Praying For Your Unbelieving Friends
One of the most loving things you can do
Years ago when I was on a summer discipleship experience, we were giving a packet of what to pray for our Christian friends. I have since lost that, but those verses helped me to not just pray but also know God’s heart for the lost. “Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still. He will never talk well and with real success to men for God who has not learned well how to talk to God for men”
– E. M. Bounds.
– E. M. Bounds.
Here are 10 things you can pray for non-believing friends and family rooted in the scriptures.
1. Pray that God draws them to Himself
2. That God would give the gift of faith through hearing
3. Pray that Satan is bound from blinding them to the truth
4. That the Holy Spirit helps them see their sin / need
6. That they have courage to believe, receive, declare Christ.
7. That they repent turn from sin
8. Pray that their brokenness be healed and comforted.
9. Pray that they lead others to faith as new believers.
10. Pray that they would persevere to the end.
1. Pray that God draws them to Himself
- John 6:44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day."
2. That God would give the gift of faith through hearing
- Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
- Romans 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."
3. Pray that Satan is bound from blinding them to the truth
- Matthew 13:19 “The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts...”
- 2 Corinthians 4:4 “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”
4. That the Holy Spirit helps them see their sin / need
- John 16:8–13 “And when (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of its
sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment..... He will guide you into all truth....”
- Matthew 9:37–38 “He said to his disciples, 'The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.'"
6. That they have courage to believe, receive, declare Christ.
- John 1:12 “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”
- John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”
- Romans 10:9–10 “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”
7. That they repent turn from sin
- Acts 17:30–31 “... (God) commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.”
- Acts 3:19 “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.”
8. Pray that their brokenness be healed and comforted.
- Isaiah 61:1-2 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of our God’s vengeance, to comfort all who mourn..."
9. Pray that they lead others to faith as new believers.
- Isaiah 61:4 "They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations."
10. Pray that they would persevere to the end.
- Matthew 24:13 "But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved."
One of the most loving things you can do
Years ago when I was on a summer discipleship experience, we were giving a packet of what to pray for our Christian friends. I have since lost that, but those verses helped me to not just pray but also know God’s heart for the lost. “Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still. He will never talk well and with real success to men for God who has not learned well how to talk to God for men”
– E. M. Bounds.
– E. M. Bounds.
Here are 10 things you can pray for non-believing friends and family rooted in the scriptures.
1. Pray that God draws them to Himself
2. That God would give the gift of faith through hearing
3. Pray that Satan is bound from blinding them to the truth
4. That the Holy Spirit helps them see their sin / need
6. That they have courage to believe, receive, declare Christ.
7. That they repent turn from sin
8. Pray that their brokenness be healed and comforted.
9. Pray that they lead others to faith as new believers.
10. Pray that they would persevere to the end.
1. Pray that God draws them to Himself
- John 6:44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day."
2. That God would give the gift of faith through hearing
- Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
- Romans 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."
3. Pray that Satan is bound from blinding them to the truth
- Matthew 13:19 “The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts...”
- 2 Corinthians 4:4 “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”
4. That the Holy Spirit helps them see their sin / need
- John 16:8–13 “And when (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of its
sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment..... He will guide you into all truth....”
- Matthew 9:37–38 “He said to his disciples, 'The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.'"
6. That they have courage to believe, receive, declare Christ.
- John 1:12 “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”
- John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”
- Romans 10:9–10 “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”
7. That they repent turn from sin
- Acts 17:30–31 “... (God) commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.”
- Acts 3:19 “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.”
8. Pray that their brokenness be healed and comforted.
- Isaiah 61:1-2 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of our God’s vengeance, to comfort all who mourn..."
9. Pray that they lead others to faith as new believers.
- Isaiah 61:4 "They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations."
10. Pray that they would persevere to the end.
- Matthew 24:13 "But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved."