Pray for Lost Sinners

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.” (Romans 10:1)

Paul had a deep desire for his people, the Jews, to be saved. He not only preached to them and witnessed one on one to them, he prayed for them.

Praying for lost and unsaved people works. I’m not sure how, but it does. I’m not sure how praying for someone with cancer works either but it often does. In praying for the lost, most certainly we are not trying to convince God to do something He does not want to do. Surely, Calvary would convince everyone how desperately He wants the lost to be saved. He is, “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9)

We were in the middle of a revival. Nothing had happened up to this time. My father called on anyone who would to stay after the service and pray. There were not many of us. We scattered out in the sanctuary with no two of us together. We knelt, or stood, or sat on the pews and prayed. No food was served. There was no music. There were no loud voices among us; just low voices in prayer. About three a.m. my father said, “It’s in the hands of God. Let’s go home and come back tonight.” That night when the invitation to accept Christ was extended several people came forward receiving Christ as their Savior and professing faith in Him.

Pray for the lost sinners to be saved. It works.