Effective Witnessing Tip #2 "Fervent Prayer Counts”
By David Arrol Macfarlane
By David Arrol Macfarlane
Indifference. Sharing our faith cannot be thought of as a sales pitch or some “take it or leave it” formula that you have to present – it is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and that is supernatural! If we really believe this is so then prayer must play a key role in our witnessing and, not just any prayer, but fervent prayer! Therefore, tip #2 for Effective Witnessing for Everyday People is that “Fervent Prayers Count”! If we understand this, then we will pray for those we want to see won to Christ - not in a shallow, rote, occasional way but with genuine passion driven by a heart broken by their lostness that forces us to our knees. This short article will not do justice to this important theme, but here are a few reminders.
As followers of Jesus of course we believe in prayer. Jesus taught in Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Now just imagine what would happen if in all our churches every believer started to pray daily by name for half a dozen people they know, or could get to know, that live around them but who do not yet know Christ. The “worst that could happen” is that God could answer our prayers! John 16:24 “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” I find this statement of Jesus very challenging. The lostness of someone I know should touch my heart and move me to pray faithfully, and with passion for their salvation. James 5:16 “... The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful”. A pastor friend of mine from Vancouver was invited to preach in a very large church in the city of Cordoba, Argentina. He told me that as he spoke, he felt great freedom and, when he gave an invitation for salvation, a huge number of people came forward to give their lives to Christ. He had never seen such an incredibly strong response in his ministry before. Later he discovered that in the adjacent building 500 believers were on their knees praying for him and the salvations throughout the entire service. “Fervent Prayers Count!”
For years my wife and I prayed for a close relative who is a wonderful person but had rejected all our efforts to present Christ to her. On the strength of Matthew 9:38 “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” We prayed that God would send the right person to witness to her. It took years, but, ultimately, He did. Our relative moved to a new home, got to know the neighbours who happen to be believers, and now she knows Christ and never misses a Sunday in church. “Fervent Prayers Count!” Some years ago, when speaking on the UBC campus I had the privilege of seeing a number of students respond to the gospel. Right afterwards a wonderful Christian student came up to me in tears and said “I am so happy! I have been praying daily for that young man’s salvation for three years!” Last year when speaking at a convention at the Hilton in Richmond BC this same man was there to meet me and tell me how Jesus has changed his life. “Fervent Prayers Count!”
Lastly, praying changes me and opens doors for my witness that I would otherwise never notice. Colossians 4:2-6 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone”.
What makes tip #2 for Effective Witnessing for Everyday People, “Fervent Prayers Count” powerful is that it is something everyone can do if they want to, and, when practiced, I have found that, amongst other things, it can demolish the stronghold of low concern for lost people and even indifference that keeps wanting to build a foothold in my life.
This is one of many practical tips from David’s popular and encouraging seminar on evangelism for churches called: “Effective Witnessing for Everyday People”. Contact David: [email protected] or 519 884 0515
As followers of Jesus of course we believe in prayer. Jesus taught in Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Now just imagine what would happen if in all our churches every believer started to pray daily by name for half a dozen people they know, or could get to know, that live around them but who do not yet know Christ. The “worst that could happen” is that God could answer our prayers! John 16:24 “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” I find this statement of Jesus very challenging. The lostness of someone I know should touch my heart and move me to pray faithfully, and with passion for their salvation. James 5:16 “... The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful”. A pastor friend of mine from Vancouver was invited to preach in a very large church in the city of Cordoba, Argentina. He told me that as he spoke, he felt great freedom and, when he gave an invitation for salvation, a huge number of people came forward to give their lives to Christ. He had never seen such an incredibly strong response in his ministry before. Later he discovered that in the adjacent building 500 believers were on their knees praying for him and the salvations throughout the entire service. “Fervent Prayers Count!”
For years my wife and I prayed for a close relative who is a wonderful person but had rejected all our efforts to present Christ to her. On the strength of Matthew 9:38 “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” We prayed that God would send the right person to witness to her. It took years, but, ultimately, He did. Our relative moved to a new home, got to know the neighbours who happen to be believers, and now she knows Christ and never misses a Sunday in church. “Fervent Prayers Count!” Some years ago, when speaking on the UBC campus I had the privilege of seeing a number of students respond to the gospel. Right afterwards a wonderful Christian student came up to me in tears and said “I am so happy! I have been praying daily for that young man’s salvation for three years!” Last year when speaking at a convention at the Hilton in Richmond BC this same man was there to meet me and tell me how Jesus has changed his life. “Fervent Prayers Count!”
Lastly, praying changes me and opens doors for my witness that I would otherwise never notice. Colossians 4:2-6 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone”.
What makes tip #2 for Effective Witnessing for Everyday People, “Fervent Prayers Count” powerful is that it is something everyone can do if they want to, and, when practiced, I have found that, amongst other things, it can demolish the stronghold of low concern for lost people and even indifference that keeps wanting to build a foothold in my life.
This is one of many practical tips from David’s popular and encouraging seminar on evangelism for churches called: “Effective Witnessing for Everyday People”. Contact David: [email protected] or 519 884 0515
