Whether you are a leader or a layperson all Christians are called to evangelize those lost people in their spheres of influence. And clearly knowing the Bible and good cogent arguments, in defense of Christianity, can be powerful weapons to use when sharing the message of Jesus.
Sadly, when the gospel is shared, we often don’t see much immediate fruit to our labors. The answer to why this is so, I believe, is that we too often rely on programs and arguments and not enough on prayer. I have long advocated that prayer is the missing element in both evangelism and apologetics. I think Billy Graham was spot on when he said: “Prayer is crucial in evangelism: Only God can change the heart of someone who is in rebellion against Him. No matter how logical our arguments or how fervent our appeals, our words will accomplish nothing unless God’s Spirit prepares the way.”1
My friends all non-believers are not only in rebellion against God, but are spiritually dead in their sins and trespasses. And when it comes to bringing to life someone who is dead in their sins we are basically asking God to perform a miracle. Billy Graham was right when he said we need the Holy Spirit to intercede and open the blind eyes and hardened hearts of those we are witnessing to and sharing our apologetic arguments.
Prayer, in my opinion, is the most powerful resource we have to reach the lost with the gospel message. Only the Holy Spirit can penetrate the soul of someone who is in total rebellion against Jesus. And fervent prayer is often the only way we can activate the Holy Spirit to send, first, conviction of sin, and second, illumination of the truth of the Bible and the gospel message, to the mind and heart of a non-believer.
While sharing the gospel is essential to salvation, it is often not enough. Sharing good apologetic arguments, with a non-Christian, is great, however, these arguments by themselves, while they may reach a nonbelieving mind, rarely on their own, can penetrate the heart. We must bathe them in prayer to not only soften their hearts but to unleash the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.
In the last analysis both mind and heart need to assent in order for a person to become a true child of God. Sharing the gospel is a great necessary step. And apologetic arguments may give the mind something to think about. However, without prayer being the bridge that links the gospel message to the heart, conviction of sin will often not take place. And prayer is the key to unleashing the Holy Spirit’s convicting power in the life of the spiritually dead. Let’s not push prayer to the side or underestimate its immense power – for remember the eternal destiny of souls are at stake!
1 45 Billy Graham Quotes to Inspire Your Prayers – prayer coach (prayer-coach.com)