Praying for the Lost

How do we pray for the lost or the prodigals in our lives?  2 Corinthians 4 gives us insight as to why they are lost or why they may have moved away from the truth, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (4:3-4)
The enemy is doing all he can to blind those we love, to keep them from seeing the truth, and to cause doubt.  We won’t win them with our logic, our evangelistic plans, or even with our arguments…the key is to see this as a spiritual battle…the Holy Spirit must do it.  In 2 Cor 10 Paul says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish ever disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” (10:3-6)
Consider how you live your life in front of those who are lost.  We are to show the fruit of the Spirit, we are to live and give His love…Paul said we live in the flesh, but we don’t fight like they fight.  We must share the Gospel, but we must do it from a life that is prayed up and a mind that is listening to the Holy Spirit.
Consider the weapons you’ve been given.  WE find the armor in Eph 6, but here find our weapons are supernatural.  The moment we fight this battle in the flesh is the moment we lose, but when we see it for what it is and fight it in prayer, we can watch God do amazing things.  Our weapons have divine power, they destroy strongholds, they destroy arguments, and they take thoughts captive.
As you consider those who are lost or walking away…think about the strongholds in their life, the arguments they are buying into, and they thoughts they speak out and pray…pray that God will remove the veil, that God will shed light on their argument, and that He will move in their thoughts.
You treat them with love, you give them mercy and kindness and let the Holy Spirit work in their life.  Let me tell you that I fight this all the time…I want to argue, I want to push, I want to fight fire with fire, but I’ve found it does nothing except make me feel better in the flesh.
Remember as you fight the good fight in the spiritual world…our goal is for God to remove them from the domain of darkness and to put them into the kingdom of light…we must seek God and rely upon His power.  I’ll remind you of three things that help prepare my mind in this battle.
Turn it off.  It is impossible for a Christian to spend the bulk of their time watching TV or the Internet and have a Christian mind.  It is impossible.  Turn it off.
Open it up.  Open up the Word of God and seek His wisdom, His knowledge, and His insight.  Let the Word of God saturate your mind and watch the Holy Spirit renew you.  When this happens, you’ll find He will direct your prayers and your conversations.  Open it up.
Pour it in.  Read, memorize, meditate, and pray the Word of God.  Pour it in so that it becomes the core of your being, the center of your thinking, and the source of your living.  Pour it in and watch the Lord move through you.