How would you say prayer for another person's conversion works?

Question

Jesus loves that person more than we even thought about and he especially does not want to see that person's destruction so how would our prayers mean anything?

Answer 1

Yes it does. Prayer for any intention "works" if the intention is within God's will; and as you said, the conversion of sinners is certainly within God's will. A classic example is the conversion of Augustine, one of the greatest Christian theologians of all time, from his formerly worldy lifestyle, largely through the prayers of his mother.

Answer 2

We aren't told exactly how prayer works, but the Bible teaches that it is very important and that it does work. When I pray for another person to come to Christ I pray for these things: that the person will have a renewed spiritual longing, that the person will have the eyes to see spiritual things, that the person will be protected from Satan and evil which would desire to pull the person in a different direction, that the person will meet with many positive examples of Christians and that these people will help increase curiosity in the person, that I will have opportunities to talk to this person and that I will recognize those opportunities and that the Holy Spirit will give me the words to speak, that I will know how to truly love this person and be an expression of Jesus Christ.

These are just some of the things I pray.

Blessings.

Answer 3

We pray for that person because we love them too. Just like Jesus does to us. We ask for Him to touch their life. If we pray and they don't change, then at least we tried. But if we don't pray and they could have changed, then that's worse. We ask and we shall receive. It's true though that the person makes the decision. Talk to them about God. That's always good. Prayer does work as well. I've seen it happen plenty of times and have experienced it myself.

Answer 4

Jesus chooses, in His infinite wisdom, to work through men. Even with the Apostle Paul, who had a direct revelation of Christ, he had to go to Ananias to receive healing, baptism, and education.

He also desires us to bring matters like that to Him in prayer so that we develop our relationship with Him, talking about things that we are working on together.

Finally, our prayer helps us to accept God's leading and change our attitudes and actions to be part of the process of conversion (a sower of the seeds, a puller of weeds, and/or a reaper).

Answer 5

When I pray for another person's conversion, I ask God to have people or situations come into that persons life that will help them to understand God's love for them. Such as in the case of my brother who had been an addict for 35 years.

I had previously been preaching to him and speaking unkindly about him to other people. God's Holy Spirit reminded me that I am not perfect, a sinner too, and that I was to stop criticizing my brother. He told me to pray for him. I did. Within 2 weeks he was arrested for dealing, then the judge sent him to a Christian rehab. While there, he learned about God's love for him. My brother accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Two years later, he passed away with lung cancer (due to smoking Crack for all of those years), a Christian.

I obeyed God (He tells us to pray) and then my brother did.

Answer 6

It is extraordinarily presumptuous to believe one can influence another human being through wishes. It is not only arrogant, but disrespectful, albeit secretly. You're basically saying that the other person has no control or power of his own. Let people find their own way.

Edit: To those saying that it works, what about the people for whom others pray who do NOT convert? "It must not be God's will." God's will would be brought about REGARDLESS of your prayer if God even exists. It's useless.

Answer 7

James 5:16-Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
This is not just talking about physical infirmities. God tells us to intercede for one another. Why would he tell us to do this if it were for no reason.
When I pray for another's salvation, I ask God to please do whatever it takes to bring that person to Him with a broken heart. This is often times a difficult prayer to pray because then I have to watch what happens and just trust that God knows what He is doing. It is His time that He will bring that person, if indeed He does. My job is to continue to talk to that person and keep praying for them.
...and if He chooses not to, God is still good. He is still sovereign in every way.

Answer 8

Indeed, how do most of our 'prayers' mean anything?

Much of what is offered as 'prayer' seems no more than a wish list to me. Even if this 'prayer' is something like, "Lord, please lead my friend to you. Show him the truth of Your ways..." This smacks of telling God what to do, as if God were completely unaware of this person.

I find the best prayer to be The Lord's Prayer. Simple, and honest. Another powerful prayer for me is the Serenity Prayer. And the 10th Step prayer from the Twelve Steps:

"... praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out."

This is the prayer I begin each day with. It has worked for me much more than any begging God to do my will ever has.

Answer 9

Did Jesus not say that 'who that does not know my name..I'll will not knowtheirs"
only to say that we pray for other people especially those that don't believe so Jesus will know their name.

Answer 10

Just make the magic sign, which usually is putting your hands together and kneeling, and then do the magic chant. There's a learing curve on it, which is why it doesn't work usually, but keep trying. Also, some people are naturally powerful in the Lord.