Lets view the Biblical portrayal of the lost as being: children of the devil (John 8:44), under the authority of Satan (Acts 26:18), a strong man's house (Mark 3:27), prisoners of war (Isaiah 14:17) and blinded to the gospel (2Corinthians 4:3-4) This should be enough reason to pray for the lost.
2Corinthians says, "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." This passage teaches us that Satan has blinded the minds of the lost to keep them from understanding the gospel.
Lewis Sperry Chafer says, "The blinding or veiling of the mind, mentioned in 2Corinthians 4:3-4, causes a universal incapacity to comprehend the way of salvation, and is imposed upon unregenerate man by the arch enemy of God in his attempts to hinder the purpose of God in redemption. It is a condition of mind against which man can have no power."
Unless the Holy Spirit removes the demonic blinders and opens his mind and heart to the gospel, he cannot be saved because the things of God are "foolishness to him" 1Corinthians 2:14. A lost person sees the gospel as moronic and stupid, but it is the "strong man" in his life that causes this negative attitude toward the gospel.
Lewis Penn says, "until we recognize the strong man 'fully armed' at the back of all darkness of thought, and blindness to the gospel, we shall not do much towards bringing men out of the power of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son. And until we know how to take heed to the Lord's warning and bind the strong man, the attempts we make to 'spoil his goods' will only enrage him, and enable him to strengthen his armor, and guard his palace in peace" (Matthew 12:29)
Charles G. Finney said, "In the case of an impenitent friend, the very condition on which he is to be saved from hell may be the fervency and importunity of your prayer for that individual".
Jesus did only what He saw the Father do (John 5:19). Likewise, we should do only what we see our Lord doing, and what is He doing - "He ever liveth to make intercession" (Hebrews 7:25). We make a grave mistake by labeling some Christians as intercessors. This tends to imply that the rest of us are relieved of the responsibility - Not So! All of us are to do what we see our Lord doing - praying for others.
Are you effectively praying, "Until we recognize the strong man 'fully armed' at the back of all darkness of thought, and blindness to the gospel, we shall not do much towards bringing men out of the darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son." -Jessie Penn-Lewis
My thoughts, until we recognize that Satan is our enemy (not the person), we cannot truly walk in love and forgiveness. "...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16b
Again I ask, are you praying effectively?
2Corinthians says, "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." This passage teaches us that Satan has blinded the minds of the lost to keep them from understanding the gospel.
Lewis Sperry Chafer says, "The blinding or veiling of the mind, mentioned in 2Corinthians 4:3-4, causes a universal incapacity to comprehend the way of salvation, and is imposed upon unregenerate man by the arch enemy of God in his attempts to hinder the purpose of God in redemption. It is a condition of mind against which man can have no power."
Unless the Holy Spirit removes the demonic blinders and opens his mind and heart to the gospel, he cannot be saved because the things of God are "foolishness to him" 1Corinthians 2:14. A lost person sees the gospel as moronic and stupid, but it is the "strong man" in his life that causes this negative attitude toward the gospel.
Lewis Penn says, "until we recognize the strong man 'fully armed' at the back of all darkness of thought, and blindness to the gospel, we shall not do much towards bringing men out of the power of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son. And until we know how to take heed to the Lord's warning and bind the strong man, the attempts we make to 'spoil his goods' will only enrage him, and enable him to strengthen his armor, and guard his palace in peace" (Matthew 12:29)
Charles G. Finney said, "In the case of an impenitent friend, the very condition on which he is to be saved from hell may be the fervency and importunity of your prayer for that individual".
Jesus did only what He saw the Father do (John 5:19). Likewise, we should do only what we see our Lord doing, and what is He doing - "He ever liveth to make intercession" (Hebrews 7:25). We make a grave mistake by labeling some Christians as intercessors. This tends to imply that the rest of us are relieved of the responsibility - Not So! All of us are to do what we see our Lord doing - praying for others.
Are you effectively praying, "Until we recognize the strong man 'fully armed' at the back of all darkness of thought, and blindness to the gospel, we shall not do much towards bringing men out of the darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son." -Jessie Penn-Lewis
My thoughts, until we recognize that Satan is our enemy (not the person), we cannot truly walk in love and forgiveness. "...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16b
Again I ask, are you praying effectively?