Six ways to pray for the lost

Here are six specific ways to pray for your lost friends and family.

1. That they seek to know God. He promises to reveal himself to those who seek him wholeheartedly (Acts 17:27; Deuteronomy 4:29).

2. That they believe the Scriptures. A non-Christian does not naturally understand the gospel; pray the Holy Spirit gives them understanding to believe (1 Corinthians 1:18).

3. That God will draw them to himself. We are the instruments, but only He can convict and convert. No one can come unless God draws him (John 6:44).

4. That the Holy Spirit will work in them to turn from sin and follow Christ as Lord. Be bold enough to pray that God brings things into their lives that cause them to seek him (John 16:8, 13; Acts 3:19).

5. That God will send someone to lead them to Christ. Perhaps that someone is you — so pray for boldness, and mean it (Romans 10:14–15; Matthew 9:37–38).

6. That they believe in and confess Christ as Saviour and Lord. Pray they grasp the seriousness of the commitment and the scope of God's love — as their loving Father, He never asks them to give up anything without giving them something far better in return (John 1:12; Romans 10:9–10).