4 Step Guide - Praying to Reach the Lost

(Editor's Note: The following is a guide for preaching or teaching God’s people God’s plan for praying for lost people)

STEP 1 - Pray from a pure heart

Praying for the lost is a spiritual work and requires that those praying have a pure heart. Therefore, pray and ask God to reveal any sin that is present in your life. Confess and repent of the sin God reveals in order to pray with a pure heart before God (I John 1:9, James 5:16).

1. Through personal prayer take a few minutes to allow God to reveal sin.
2. Through personal prayer confess and repent of any revealed sin.

STEP 2 - Pray for a personal burden to reach lost people

In Matthew 9:35-39 Jesus’ life teaches us that we should pray the following three prayers.

1. Jesus, help me feel what you feel for people (Compassion).
2. Jesus, help me see the spiritual condition of people (Harassed and Helpless) as you do.
3. Jesus, help me be a willing worker in God’s harvest field and pray for others to join me in this work (Sent Out Workers).

STEP 3 - Pray for the lost by name

Pray the following Scriptures for the names of the top ten prospects.

1. Pray for the lost to see their need for God (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).
2. Pray for the lost to escape from the devil’s trap (2 Timothy 2:25-26).
3. Pray for the lost to be convicted of sin (Acts 2:37).
4. Pray for the lost to repent of sin and be saved (Acts 2:38).

STEP 4 - Pray for personal obedience in sharing the gospel

The following are suggestions for connecting with lost people as the Lord leads (Romans 1:16).

1. I will pray daily for a specific individual who is lost.
2. I will send an e-mail or letter to connect with a lost person.
3. I will invite a lost person to lunch for the purpose of sharing the gospel.
4. I will bring a lost person to Sunday School.