How to Pray for the UnsavedSample

IT’S ALREADY PAID FOR

When it comes to praying for an unsaved person we know or love, I often hear people say things like, “Oh God, bless them! Help them! Heal them! Make them do right.”

But first of all, there’s no use praying for or expecting an unsaved person to live right, receive God’s blessings, or understand spiritual things — they have no capacity for that yet because they are unsaved, they have a sin nature (Romans 3:23).

Their greatest need is first to be saved, to become a part of God’s family and eligible for all His benefits -to become a brand new creature inside (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus said, “You must be born again” (John 3).

So before we pray anything else for someone, we must pray for their salvation.

A person becomes born again by asking Jesus to be their Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9, 10). Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me.” He also said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 14:6, 10:9).

But we don’t pray, “God, please save them!” Because God already sent Jesus, who bought and paid for every person’s salvation. He hung on the cross once and for all. He doesn’t have to do it again. Salvation is already bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus. Hebrews 9:12 says, “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”

That blood lasts for all eternity! It’s up to each person to receive what Jesus has already done. God wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), but He gives them the choice.

The saving part is God’s, but there is surely a part we can play — we can pray for them. Remember, we pray for saved people differently than those who aren’t saved yet.

Aren’t you glad He showed us the way to eternal life?! It’s not a hidden secret — it’s available to anyone who asks!