NEWSLETTER

December 2008

Dear Anna,

 

In his book, Praying Effectively for the Lost, Lee E. Thomas gives us some insight on praying and seeing results in our prayers for the unsaved.  First he talks about understanding the necessity of prayer for the lost person.

 

Thomas states that the lost will not and, indeed, cannot be saved unless someone prays for them.  “The lost are prisoners whom Satan refuses to release—slaves under Satan’s authority and jurisdiction (Acts 26:18), children of the devil (John 8:44), blinded to the gospel (2 Cor. 4:3-4), energized by Satan (Eph. 2:2), helplessly held in Satan’s grasp (John 5:19), and a strong man’s house (Mark 3:27).”

 

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 says, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

 

Satan has blinded the minds of the lost specifically to keep them from understanding the gospel.  So first we began to pray asking the Holy Spirit to remove the demonic blinders and open their mind and heart to the gospel.  James 5:16 says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  We can’t even begin to understand the power of prayer—it has the most influence of any kind in the universe.

 

One of the tricks of Satan is to convince us that it is a task too difficult so that we will be discouraged and keep from praying.  But eternal souls for whom Christ died are much too valuable for us to quit.  Therefore, we must learn how to pray effectively for them and use the tool of persistence. 

 

Keep praying—even when you can’t see anything happening.  Keep praying—for behind the scenes in the heavenlies, God is moving to open the blinded mind to the Truth of the Gospel.

 

God is faithful.  Each time you pray the Holy Spirit moves on behalf of that lost soul, reaching out to help save and forgive.  Heaven’s reward waits for those who intercede in behalf of the lost.  Let’s Keep Praying!

 

Judy