EVANGELISTIC PRAYER PART 8 OF 10

TEXT- ACTS 7:54-60

INTRODUCTION

TONIGHT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH OUR STUDY ON THE TOPIC OF EVANGELISM AND LOOK AT WHAT IT MEANS TO PRAY EVANGELISTICALLY.

WHILE THERE MAY BE A LOT OF DISAGREEMENT ABOUT SOME AREAS OF EVANGELISM, WE SHOULD ALL AGREE THAT GOD WANTS US TO PRAY EVANGELISTICALLY.

WHEN DR. R. A. TORREY WAS A YOUNG MAN, HE HAD NO FAITH IN GOD OR THE BIBLE. HIS MOTHER, HOWEVER, WAS A DEVOUT CHRISTIAN WHO CONSTANTLY PRAYED FOR HIS CONVERSION AND OFTEN WITNESSED TO HIM. ONE DAY HE SAID TO HER, "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MY SINS AND YOUR PRAYERS; I'M GOING TO LEAVE AND NOT BOTHER YOU ANY MORE." WITH TEAR-FILLED EYES THE WOMAN FOLLOWED HIM TO THE GATE AND PLEADED WITH HIM TO CHANGE HIS MIND. BUT HE WOULD NOT BE DETAINED. FRANTICALLY SHE CRIED, "SON, YOU ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY, BUT WHEN YOU COME TO THE END OF YOUR ROPE AND EVERYTHING SEEMS HOPELESS, CALL UPON YOUR MOTHER'S GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND HE WILL SURELY HELP YOU!"

AFTER TORREY LEFT HOME, HE WENT DEEPER INTO THE WAYS OF SIN. ONE NIGHT IN A HOTEL ROOM HE WAS UNABLE TO SLEEP. WEARY FROM THE PROBLEMS PRESSING IN ON EVERY HAND, HE DECIDED TO TAKE THE GUN HE KEPT IN HIS DRESSER AND END HIS LIFE. JUST AS HE REACHED FOR THE WEAPON, HE REMEMBERED HIS MOTHER'S LAST WORDS. CONVICTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, HE FELL ON HIS KNEES AND CRIED OUT, "O GOD OF MY MOTHER, IF THERE IS SUCH A BEING, I NEED YOUR HELP. IF YOU WILL HELP ME NOW, I'LL FOLLOW YOU!" IN A MOMENT HIS DARKENED HEART WAS ILLUMINED, AND PEACE FILLED HIS SOUL. LATER R. A. TORREY BECAME AN OUTSTANDING EVANGELIST WHO LED THOUSANDS TO CHRIST!

WHEN AND HOW SHOULD A PERSON PRAY WHEN THEY WANT TO REACH SOMEONE FOR CHRIST?