“Pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison.” (Colossians 4:3)

Every Christian is surrounded by non-Christians.  Whether it is next-door neighbors, co-workers, relatives, or friends, there are people in your life who are not following Jesus.  Unfortunately, there are many professing Christians who are unconcerned about this reality.  They are not burdened that people around them live without hope and have not embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We would do well to look at the evangelistic example of Paul and his heart for the lost.

As you will note from the verse quoted above, evangelism starts with prayer.  The apostle, as much as anyone, knew the power of prayer in converting the lost.  As skilled as he was in apologetics (check out Acts 17), Paul’s evangelism strategy was not limited to persuasion alone and through strength of argument.  Above all, he relied on the power of prayer.  We too must pray for the lost souls around us.  If you don’t see results immediately, please don’t give up.  I have been praying for a friend of mine for a decade and I know that one day God will save him.  But we MUST persist in prayer. 

When we are consistently praying for the lost souls around us, we will also be looking for opportunities to “share” the gospel.  Part of our prayer will be that God would give us the opportunity to share the gospel.  That is exactly what Paul requested from the Colossian believers – an open door to declare Christ.  Friend, don’t be afraid to pray that prayer, just make sure you’re ready when God brings the opportunity your way (1 Peter 3:15).  

I do understand that evangelism is not easy.  If it was easy, Paul would not have ended up in prison.  But we must realize that temporary suffering while rescuing souls from eternal damnation is well worth the price.  Remember that we not only have the greatest, most glorious news in the world (the gospel of Jesus Christ), but also the most powerful vehicle on earth (the Holy Spirit of God) to spread that news.  I want to encourage you to start praying for your lost friends and then watch how God works and how He uses you in the process.