Personal Factors

03_Personal Factors for Praying for the Lost

Introduction:

“and led him away to crucify him.”

“For this cause, I will bend my knee.” [] Do you have a cause? Did Jesus not say “ye shall be witnesses unto me” []? How are we doing in the cause given us by Christ? Are we being witnesses; are we bowing our knees for the cause of Christ? This morning I want to continue on the theme of praying for the lost. I truly believe that God will honor our prayers, if through our prayers, we seek to glorify Him.

There are two factors or conditions needed in every prayer – righteousness and faith.

RIGHTEOUSNESS:

· The imputed righteousness of Christ, which comes through His shed blood, is what gives us boldness to approach His throne of grace. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

o It is absolutely indispensable for effective prayer.

· But personal righteousness is also crucial, for says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”

o There has to be a certain amount of our own righteousness within in us just to go before God; that part of us that is obedient to God.

Perhaps Jesus summed it up best when He said, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (). In other words, obedient Christians get their prayers answered!!

Faith:

· “Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.”

o It is always according to our faith. How often did Jesus reference faith to the healings He did?

Other Factors:

1. Brokenness - , “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.”

a. When was the last time any of us wept over a lost soul?

2. Travail – “…Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”

a. Have you ever experienced travailing over some lost soul?

b. It’s time we get busy travailing over the lost.

3. Persistence – [he, Satan] “That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?”

a. Satan refuses to let his prisoners free.

4. Aggression – “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

a. Are you prepared to storm the gates of hell for a lost loved one?

5. Pleading – – Abraham for Sodom

i. Dare we go before God and challenge HIM to save X# of souls?

b. – Moses for Israel / – Hezekiah for Judah

6. Motive – Our primary motive in praying for the lost must be for God’s glory

a. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit;”

b. It is for God’s glory that we seek salvations; never for our own.

7. A Sacrificial Spirit – this has been demonstrated for us:

a. Paul who was willing to be “accursed from Christ” for the salvation of his Jewish people ().

b. Moses who fasted and prayed another forty days and nights because of the sins of his people. ().

c. Esther who declared, “If I perish, I perish” ().

8. Unity –the most powerful element for praying for the lost.

a. It wasn’t until my family came together, as a family, praying for one man, that God seemingly began to work in my son’s life. AND it seemed to be immediately.

b. “That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” .

The evidence of the unity of this Church will be made known tonight at 6pm where we will once again gather for the purpose of praying for the salvation of lost souls in the community of Reidville.

Pray – Dismiss

Pulpit copy on next page.

03_Personal Factors for Praying for the Lost

Introduction: turn to “and led him away to crucify him.”

“For this cause, I will bend my knee.” [] Do you have a cause? Did Jesus not say “ye shall be witnesses unto me” []? How are we doing in the cause given us by Christ? Are we being witnesses; are we bowing our knees for the cause of Christ? This morning I want to continue on the theme of praying for the lost. I truly believe that God will honor our prayers, if through our prayers, we seek to glorify Him.

There are two factors or conditions needed in every prayer – righteousness and faith.

RIGHTEOUSNESS:

· The imputed righteousness of Christ, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

· But personal righteousness is also crucial, for says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”

Perhaps Jesus summed it up best when He said, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (). In other words, prayers answered!!

Faith:

· “Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.”

Other Factors:

9. Brokenness - , “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.”

10. Travail – “…Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”

11. Persistence – [he, Satan] “That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?”

12. Aggression – “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Are you prepared to storm the gates of hell in prayer?

13. Pleading – – Abraham for Sodom. Dare we ask for X# of souls?

a. – Moses for Israel / – Hezekiah for Judah

14. Motive – Our primary motive in praying for the lost must be for God’s glory

a. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit;”

b. It is for God’s glory that we seek salvations; never for our own.

15. A Sacrificial Spirit – this has been demonstrated for us:

a. Paul who was willing to be “accursed from Christ” for the salvation of his Jewish people ().

b. Moses who fasted and prayed another forty days and nights because of the sins of his people. ().

c. Esther who declared, “If I perish, I perish” ().

16. Unity –the most powerful element for praying for the lost. I’ve experienced this.

a. “That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” .

Invitation: Maybe you’re here this morning and someone has been praying for you. Maybe you’ve felt the tug of GOD on you heart. Maybe you’d like to make a public profession of faith today – “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” .