Q & A: How Do I Pray for a Loved One Who Doesn’t Know Jesus?

A major factor in anyone’s salvation is the influence of believers. Jesus instructed us to “pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields” (Luke 10:2). Start by praying the Lord would send forth the perfect person to share the good news in a way your loved one will listen and understand. As you pray for your loved ones, your prayer opens the door for God’s power to work in their lives (James 5:16). No matter who you are praying for, never be moved by what you see. Walk by faith, not by sight. The Word of God will always work.

Here is a sample prayer for your loved one:

“Father, Your Word says that You desire all people to be saved and come into the knowledge of the truth, so I bring _______ before You this day.

“I break the power of Satan from his assignments and activities in _______’s life in the Name of Jesus. I ask that You send forth the perfect people to share the good news of the gospel in such a way that _______ will listen and understand it. As the truth is ministered, I believe _______ will open his (her) eyes to the gospel, come out of the snare of the devil and make Jesus Lord.

“Father, I ask that You fill _______ with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. As I pray for him (her), I believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is activated and from this moment on, I shall praise and thank You for _______’s salvation. I am confident that You are alert and active, watching over Your Word to perform it.

“Therefore, my confession of faith is, ‘God has begun a good work in _______’s life and He will perform it and bring it to full completion until the day of Jesus Christ, in Jesus’ Name.’”

(These prayer references are from The Amplified Bible: 2 Peter 3:9; Matthew 18:18, 9:37-38; 2 Timothy 2:26; Jeremiah 1:12; Isaiah 55:11; Philippians 1:6.)