Pray for the Lost

Why pray for unbelievers?

Isaiah 6:1–8 ESV

1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Reason #1 - When a person encounters the holiness of God, we realize our true condition - “come and see”.

Trauma and encountering the Lord often go together. Losing a long-term beloved leader would be traumatic for any person. There is one death in Lenawee County every three days, but there are less traumatic events in life also. For instance, I took our van in to get a tire patched this week and they said, “You shouldn’t drive this until you buy new tires.” Our van is a backup vehicle, but that could be traumatic for some people. On Saturday, I pulled up into a gas station and the pump kept declining my debit card so I went to the ATM and paid cash. Not having enough gas money could be traumatic for some people. Throughout this passage, we’re going to see “come and see” alongside “search and rescue”.

Let’s learn some history about Isaiah the man. 2 Chronicles 26 tells us that Uzziah reigned 52 years and was a godly king. Next up was Jotham, who reigned for 16 years and was a godly king. After Jotham was Ahaz, who also reigned for 16 years, but was not a godly king. After Jotham was Hezekiah, who was a godly king for much of his 29 year reign. In 2 Chronicles 32, Isaiah told Hezekiah about his terminal illness and God gracious gave Hezekiah 15 additional years. From Uzziah’s death to Hezekiah’s illness is 46 years. We don’t know Isaiah’s age in chapter 6, but it might be that he is a young man questioning a lot things about life and where to turn. You certainly don’t need to be young to have questions about life and wonder where to turn. For Isaiah, trauma led to questions which led to searching. The searching led to an invitation into God’s holy presence. This was a “come and see” moment for Isaiah. He realized all of the unrighteousness that prevailed in his life, his family, his village and his tribe.

God sent the cavalry. Hey seraphim, go love Isaiah. He’s my boy. Go wraps your arms around him, remove his guilt and allow him to experience redemption. Search and Rescue. Your salvation story and my salvation story is also a search and rescue story. There are people in our community who do not yet know Jesus, but hoping for a search and rescue story. The Father is calling them the same way he called Isaiah, the same way he called you and me. Hey angels, go love ___________. He’s my boy. She’s my daughter. __________ has a bright future that will bring my glory.

Reason #2 - Through another person’s prayer, we realize the weight of our guilt and our need for atonement - “search and rescue”.

Do you know what Isaiah signed up for? Isaiah, go preach judgment. Go preach so they don’t see the graciousness of the Lord and don’t listen to his voice. Go give a message that cultivates a dull heart among Israel.

Throughout the Old Testament, we see different occasions that God proclaims judgment upon his people. Start at Exodus and it won’t take long before you find a judgment from God. The point of the judgment and, thus, the point of Isaiah’s message was to cultivate a response. God communicates judgment so people will change their ungodly, sinful patterns of life. It’s not about the judgment. It’s about cultivating a response of oneness.

Did you know that people often need assistance when change is necessary? I know a guy who wants to lose 50 pounds in the next year and he told me about his weekly appointments with a nutritionist. Think about this guy (SHOW PICTURE). Maybe you’ve seen this person at a medical office, or a hospital, or Thanksgiving dinner. There is a phrase that nobody really knows where it came from, but lots of people say it ~ “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

Isaiah signed up to deliver a message that called Israel to change their actions and live as the chosen people of God through the transforming power of (then, the law) and (later, the Holy Spirit). But Israel needed a little help to get there. I was driving down the road the other day and I noticed THIS BUMPER STICKER. Do you know any unbelievers that are searching for goodness and kindness and little more love in our world? Do you know any unbelievers that wish people would be a little more patient, a little more gentle and find some self-control? Do you know any unbelievers that are hoping for happiness and peace and a little more commitment?

Do you recognize where those things come from? Galatians 5:22–23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

All of those things are experienced when a person encounters and experiences the holiness of God.

How should we pray for unbelievers?

Isaiah 6:8–10 ESV

8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 10 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

I want to give you three prayers that we should be praying so that a person can encounter and experience the holiness of God. Remember, our design is oneness with Him?

Lord Jesus, would you soften my heart so I become available to speak as your messenger?

Romans 10:14 “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”

Let’s pray this prayer so we aren’t grouped into the 95% of evangelicals who believe sharing the gospel is NOT their job.

Lord Jesus, would you make yourself known to __________ by giving them eyes that recognize you and ears that hear the Holy Spirit’s conviction, so they could have understanding in their heart and turn to you?

John 16:8 - “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:”

Lord Jesus, would you provide clear opportunities for me to declare the gospel with clarity?

Colossians 4:3–4 - “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”

How long do we pray for unbelievers?

Isaiah 6:11–13 ESV

11 Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, 12 and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. 13 And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.” The holy seed is its stump.

Can anybody put those events into their calendar? Can anybody plan vacation around those events? The answer is no.

We pray for unbelievers until we stop breathing, they stop breathing, they repent, or Jesus returns.