Jack was a rough-spoken plumber who worked on our church building project several years ago. After he learned I was praying for him, he sometimes asked me to pray for his friends. I prayed daily for seven years for God to draw Jack near and save him.

One Saturday during my morning devotional time, I was convicted about a need for more people to come to Christ at our church, and I prayed a simple prayer: “Please, Lord, just give us one!” That afternoon my cell phone rang. It was Jack. “I’ve just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and I’m not ready.” We agreed to meet the following Wednesday, and he consented to have others pray for him. At our church’s prayer meeting that Sunday evening we prayed for Jack’s healing and salvation. The following week, after a heartfelt conversation, Jack received Jesus as his Savior and was baptized the following Sunday. 

Prayer emphasizes God’s ability to make things happen. When we humbly admit we can’t force others to come to Him, we open the door for God to accomplish what we could never do. When we pray for God’s Spirit to draw others near, we invite His power, and He’s able to overcome odds that seem insurmountable to us. 

Because of God’s kindness to us through Jesus, we can “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence” (Hebrews 4:16), as we cry out with compassion for those lost in darkness and facing eternity apart from Him. And as we love others with our prayers, we can be assured that our Savior “is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).

Adapted from Pray First: The Power of Prayer in Sharing the Gospel by James Banks. © Our Daily Bread Ministries

Our Daily Bread Ministries in Indonesia is supported by the freewill offering of individuals in Indonesia, who through their gifts enable us to continue to bring the life-changing wisdom of the Bible to many here. We are not funded by any church or organisation.

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