Pray
for All Men
“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men ~ For this is
good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all men to be
saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4, NKJV). We know that believers
everywhere are burdened for unsaved or backsliding loved ones. However, many
are praying in a spirit of fear and worry instead of in faith. This has caused the writer
to seek for definite light on how to pray, feeling the need of praying the right
prayer, also the need for a definite promise or word upon which to base our
faith when praying for the unsaved. Praise God, He never fails to give such
needed help. Perhaps because the
salvation of some looked to us to be impossible, the first Scripture that was
given us was: "With men it is
impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible"
(Mark 10:27, NKJV). The next Scripture had
occupied our attention sometime before, but with new emphasis now: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty
in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing
that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into
captivity to the obedience of Christ” 2Corinthians 10:4-5, NKJV). This shows the mighty
power of our spiritual weapons. We must pray
that all this be accomplished in the ones for whom we pray: that is, that the
works of the enemy be torn down. Finally we were given the solid
basis for our prayer—the ground of redemption. In reality,
redemption purchased all mankind, so that we may say that each one is actually God’s
purchased possession, although still held by the enemy. We must,
through the prayer of faith, claim and take for God, in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ, that which is rightfully His. This can be done only on the ground
of redemption. We do not mean to imply that because all persons have been
purchased by God through redemption, they are thus automatically saved. They
must believe and accept the Gospel for themselves: this is what our intercession
enables them to do. To pray in the name of the
Lord Jesus is to ask for, or claim, that which the blood of Christ has secured.
Each individual for whom prayer is made should be claimed by name, as God’s
purchased possession, in the name of the Lord Jesus on the ground of His shed
blood. We should claim the tearing down of all the works of Satan,
such as false doctrine, unbelief, hatred, etc., which the enemy may have built
up in their thinking, and that their very thoughts shall be brought into
captivity to the obedience of Christ. In the authority of the
name of the Lord Jesus, claim their deliverance from the power and persuasion of
the Evil One, and from the love of the world and the lust of the flesh. We
should pray also for the quickening of their conscience, and that God might
grant them repentance, and hearing ears, and believing hearts, as they hear or
read the Word of God. Pray that God’s will and purpose be accomplished in and
through them. Intercession must be
persistent, not to persuade God (for redemption is of God), but because of the
enemy. Our prayer and resistance are against the enemy, the awful powers and
rulers of darkness Daniel
10:2-13 2
Corinthians 2:11 1
Peter 5:8-9 It is our duty before God to fight for the souls for whom
Christ died. Just as some preach to
them the good news of their redemption, just so others must fight back the
powers of darkness on their behalf. Satan yields only what and when he must, and
he renews his attacks in subtle ways; therefore prayer must be persisted in,
even long after definite results are seen. We must hold what is taken for God
against the enemy until such time as that soul is firmly established in the
faith. Satan has succeeded in
keeping God’s people in the dark about Christ’s finished work on
Calvary—and his defeat there. He has succeeded by deception in convincing the
Church that he is almost, if not quite, as powerful as God, when actually he has
no power at all—that is, he has no legal standing, no rights, no authority. The devil knows that when
the Church fully realizes the utterness of his defeat, and how to use the
authority which has been delegated to her, his evil reign is over. Therefore, he seeks by
every means possible to keep God’s people in the dark, to prevent their
knowing about and using the authority which is theirs. “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ”
(2 Corinthians 2:14, NKJV). “He who is in
you is greater than he who is in the world”
(1 John 4:4, NKJV). “Thanksgiving and honour and power and might, Be to our God forever
and ever. Amen" (Revelation 7:12, NKJV). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pray
these things for your unsaved family and friends: ·
That
God would lift the veil off them. · That the Holy Spirit would hover over them and protect them. · That Godly people may be put in their pathway each day. ·
Cast
down anything that would exalt itself against the knowledge of God, especially
pride and rebellion. · Take down all known strongholds ~ thought patterns ~ religious opinions ~ materialism ~ fear. ·
Bind
Satan from taking them captive. ·
Bind
all wicked thoughts and lies that Satan would try to place in their minds. For further Bible Studies, books, manuals, tapes, and information, please contact us at the following
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