How to Win Souls Through Prayer

I read an interesting article called "Praying Effectively for the Lost" by Lee Thomas (I think that's his name). It gave some very good precepts on how to pray for the lost. Like most things, it got me thinking, and like most things I write, I jotted down my thoughts in very simple fashion. The following is what I came up with in regards to praying for lost people in our lives.

First of all, we need to be clear on how a person finds salvation. Professing Christians sometimes are so divided on this one simple, infinitely important matter, it’s a wonder that anybody ever gets saved at all – which is exactly my point. Salvation has nothing to do with a person’s efforts, whether it be the evangelist, preacher, or the witnessing Christian; it is “of the Lord”. Water baptism can’t save you, good works can’t save you, circumcision can’t save you, the “sinner’s prayer” can’t save you. Only God can save us, and He chooses to do so through “repentance and faith”:

“You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
Acts 20:20-21, 25-27

"... Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
Mark 1:14-15

Paul clearly explains here that the whole will of God – everything that “would be helpful” - is for us to repent and have faith in His Son. Jesus Himself said the proper and necessary response to the gospel is repentance and faith. So, repentance and faith (belief) are necessary for salvation. How do we get these two necessary components? Both are actually free gifts from God, as proved in the following two Bible verses:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast”
Ephesians 2:8-9

“Those who oppose him [a servant of God] he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth”
2 Timothy 2:25

Thus, the two conditions of salvation, repentance and faith, are both “gifts of God” that are “granted” to us. Therefore, salvation is really not conditional at all, since the conditions of salvation are given freely from the One who saves. Imagine yourself drowning in a lake and someone rescues you. You had nothing to do with your own rescue, right? It’s exactly the same when God saves you. This way, it is “not by works, so that no one can boast.” Nobody can ever brag about being a Christian, it is an oxymoron to say so. It’s like me bragging about my own good looks – I didn’t do anything to obtain them, they were merely given to me.

Now that we know that no one can save himself, and that even the faith and repentance that all Christians acquire are actually gifts, and that it is God who chooses who will be saved, then how can we see our friends and loved ones saved if it is not their choice to be? How can we get God to show mercy and save them? Well, why don’t we just ask Him to? 2 Samuel 21:14 says that God is “moved by prayer”. Here are some powerful verses on receiving answered prayer from God (I must admit I have not tapped into these promises nearly enough, but by God’s grace I will start):


“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” Matt 18:19

“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matt 21:22

"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” Mark 11:24

"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13

And there are many, many, many more verses on asking and receiving from God. Read carefully the things in prayer that God will give us: “anything you ask for”, “whatever you ask for”, “all things for which you pray and ask”, and “whatever you ask in My name”. Does that clear it up? EVERYTHING WE ASK FOR WE CAN GET FROM GOD IF IT IS ASKED IN HIS NAME. Is salvation for others included in “everything”? YES!!