Empowered Prayer and Evangelism Through God's Sovereignty

 

Summary

Understanding the doctrine of sin profoundly impacts our motivation for prayer and evangelism. As believers, we rejoice in our salvation through Christ, but what about those who do not yet believe? This truth serves as a powerful catalyst for prayer and evangelism because God saves through the gospel, which has been entrusted to us. We are called to share the gospel whenever we have the opportunity because it is through this message that God works to save others.

Consider someone in your life who shows no interest in Jesus Christ. Perhaps they have been indifferent for years, and if it were up to their will alone, there would be little hope for their salvation. However, the good news is that God is not limited by human will. He is free to take the initiative and intervene in the lives of those who seem uninterested in being saved. This is exemplified in the story of Saul of Tarsus, who had no desire to become a Christian and even persecuted believers. Yet, Jesus Christ intervened, transforming Saul's life completely.

This truth brings hope for those we pray for. When we pray, we can ask God to work in the hearts of our loved ones, to open their eyes, soften their hearts, and give them new desires. God’s freedom to act is the greatest motivation for prayer and evangelism. He is in heaven and can do whatever He chooses, which should encourage us to pray fervently for the unconverted and to share the gospel boldly.

Key Takeaways:

- God's sovereignty in salvation means He can intervene in the lives of those who seem uninterested in Him. This truth should encourage us to pray for our loved ones, knowing that God can change hearts and minds, just as He did with Saul of Tarsus. [01:21]

- The gospel is the means through which God saves, and it has been entrusted to us. We have a responsibility to share it whenever we have the opportunity, trusting that God will use it to bring others to faith. [00:37]

- Prayer is powerful because God is free to act according to His will. We can pray with confidence, asking God to work in the lives of those we care about, knowing that He does not need their permission to begin a new work in their hearts. [02:21]

- The transformation of Saul of Tarsus is a testament to God's ability to change even the most resistant hearts. This should give us hope and motivation to continue praying and sharing the gospel with those who seem far from God. [01:49]

- God's freedom to act is the greatest motivation for prayer and evangelism. He is in heaven and can do whatever He chooses, which should encourage us to pray fervently for the unconverted and to share the gospel boldly. [02:51]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Motivation in Prayer and Evangelism
- [00:21] - God Saves Through the Gospel
- [00:37] - Sharing the Gospel
- [00:51] - Hope for the Uninterested
- [01:06] - God's Initiative in Salvation
- [01:21] - Saul of Tarsus: A Transformation
- [01:35] - The Power of Divine Intervention
- [01:49] - Saul's Conversion
- [02:06] - A New Life in Christ
- [02:21] - Praying for Loved Ones
- [02:37] - God's Freedom to Act
- [02:51] - Motivation for Prayer and Evangelism
- [03:06] - Conclusion

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Acts 9:1-19 - The Conversion of Saul
2. Romans 1:16 - The Power of the Gospel
3. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 - Praying for All People

#### Observation Questions
1. How does the story of Saul of Tarsus illustrate God's ability to change a person's heart? [01:49]
2. What role does the gospel play in God's plan for salvation according to the sermon? [00:37]
3. How does the pastor describe God's freedom to act in the lives of those who seem uninterested in salvation? [02:51]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. In what ways does Saul's conversion demonstrate the power of divine intervention? How might this story encourage believers to pray for those who seem far from God? [01:49]
2. How does the pastor explain the relationship between God's sovereignty and human will in the context of salvation? [01:21]
3. What does the sermon suggest about the responsibility of believers in sharing the gospel, and how does this relate to God's sovereignty? [00:37]

#### Application Questions
1. Think of someone in your life who seems uninterested in Jesus. How can Saul's story motivate you to pray for them? What specific prayers can you offer for their transformation? [01:49]
2. Reflect on your own experiences with evangelism. How can understanding God's sovereignty in salvation change your approach to sharing the gospel? [00:37]
3. The pastor mentioned that God does not need permission to start a new work in someone's heart. How does this truth impact your confidence in prayer for loved ones? [02:21]
4. Identify a situation where you hesitated to share the gospel. How can the sermon’s message about the power of the gospel encourage you to seize future opportunities? [00:37]
5. How can you incorporate regular prayer for the unconverted into your daily routine? What specific steps will you take to make this a habit? [02:21]
6. Consider the pastor's statement about God's freedom to act. How does this influence your perspective on the challenges you face in evangelism? [02:51]
7. How can you support others in your small group to be more active in prayer and evangelism? What practical steps can you take together to encourage each other? [02:51]

Devotional

Day 1: God's Sovereignty Transcends Human Will
Understanding that God's sovereignty in salvation means He can intervene in the lives of those who seem uninterested in Him is a profound truth. This should encourage believers to pray for their loved ones, knowing that God can change hearts and minds, just as He did with Saul of Tarsus. Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul, was initially a fierce persecutor of Christians. Yet, God intervened in his life, transforming him into one of the most influential apostles. This transformation is a testament to God's power and freedom to act beyond human will. It reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace and that our prayers for others are never in vain. [01:21]

"Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?" (Lamentations 3:37-38, ESV)

Reflection: Think of someone in your life who seems uninterested in God. How can you commit to praying for them daily, trusting in God's ability to transform their heart?


Day 2: The Gospel as God's Instrument of Salvation
The gospel is the means through which God saves, and it has been entrusted to believers. This responsibility to share the gospel whenever there is an opportunity is a sacred trust. The gospel message is powerful and transformative, and God uses it to bring others to faith. As believers, we are called to be faithful stewards of this message, sharing it boldly and confidently, knowing that God will use it to accomplish His purposes. The story of Saul's conversion is a powerful reminder of how God can use the gospel to change even the most resistant hearts. [00:37]

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one person you can share the gospel with this week. What steps can you take to initiate a conversation about faith with them?


Day 3: The Power of Prayer in God's Freedom to Act
Prayer is powerful because God is free to act according to His will. When believers pray, they can do so with confidence, asking God to work in the lives of those they care about. God does not need anyone's permission to begin a new work in their hearts. This truth should encourage believers to pray fervently for the unconverted, trusting that God can and will act in His perfect timing. The transformation of Saul of Tarsus is a testament to God's ability to change even the most resistant hearts, providing hope and motivation to continue praying and sharing the gospel. [02:21]

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us." (Ephesians 3:20, ESV)

Reflection: What specific prayer can you offer today for someone who seems far from God, trusting in His power to act beyond what you can imagine?


Day 4: Hope in God's Transformative Power
The transformation of Saul of Tarsus is a testament to God's ability to change even the most resistant hearts. This should give believers hope and motivation to continue praying and sharing the gospel with those who seem far from God. Saul's conversion story is a powerful reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace. It encourages believers to remain hopeful and persistent in their prayers and evangelistic efforts, trusting that God can bring about change in the most unlikely of circumstances. [01:49]

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you witnessed a significant transformation in someone's life. How can this memory inspire you to continue praying for others?


Day 5: God's Freedom as Motivation for Prayer and Evangelism
God's freedom to act is the greatest motivation for prayer and evangelism. He is in heaven and can do whatever He chooses, which should encourage believers to pray fervently for the unconverted and to share the gospel boldly. This understanding of God's sovereignty and freedom should inspire confidence and boldness in believers as they engage in prayer and evangelism. Knowing that God is not limited by human will or circumstances should motivate believers to be persistent and faithful in their efforts to reach others with the gospel. [02:51]

"Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases." (Psalm 115:3, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate a regular practice of prayer and evangelism into your daily routine, trusting in God's freedom to act?

Quotes


and then grasping the doctrine of sin will thirdly increase your motivation in prayer and in evangelism now you may be saying at this point well it's wonderful for me as someone who knows Christ that I've been saved but where does this leave the person who doesn't believe well I found this truth that we're looking at today to be the most marvelous motivation for prayer and evangelism and here's why [00:00:10]

God Saves, he saves through the gospel, and the gospel has been trusted to us, and since God Saves through the gospel, we have every reason to share the gospel with others. We must share the Gospel wherever we have opportunity because God Saves through the gospel. I expect that you have someone in your life who you love and you long for them to come to Christ, but they shall absolutely no interest in Jesus Christ whatsoever [00:00:29]

and maybe it's been like this for years if it was down to their will you wouldn't have any hope for them because you know they will already, they have no desire for the things of God and they have made that perfectly clear but here's the good news God is free to take the initiative, God is free to intercept a person who has no interest in being saved and simply to save them to change that person's life [00:01:03]

I mean that is what happened with Saul of Tarsus, Saul had absolutely no interest in being a Christian he hated Christians he hated the Lord Jesus Christ and if God had waited for Saul of Tarsus to respond to the gospel he would never have been saved but you remember what happened Jesus Christ broke into his life, laid hold of him by the Scruff of the neck turned him around [00:01:32]

Saul came to Faith In Jesus his mind was opened his affections were changed his conscience was activated his heart was filled with a new desire to live Anew and a different kind of Life his whole life was transformed now think about this if God is free to step into the life of a sinner, There's Hope for the friend or loved one that you're praying for [00:01:57]

and when you pray you can say Lord you don't need his permission to start a new work in his life, Lord work in the heart of my son my daughter my brother my sister my mother my father my friend open their blind eyes, soften their heart heart and give them new desires do you see how this motivates prayer [00:02:23]

God is free, I like to put it this way God has free will, God is in heaven and he can do whatever he chooses and that's the greatest motivation to pray for unconverted friends and loved ones and it's the greatest motivation for sharing the gospel [00:02:49]

God Saves, he saves through the gospel, and the gospel has been trusted to us, and since God Saves through the gospel, we have every reason to share the gospel with others. We must share the Gospel wherever we have opportunity because God Saves through the gospel. I expect that you have someone in your life who you love and you long for them to come to Christ [00:00:29]

but they shall absolutely no interest in Jesus Christ whatsoever and maybe it's been like this for years if it was down to their will you wouldn't have any hope for them because you know they will already, they have no desire for the things of God and they have made that perfectly clear but here's the good news God is free to take the initiative [00:01:03]

God is free to intercept a person who has no interest in being saved and simply to save them to change that person's life I mean that is what happened with Saul of Tarsus, Saul had absolutely no interest in being a Christian he hated Christians he hated the Lord Jesus Christ and if God had waited for Saul of Tarsus to respond to the gospel he would never have been saved [00:01:32]

but you remember what happened Jesus Christ broke into his life, laid hold of him by the Scruff of the neck turned him around, Saul came to Faith In Jesus his mind was opened his affections were changed his conscience was activated his heart was filled with a new desire to live Anew and a different kind of Life his whole life was transformed [00:01:57]

now think about this if God is free to step into the life of a sinner, There's Hope for the friend or loved one that you're praying for and when you pray you can say Lord you don't need his permission to start a new work in his life, Lord work in the heart of my son my daughter my brother my sister my mother my father my friend open their blind eyes [00:02:23]

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Transcript
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