Practical Prayer Evangelism

Praying for the lost works

In 1993 I led a bible study series with a group of twenty or so rather boisterous University students who asked to be taught about prayer. In the process we had a book for the prayer points with three columns, Request, Date Entered, and Date Answered. They started praying for their friends salvation, and within a couple of weeks the converts started rolling in, two or three a week, and often ending up at the bible study. Every person “put in the book” for prayer came to Christ, and naturally enough the prayer journal became known as the “book of life”. If memory serves me correctly about 25 people came to Christ, through prayer alone, that semester. Prayer worked, even with inexperienced believers, who hated witnessing, and people were saved.

What are they key ingredients to such successful prayer evangelism?

A group of believers gathered in unity. (Matthew 18:19,20)
Being taught in how to pray. (Luke 11:1)
And praying in faith. (Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:24)
For the lost. (Romans 10:1-3, 1 Timothy 2:1-8)
Who are their “neighbors”. (Luke 10;25-37)
Lovingly by name. (Exodus 33:17, Isaiah 43:1)
Regularly and persistently. (Luke 18:1-8)
And recording the answers and building faith. (1Chronicles 16:4)

That said, why does prayer evangelism work?

Prayer wrestles against the powers and principalities (Eph. 6:10-20).
That keep people in spiritual bondage (Eph. 2:1-4; 4:127-19).
And which can deceive them away from the truth (1 Tim. 4:1-14).
Prayer also opens people's spiritual eyes (Col. 1:9; Eph. 1:17-19).
And assist with the Holy Spirit's work of convicting them of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8).

For more on How To Pray For The Lost go to http://www.aibi.ph/articles/praylost.htm

How then can a local church or home church undertake prayer evangelism?

Firstly teach your people how to pray. (Luke 11:1) Christians generally have to be taught in how to pray. It is a process of learning about who we are in Christ, our spiritual authority, and how the promises of God can be claimed in faith. Free material on how to pray can be found at http://www.aibi.ph/prayer/

Get a Prayer Journal and use it. Faith is built when we see prayer answered. It is good to record the deeds of the Lord. So get a large notebook and rule it into three columns, a wide column for the prayer request and two narrower columns for date entered and date answered. Make the Prayer Journal part of every prayer meeting and weekly bible study for that group.

Pray regularly and persistently. Pray each week at the bible study or home church meeting. Pray for all the unanswered items, each week. Within four to six weeks you should start seeing people saved.

Pray in faith and expect answers. (Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:24)The Scriptures tell us to pray “believing we have received”, faith and holy expectation reach Heaven.

Pray lovingly by name for people. Names are important to God who “knows us by name” and “redeems us by name” (Isaiah 43:1 Exodus 33:17)) and for some reason have great power in the spiritual realm. Prayer that is directed personally and lovingly, in faith , on the basis of redemption of a soul, is powerful.

Pray for “neighbors who are lost”. God has put us next to certain people for their salvation. There is often a divine purpose in who we meet and who the Lord places on our hearts. Ask God to give you a prayer burden for specific people of your family, friends and neighbors.

Any group of three believers can do this. It does not require you to “be an evangelist”, to hand out tracts or to knock on doors. If someone wants a gospel presentation you can direct them to an online gospel presentation such as:

http://www.aibi.ph/articles/gospel1.htm

You don’t even need to form a committee! Just get your notebook, your bible, a couple of friends – and pray for the lost.

This article may be freely reproduced for non-profit ministry purposes but may not be sold in any way. For permission to use articles in your ministry, e-mail the editor, John Edmiston at johned@aibi.ph.