JUICY JULY 2020
DAY 24
PROGRAM THEME: KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR FOR OUR UNSAVED LOVED ONES
TEXTS: ROMANS 10:1
OUR FIRST SONG:

CAN ANYBODY HEAR HER BY CASTING CROWNS

She is running a hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction
She is trying but the canyon’s ever-widening in the depths of her cold heart
So she sets out on another misadventure just to find
She’s another two years older and she’s three more steps behind

Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even know she’s going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?

She is yearning for shelter and affection that she never found at home
She is searching for a hero to ride in, to ride in and save the day
And then walks in her prince charming and he knows just what to say
Momentary lapse of reason and she gives herself away

Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even know she’s going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?

If judgment looms under every steeple with lofty glances from lofty people
Who can’t see past her scarlet letter and we’ve never even met her
If judgment looms under every steeple with lofty glances from lofty people
Who can’t see past her scarlet letter and we’ve never even met her

Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even know she’s going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?

Does anybody even know she’s going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple with all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me

Does anybody hear her? Does anybody see?

He is running a hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction.

Listen Below:

Hmmmm….!!!

What is your desire for your unsaved loved ones?

When you think of them right now, is it anger, bitterness or pain that is in your heart?

When last did you reach out to them in love?

When was the last time you prayed, like really prayed for tem?

Our major text for today tells us what should be in our hearts towards our unsaved loved ones;

ROMANS 10:1; “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.”

As Christians, we know the truth that accepting the Lord into our heart and receiving His salvation is the most precious gift we can receive here Earthside. When you have a loved one that has not been saved though, it is heartbreaking to think that the only place you will know that loved one is here on Earth, and not in eternal life in Heaven with our Savior but in ….(kinda hard to even think about it, right?).

And sometimes it is so hard to find the words to say or even the words to pray.
People often get discouraged when praying for the salvation of loved ones and begin to wonder if their prayers ever really help.

Well, guess what? Yes! Your prayers can be a powerful force in the lives of your unsaved relatives and friends if you know how to pray for them according to the wisdom and Word of God.

The problem is that most Christians don’t know how to pray with skill. They just throw prayers in every direction and hope something comes of it. What exactly are these people praying? It usually boils down to something like this: “Oh, God, please save my brother. He needs to be saved.” (Don’t you think God knows he needs saving?) Then they might go a step further and start rehearsing their brother’s sins: “Lord, he got drunk again last night and we had to bail him out of jail again. If You don’t save him, he’s going to drive us all crazy!”

I bet many of us have prayed prayers that sounded something like that.

What we haven’t understood is this: *There’s nothing wrong with your unsaved loved one (or any other unsaved person) except the devil*.

No human being who truly understood the salvation Jesus has offered to us would reject that salvation of his own free will. No one!

Why, then, are so many people still unsaved? II Corinthians 4:4 tells us it is because “the god of this world [the devil] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Once you realize it’s the devil (not your loved one) that’s the real problem, your first prayer step becomes clear. *You must get the devil out of your loved one’s way.* II Timothy 2:26

Now, you may not be able to cast that devil entirely out of the situation, because your loved one may invite him back in faster than you can cast him out. But you can bind that spirit and keep it bound. Matthew 18:18.

As Jesus said, “How can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man?” (Matthew 12:29). You can’t! So bind him.

It’s the Word of God that brings faith for salvation: “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). So you need to see to it that the Word gets into your loved one’s heart.
“How?” you say, “My loved one won’t listen to me!” Probably not, but God knows who your loved one will listen to, and He’ll send that person halfway around the world to talk to your loved one if necessary.

So _Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that e will send fort laborers into is harvest_ (Matthew 9:37-38).

From then on, put your faith in action by treating your loved one like he’s/she’s saved. Don’t treat your loved one like he’s/she’s not good. On the contrary, every time you see your loved one, say, “Praise God! Isn’t it good to know Jesus?”

Then just stand back and watch how things change. You’ll be amazed.
In our prayers, we must remember that God “wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” and His desire to save the lost is far greater than ours (1 Timothy 2:4). *We are not praying to a reluctant God, but a God who is eager to save and redeem*

As we pray, God readies our hearts to do His will, while also inviting us to rest in the fact that only He can change hearts.
You may see the fruit of your prayers immediately, or you may never see the full impact of your intercession.

Either way, don’t give up praying for your unsaved loved ones.

Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:9 reminds us that to God, a thousand years is like a day, so our time perspective is very different. God’s timing is perfect and God is good all the time. He doesn’t want anyone to perish and will answer our prayers when we ask Him for the salvation of our loved ones.

Remember, we are engaged in a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:12-20), and one of our greatest weapons is prayer. God is in the business of doing the impossible, and He can change even the hardest of hearts.

Many of us used to have hearts that were not open to God’s message of love, but have had a heart change after others have prayed for us, perhaps even for years.

However, it’s easy to grow weary in prayer. We’re human, after all, and today, we live in a culture that expects instant results. We forget that the Lord taught persistence, patience, and endurance in prayer. He encourages us through His Word to pray without ceasing, to come boldly before the throne of grace, and to ask, seek and knock repeatedly.

Yet, after sometime, we’re tempted to give up. We think the Lord has answered our prayer with a no. We assume he isn’t going to save the loved one we’ve been praying for. We assume they’re too far gone or too hard-hearted to be broken. We might even assume they’re unreachable and it’s all pointless.

So, is it okay to stop praying for them!?
NO!

Why? Well, the Bible tells us not to give up in prayer: There are many passages in Scripture that encourage persistent prayer. Some of these you may be more familiar with than others, but on the days where you feel discouraged with a seeming lack of progress, pull one of these verses up and let it resonate. Tape it on your mirror or on your prayer journal cover. Submerge yourself in truth and encouragement from the Word. Verses like;

James 5:17-18 – Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. …and let’s not forget Luke 18:1-7, II Peter 3:9; Jeremiah 1:12; Isaiah 55:11; Philippians 1:6 and lots more.

Consider the thief on the cross: No one would have expected him to turn and repent in those final moments of his life, but he did. The Lord led the criminal to Himself in his last breaths, and that salvation was real and permanent. We should never assume the Lord won’t do the same for our family or friends. Keep asking. While they have breath, it’s not too late and they’re not too far gone.

We reside in an upside-down kingdom: When we put our faith in Jesus, nothing is impossible. What seems unlikely, improbable or even absurd is absolutely possible with God. It might look like your lost loved one is drawing further away from the Lord (and they might be).

But that could also very possibly be the Holy Spirit working on their hearts and convicting them. For instance, maybe you shared the gospel with a man who seemed polite and distant in his rejection.

But over time, he grew more agitated and even approached you with questions to debate. His disinterest turned passionate, even angry. You should see that as the Lord drawing him nearer, rather than further away. *The anger is a symptom of a heart losing its callousness.*

If this happens in your life, avoid the temptation to give up and think they’ve made their decision and it’s too late. It might be that salvation is right around the corner.

Don’t assume emotion equals result: Sometimes, when you’re feeling led to pray for someone’s salvation, you might feel a lot of emotion. There could be a grab-bag of tears, passion, and even physical stress as you pour your petitions before the Lord. This is good.

But don’t assume that emotion equals results. The Lord answers prayers for salvation that aren’t always tearful or anxious. Some prayers might be calm and confident. Other prayers might be scared and desperate. Some prayers might be long or short. This isn’t the key. *The key is to Whom you are praying, and the power He has over eternity.*

Refuse to believe the lie that if you’re not emotionally connected to the prayer, the prayer didn’t count. That’s incredibly untrue, and most likely a tactic of the enemy to discourage us from praying. Don’t fall for it.

So, are you feeling discouraged that you have been praying for someone’s salvation but they have yet to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour?

Does it seem as if you haven’t witnessed much change? *Don’t give up praying!*

The key to truly loving someone like God does is to keep hoping and persevering.

Get smart! Start praying according to the Word and praying by faith…and you will see the salvation of the Lord!

Our faith is not in the seen but what God has been doing behind the scenes.
IT’S TIME TO PRAY

FIRST, Take a new page in your prayer journal and write out all the names of your loved ones that are unsaved.

Remember to put in the names of your neighbors, people you’ve been preaching to or have preached to one time or the other.

Done?

Great!

We’re going to group all of them under the heading “LOVED ONES” as we pray.

We are to open our journal to the page with the list of names and lift it up as we pray.

Now, Let’s take our second song prayerfully

PRAYER FOR A FRIEND BY CASTING CROWNS

Lord, I lift my friend to You, I’ve done all that I know to do
I lift my friend to You
Complicated circumstances have clouded his view
Lord, I lift my friend up to You
I fear that I won’t have the words that he needs to hear
I pray for Your wisdom, oh God, and a heart that’s sincere
Lord, I lift my friend up to You

Lord, I lift my friend to You
My best friend in the world, I know he means much more to You
I want so much to help him, but this is something he has to do
And Lord, I lift my friend up to You

‘Cause there’s a way that seems so right to him
But You know where that leads
He’s becoming a puppet of the world, too blind to see the strings
Lord, I lift my friend up to You
My friend up to You

Lord, I lift my friend to You, I’ve done all that I know to do
I lift my friend to You

Listen Below:

LET’S PRAY;

As you speak God’s Word, remember that it will not return to Him void. It will prosper in the thing whereto it is sent (Isaiah 55:11)

Before we pray for others, let’s first go humbly before God and ask Him if there is anything we may need to repent of personally before we pray for others.

Father, I come before You in prayer and in faith, believing. Your Word says You desire all men to be saved and come into the knowledge of the truth, so I bring all my unsaved loved ones (make sure to be lifting up your list) before You this day.

I break the power of Satan from his assignments and activities in their lives in the Name of Jesus

You spirit operating in the life of my loved ones, blinding them to the gospel to keep them out of the kingdom of God, I bind you now. I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. I carry His authority and righteousness, and in His Name I command you to desist in your maneuvers. I spoil your house according to the Word of God and I enter into it to deliver my loved ones from your hands.

Now, while Satan is bound, Lord of the harvest, I ask that You send forth the perfect laborers to share the good news of the gospel in such a way that they will listen and understand it. Send laborers who can communicate effectively with them so Your Word can reach their heart.

As the truth is ministered, I pray they will open their eyes to the gospel, come out of the snare of the devil and make Jesus their Lord.

Father, I ask that You fill them with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Father God, I know that no one can come to Jesus unless the Father . . . draws them. I ask that You draw them to Your Son, that they may know You personally and spend eternity with You.

Lord God, I ask that You move upon their hearts to accept the Truth of Christ. Give them a heart to know You that You are the Lord, so that they will be Your people, and You will be their God, and may they return to You with all their heart.

Overwhelm them with the reality of Your love that they may grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.

Lord, use me, as much as is Your Will, to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in You

Holy Spirit, show me specifically how to minister to each of them —whether I should be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; or show mercy, mixed with fear. Reveal opportunities to share about You, and give me the strength to obey when You open the door.

Father God, Your Word says that godly sorrow brings repentance which leads to salvation and leaves no regret). Only You can open our eyes to the reality that all have sinned and fallen short of Your glory. Come upon them with a sense of godly sorrow for their sins that they may repent, surrender to You, and be saved.

Lord, I pray that these loved ones of mine get numerous opportunities to hear the Word of God and the spiritual climate around them will change.
Father, I pray that any spiritual blindness over them is completely removed in the name of Jesus Christ and that their hearts are softened so they will be receptive to Christ.2 Corinthians 4:4

I ask for their hearts to be softened so that they will allow God’s light and love to penetrate any darkness in their lives in the mighty name of Jesus.

Lord, I’m down on my knees crying out for my loved ones who are not yet saved. Their hearts are closed to your message of salvation. Let your Holy Spirit minister to them, lead them to repent their sins and surrender their lives to you that they may see your kingdom.

Give them the strength and wisdom to always call on you when they get tempted to go back to sin. Give them the surety that we all sin and as a faithful Father, you forgive us our sins never to remember them again

Father, I ask for favor over them so they have the time they need to turn to Him as their saviour and that You continues to shower His mercy on them in the mighty name of Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-5

Lord, draw my loved ones to Christ in the mighty name of Jesus. (John 6:44)

I pray they will hear the Gospel and be surrounded by Christian witnesses in the mighty name of Jesus. (Romans 10:14)

I pray God will draw them to a saving encounter with Christ in the mighty name of Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:4)

I pray that the Holy Spirit would convict them in the mighty name of Jesus. (John 16:7-8)

Lord, I cry out to You that You shine Your light in their dark hearts so they can see the light of the glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the mighty name of Jesus. (Acts 26:17-18)

Everlasting King, I bow before you, praying for the salvation of my loved ones who don’t believe in you. Their ways are dark and against your commandments. Show them Your light.

Make their hearts receptive to your message of grace. Let them know of your promises.

Let your love overcome their desire to sin. Put to death the desires of their flesh so that they may focus on the desires of the spirit and be among the ones sanctified by faith. Show them your ways.

Lord, help me to be patient while You fulfill Your promise, that all should reach repentance in the mighty name of Jesus. (2 Peter 3:9)

I pray that they will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and listen to His conviction and their conscience, confessing their sins and repenting in the mighty name of Jesus. (James 4:8)

I pray that the lessons they learned and the seeds that were planted as a child will sprout in their hearts and they will return to the faith of their youth in the mighty name of Jesus. (Proverbs 22:6)

I pray that You would circumcise their hearts in the mighty name of Jesus. (Deuteronomy 30:6).

Lord I pray that You would give them a heart of flesh, a heart that is alive and responsive to God in the mighty name of Jesus. (Ezekiel 11:19).

Lord, I pray that God would put his Spirit within them and take up residence within them (Ezekiel 36:27).
Lord, I pray that they would come to Christ through Christ and Christ alone. (John 14:6).

Father open their hearts to believe the gospel. (Acts 16:14)

Father free them from the slavery of sin. (Romans 6:17).

Father remove Satan’s blinding influence and give them sight—spiritual sight (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Father grant them repentance that would lead them to knowledge of the truth and make them come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil. (2 Timothy 2:25-26).

Lord, help me to develop deeper, more significant relationship with them so I can, in turn, speak truth. (Romans 10:14).

I ask for opportunities to minister to them. (Matthew 5:16).

Give me the grace to pray for them faithfully and persistently. (Colossians 4:2).

Lord give me a great burden to plead for their souls. (Romans 10:1).

Lord, give me boldness that I need in generating and taking opportunities to speak the gospel to them. (Ephesians 6:19).

I pray that You would lead other Christians into their lives so that they too would provide an example of Christian living and they too would speak the gospel to them. (1 Corinthians 3:6).

I Pray that God would use any circumstance to do his work in them.

Lord arrange circumstances, whether easy or difficult, to lead them to salvation. (Psalm 119:67

Lord extend Your mercy to them and be glorified in the salvation of these people (2 Peter 3:9).

NOW WE DECREE!!!

Father, in the Name of Jesus, I come before You in prayer and faith believing that all things are possible with You. I believe Your Word and You watch over Your Word to perform it. You wish above all things that all men should be saved. You said that we can have whatsoever we say.

I say, in the Name of Jesus, my loved ones are saved, NOW!

Salvation has come to my loved ones house, NOW!

In Jesus’ Name, Spirit-filled laborers cross their paths, NOW! presenting the clear, concise, gospel to them that they will not be able to resist.

Satan, in the Name of Jesus, I bind your blinding spirit of antichrist and loose you from your assignment against my loved ones who have the opportunity to make Jesus Lord of their lives.

Now, Father, I release the angels to do spiritual warfare on my loved ones bringing full repentance, in Jesus’ Name.

I praise You now, Father, for this is so, in Jesus’ Name. Amen! Amen!