Bible Reading: John 17:2-5
[God the Father has} given him [Christ the Son} authority over everyone in all the earth. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. John 17:2
STUDENTS WHO PRAY with confidence for their schools are sure of this not-so secret truth: God has a plan for reaching your friends at school.
God has some wild promises for you. Try this one: “Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your possession” (Psalm 2:8). To hear God’s promise hit home even harder, put it like this: “Only ask, and I will give you your football team-or your Spanish class, your lab partners …”
God’s promise is to give. Your responsibility is to ask in prayer. But you need to know how to ask confidently and take hold of what God has promised.
- Keep depending on Christ. Jesus said, “If you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted!” (John 15:7). What does it mean to “stay joined” to Christ? Try this: Remain in Christ by confessing sins God has pointed out to you and by inviting the Holy Spirit to fill your life. Allow Christ’s words to stick in you by reading God’s Word, studying it, memorizing it, discussing it, and doing what it says.
- Pray specifically. Write down the names of people God wants you to witness to-parents, friends, classmates, teammates, etc. Ask God for exactly what you want him to do. One idea: Select a Bible verse about salvation and claim it for the people on your list. You might use John 17:2, praying, “Thank you, Lord, that you have authority over my lab partner, Vicki. I ask you to break Satan’s grip on her. Get her ready to receive your Good News.”
- Pray according to God’s clear will. There’s no doubt about God’s will for your friends: He doesn’t want any of them to go up in smoke (see 2 Peter 3:9). When you pray that your friends will be saved and trust Christ, you can be sure you’re asking for something God has announced as his will.
- Expect God to answer your prayers. Jesus promised: “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21 :22). As you pray for the non-Christians on your list, start to see them as people impacted by God through your prayers. Act on your belief by figuring out ahead of time how best to share the Good News with your friends. Expect that God is going to answer your prayers and liberate your friends-maybe through you.
REFLECT: How can your prayers better reflect God’s goals for your world?
PRAY: Lift some non-Christian friends up to God in prayer today.
