Several years ago I attended a seminar in which a missionary shared about how their team had started referring to unbelievers as "not-yet-believers." They shared how this simple shift in their choice of vocabulary had helped them to engage with each person in hope and expectation that the Lord would use them to influence the not-yet-believer toward accepting Christ as their Savior. This idea really impacted me. Because I REALLY identify with the need to convince my own heart of the super natural ability of the Holy Spirit to work in any person's heart, and of the miraculous potential which could very well exist in any person I interact with.
A couple weeks ago I sat down with my Father and asked Him what prayer burden He would lay on my heart. I believe increasingly in the integral role of prayer in advancing the Kingdom of God on this earth, but I want to receive my prayer commissions from the Lord so that I'm not praying in my own idea of His kingdom, but His. He was gracious to give me several names, and to direct me toward scriptures I could pray for them. In this post I will share the scriptures that I have been led to pray for the not-yet believers who He laid on my heart.
a. Pray Acts 26:18, “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me."
i. Lord, open their eyes to see truth (which is truly only recognizable through spiritually enlightened eyes)
ii. May they turn from darkness to light – make Your way irresistible to them.
iii. May they be removed from the power of Satan and placed under the power of God. Father, would you prepare, equip, and position this person to do great battle for Your kingdom!
iv. May they receive forgiveness of sins. Please convince their hearts of how good and possible Your offer really is!
v. May they receive a place among the sanctified gaining abundance not only through relationship with You, God, but also through a perfect place and role within Christ’s body.
b. Pray Romans 10:1-3, “Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.”
i. Lord, save them.
ii. May their zeal for God (or beauty, goodness, truth, etc.) be birthed anew out of knowledge of Your truth.
iii. May they grasp what is the righteousness of God offered to them, and give up attempting to establish their own righteousness.
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