BELIEVE GOD FOR OTHERS

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Matthew 18:10–14 (ESV)

 

God says to us today, I have never given up on anyone and never will I, so why do you give up on yourself, your loved ones and that hopeless situation. Trust me for anything, for I said to you “Everything is possible for the one who believes” (Mark 9:23) and I meant it.

In our scripture reading for today, popularly known as ‘the Parable of the Good Shepherd’; we read of how the Shepherd risked leaving 99 sheep on the mountain in other to search for just one that had gone astray and missing from the fold. Isn’t that how our loving Father in heaven treats us and many of us who went astray in the past. How then are we quick to give up on other people and do not believe that they can or will ever be saved. In his book “Prevailing Prayer”, Dwight L. Moody shares the testimony of Mr. George Muller and he wrote.

“Mr. George Muller, in an address given in Calcutta, said that in 1844, five individuals were laid on his heart, and he began to pray for them. Eighteen months passed by before one of them was converted. He prayed on for five years more, and another was converted. At the end of twelve and a half years, a third was converted. And now for forty years he had been praying for the other two without missing one single day for any reason whatsoever, but they were not yet converted. He felt encouraged, however, to continue in prayer, and he was sure of receiving an answer in relation to the two who were still resisting the Spirit.”

Brethren, I have met quiet a number of people who have this crazy notion that, there is no way some other person will ever change and get saved. But as for them, they can be saved and transformed. They have no believe for others and therefore will not even try to pray for their salvation. I want to tell such people by the authority of God’s word that you are wrong and will continue to be wrong because you are not God and can never be God. For His word says in the beginning scripture for today “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10). Allow those persons to say on their dying bed, I don’t think I can change.

In John 17:12 (NIV); Jesus prays to his Father (our God) saying “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled”. This should tell us, only God has the right to say, this person cannot be saved in this life. Judas Iscariot betrayed his Master, Peter also denied him three (3) times. Both the betrayal and denial were foretold by Jesus before his crucifixion. However, Judas chose to end is life, while Peter chose to seek forgiveness. God want’s all of us to be saved and he want us to believe for others to be saved and turned to God. We have many broken marriages, lost and unsaved husbands and wives, rebellious children, hopeless persons in our society and many more challenges; all because we have given up on people and situations, therefore have refused to commit to prayer. If God saved you, so will He save that other person, provided you will pray for them.

In conclusion, I like to share another testimony from Dwight L. Moody’s book “Prevailing Prayer.”

“About fifteen hundred mothers came together to pour out their hearts to God in prayer. One mother said, “I wish you would pray for my two boys. They have gone off on a drunken spree, and it seems as if my heart would break.”

She was a widowed mother. A few mothers gathered together and said, “Let’s have a prayer meeting for these boys. ”They cried to God for these two wandering boys, and now see how God answered their prayer.

That day, these two brothers had planned to meet at the corner of the street where our meetings were being held. They were going to spend the night in sensual pleasures and sin. About seven o’clock, the first one came to the appointed place; he saw the people going into the meeting. As it was a stormy night, he thought he would go in for a little while. The Word of God reached him, and he went into the inquiry room, where he gave his heart to the Savior. The other brother waited at the corner until the meeting broke up, expecting his brother to come. He did not know that he had been in the meeting. There was a young men’s meeting in the church nearby, and this brother thought he would like to see what was going on, so he followed the crowd into the meeting. He also was impressed with what he heard and was the first one to go into the inquiry room, where he found peace.

While this was happening, the first one had gone home to cheer his mother’s heart with the good news. He found her on her knees. “She had been knocking at the mercy seat. While she was doing so, her boy came in and told her that her prayers had been answered; his soul was saved. It was not long before the other brother came in and told his story – how he too had been blessed.

On the following Monday night, the first to get up at the young converts’ meeting was one of these brothers, who told the story of their conversion. As soon as he had taken his seat, another man jumped up and said, “All that my brother has told you is true, for I am his brother. The Lord has indeed met us and blessed us.”

Brethren, keep believing God for others and that hopeless situation even when you are not seeing any signs of change. And if you have given up praying for a loved one or any hopeless situation, go back to God again and continue praying with trust that He can and will answer you.

Shalom and Peace to you.

 

Maurice Luther

Founder, The Christian Migrant Network

thechristianmigrant@gmail.com