pray for renewal of heart and mind (Romans 12:2; Ezekiel 36:26)
• Pray for strength (1Chronicles 16:11; 1Samuel 30:6; 1 Corinthians 10:13)
• Pray against strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4)

Additional Prayer Resources

Print:

• Pivotal Praying, by John Hull & Tim Elmore (Thomas Nelson Publishers, ISBN-13:978-0-7852-6483-5)
• Intercessory Prayer, by Dutch Sheets (Regal Books, ISBN 0-8307-1900-8)
• Breakthrough Prayer, by Jim Cymbala (Zondervan, ISBN 1-59328-019-X)

Download a printable prayer guide.

Contributed by Janice Roseboro