Pray for America and the World: The Whys and Hows
The local churches, denominations, ministries, and the prayer movement in America cannot be separated from evangelism. Consider this: If prayer and the desire for evangelism are genuine, they happen simultaneously.
Are local churches, denominations, ministries and the prayer movement in America praying for others to come to Jesus Christ? Are you praying for others to come to Jesus Christ? Do you call out specific names to God each day?
America needs Jesus Christ more now than ever before. Our hearts should be broken over the lostness of America and the world. Mocking it helps no one. Ignoring it does not make it go away.
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Every genuine Christian needs to pray for others to come to faith in Jesus Christ.
3 Specific Ways to Pray for Others to Come to Jesus Christ
1. Pray for the scales to fall away from their blinded eyes.
We cannot deny the reality of what Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 4:4, "In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
Only through God opening their eyes and minds to the gospel will the unsaved see and hear the good news of Jesus Christ. We need to pray for them and appeal to God for this to happen.
When people do not know Jesus Christ, they are blinded to the truth of their great need for salvation. Intercessory prayer that is intentional and continuous can see God remove the scales of blindness over their eyes and help them to see themselves as God sees them: Lost and in need of a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If we believe God can do anything with anyone at any time, then we can offer up prayers for the lost perpetually. I have seen God answer these prayers in my own life and through the life of my church.
2. Pray for God to engineer their circumstances to convince them they need Jesus Christ.
Our God is Sovereign and desires for all persons to come to Jesus Christ. He can engineer circumstances to help convince them that their number one need is spiritual, and the answer is found in Jesus Christ alone.
I believe we can pray like this because God wants all people to turn from living their own way, doing their own thing, and come to Him. 2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance."
Therefore, I pray that our great Sovereign God will engineer circumstances in their life that will show them their deep and desperate need for Jesus Christ.
3. Pray for God to send someone to tell them about Jesus Christ.
As you pray for them to hear about Jesus Christ, be willing to tell them yourself. In fact, ask God for the open door to share the good news of Jesus Christ with them and others. You might be the "someone" that others are praying for to tell their friend or family member about Christ. Be faithful to ask God to use you to share Jesus with others.
What God is Saying to America and the World Today
I do not know all that God is saying to America and to the world today, but one thing I am confident He is doing: He is calling every American and every person in this world into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
May we be faithful to pray for all people to see our need for Jesus Christ and come to a personal relationship with Him.
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the senior pastor of Cross Church and president of the National Day of Prayer, which each year mobilizes millions of Americans to unified public prayer for the United States of America. He's the immediate past president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Follow him on Twitter (@ronniefloyd), Instagram (@ronniefloyd) and Facebook.
