BY Argie Simonis
Jesus gives us a very serious warning:
"Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:" Mat. 7:13
It is a sad reality that many people are lost, but if you dare today to talk about people who will go to hell, you will face the condemnation and disapproval of the world. I have even heard when ministers are asked in interviews by journalists find it difficult to state publicly that if one does not believe in Jesus he will end up in hell:
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12
"Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me." John 14:6
And in order to believe, one must first listen:
"For whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?"
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" Rom. 10:13-15
Τhe Lord will judge us according to the degree of revelation each one has. And we are sure that the Lord is always a just Judge:
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God has showed it to them." Rom. 18-19
People end up in hell for two reasons:
- Because they denied the gospel
- Because they never heard it
As I mentioned in my previous post on the authority of the believer, the responsibility of preaching the gospel has been given to us. So how do we use our power when we pray for someone to come to the Lord and be saved?
- We do not go to the Lord as beggars, but with thanksgiving that He loves these people much more than we love them, and He wants for them to be saved much more than we do :
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2Peter 3:9
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
"And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world." 1John. 2:2
Sin has already been paid. It is no longer a question of whether God offers salvation, but whether that salvation is accepted or not. It is something like accepting or rejecting a heritage.
- If you are praying for your spouse, for a family member, for a friend or neighbor, etc., present yourself to God as an available vessel, to use you to evangelize this person. Ask the Lord to give you opportunities to speak to that person. If for some reason you can not do this, for example because of distance, or because this person for some reason has rejected you and does not accept a word from you, pray this:
"Pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest." Mat. 9:38
Something else very important: Pray that the Father will bring to their remembrance things that he has already spoken to them:
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you." John 14:26
I have heard testimonies of people, that at the moment when they would do something bad, a word or a thought came to their mind (maybe from the Sunday school or from a sermon they once heard) and prevented them from doing so.
"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
In whom the god of this world has 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 to them." 2Cor. 4:3-4
"Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:" Eph. 2:2
Non born again people are under the influence of demonic deception, which hardens their hearts. You have to break this hardheartedness, blindness and deception. Use your power and order this dark veil to leave them so they can see the truth.
Note here that when I pray for myself, I command for example healing on me and then I stand with faith on it even when I do not see immediate results. I fight from a position of victory and not to win.
When I pray for others, even when I know the Lord will touch them, the person I am praying for has more power over his own life than I have over him. This means that if they do not accept my prayer and do not act accordingly, they can cancel my prayer. It's different to pray for someone, and different when you do it for yourself.
The Lord is so good and kind that he will never force anyone to do anything against is will:
"Or despise you the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" Rom. 2:4
By entering into intercession prayer for someone, you can bind the demonic influences over him and thus help him to accept the truth of the gospel. The final decision, however, remains his. If you do not see immediate results, you continue to pray with faith and perseverance.
When Jesus gave the final instructions to His disciples, He said something very important:
"Whose soever sins you remit, they are remitted to them; and whose soever sins you retain, they are retained." John 20:23
Jesus' words here have to do with the temporary effect that sin has on the lives of people. That means that through intercessory prayer, they do not reap corruption because they sow in the flesh, as Paul tells us in Gal. 6:8. This of course is only temporary and we must insist on this prayer as long as the person continues to live in sin. Sometimes in cases of church discipline (there is a special message in this) we have the power to retain their sins. In other words, we withdraw our prayer and let them reap what they sow, with the hope they repent and return to the Lord.
Only God can forgive sins. We are only dealing with the effect that sin has on one's life.
Making a brief recap: How I interceed in prayer using the power the Lord has given me:
1. I thank God that He loves the person I pray for more than I do.
2. "In whom the god of this world has 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 to them." 2Cor. 4:4
"Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:" Eph. 2:2
I pray with authority and bind every demonic attack against this person, so that his eyes and mind may be opened and he may accept the truth of the gospel. I keep praying until the person accepts.
3. In case you can not speak to this person, (maybe due to distance, maybe this person for some reason has rejected you and does not accept a word from you) pray this:
"Pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest." Mat. 9:38
If you ask God to save this person, you have not understood the power and authority that the Lord has given you. Start using it and you will start to have wonderful results!
To be continued...
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