How to Pray Evangelistically

Dr. George Bannister

Woodville Baptist Church

Praying Your Friends to Christ • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

Matthew 9:38

Prayer

Evangelism

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introduction:

Effective evangelistic prayer involves specific prayer on behalf of unbelievers, believers, personal spiritual needs and evangelism efforts. These 4 categories can easily be combined to simplify the way you pray evangelistically. The following are biblical ways to pray for Christian witnesses, evangelism efforts and the lost.

I- Praying for Christian witnesses and efforts

A- Ask the Lord to send laborers into the harvest. (Luke 10:2).

Luke 10:2 NLT

2 These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.

B- Ask the Lord for opportunities to witness. (Colossians 4:3)

Colossians 4:3 NLT

3 Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.

(Ephesians 6:19 – 20)

Ephesians 6:19–20 NLT

19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

(Acts 4:29)

Acts 4:29 NLT

29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word.

C- Ask the Lord for clarity in presenting the gospel. (Colossians 4:4)

Colossians 4:4 NLT

4 Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.

D- Ask the Lord to focus the hearts of his people. (Acts 13:1 – 2)

Acts 13:1–2 NLT

1 Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called “the black man”), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul. 2 One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.”

E- Ask the Lord to prepare his witnesses spiritually, making them holy and blameless in every way. (John 17:11)

John 17:11 NLT

11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.

F- Ask the Lord to protect the witness spiritually, mentally and physically from the evil one as they share their faith. (Colossians 1:10 – 11)

Colossians 1:10–11 NLT

10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. 11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,

G- Ask the Lord to make evangelism and missions efforts to be fruitful and productive for his kingdom. (Matthew 6:9 – 10)

Matthew 6:9–10 NLT

9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

H- Ask the Lord to help believers have divine encounters with lost persons as they go out to participate in witnessing events and opportunities. (Acts 8:26 – 41)

II- Praying for the Lost

A- pray for receptive hearts. (Luke 8:5 – 15)

Luke 8:5–15 NLT

5 “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. 6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” 9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand.’ 11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. 12 The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. 13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. 14 The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. 15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

B- Pray for their spiritual eyes and ears to be opened. (Matthew 13:15) (2 Corinthians 4:3 – 4)

1- The lost person is blinded by Satan. (2 Corinthians 4:3 – 4)

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 NLT

3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

2- Only God can open their eyes. The individual must hear God speak. (Matthew 13:15)

Matthew 13:15 NLT

15 For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’

(Romans 10:9 – 14)

Romans 10:9–14 NLT

9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?

C- Pray for unbelievers to have and understand God’s attitude toward sin . (John 16:8)

John 16:8 NLT

8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

D- Pray for the lost to be released from barriers and strongholds that hinder faith. (2 Timothy 2:25 – 26)

2 Timothy 2:25–26 NLT

25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

(2 Corinthians 10:3 – 4)

2 Corinthians 10:3–4 NLT

3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

E- Pray for the Lord to send believers to witness to the lost person. (Matthew 9:35 – 38)

Matthew 9:35–38 NLT

35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

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