A Study Guide To Evangelism Praying
A Study Guide To Evangelism Praying
A Study Guide To Evangelism Praying
A Study Guide
for
Evangelism Praying
Evelyn
Christenson
United Prayer Ministry
St. Paul, Minnesota
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible,
1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Verses marked NIV are taken from the New International Version . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the
International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. The NIV and New
International Version trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by
International Bible Society.
Verses marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by
Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers. Used by Permission.
Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Cover design by Koechel Peterson & Associates, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
CONTENTS
To You from Evelyn Christenson - 5
To You from Kathryn Grant - 6
How to Use This Study Guide - 7
Section 1, Page 9
Why an Evangelism Prayer Study Guide?
How to teach and mobilize women and men around the world to pray
for and reach people with the saving love of Jesus.
Section 2, Page 17
Our Personal Preparation
How to fulfill Gods requirements in our own lives which will
determine Gods using us to reach others for Jesus.
Section 3, Page 29
Gods Power for Bringing People to Jesus
How to make sure that we are using the power of Gods Spirit, and
not just our own wisdom, for others to come to Jesus.
Section 4, Page 35
How to Pray for Those Who Need Jesus
How to start using the simple yet powerful Triplet Prayer Method that
is working worldwide.
Section 5, Page 44
How to Pray for Each Other
How to support each other in prayer in this spiritual battle of people
being transferred out of Satans kingdom into Jesus kingdom.
Section 6, Page 51
How to Lead People to Jesus
How to befriend and share new life in Jesus directly from the Bible.
How to Order this Material in Your Own Language - 58
Prayer Triplets Form - 59
3
Deep Thanks
To Kathryn Grant, my co-chair of AD2000 North America
Womens Track and co-founder of Christian Women United, for
her spiritual wisdom, deep insights and selfless assistance during
the many months of producing this Study Guide. She truly has
been Gods incredible gift to me as together we prayed through
every concept in this book.
Evelyn
Evelyn Christenson,
Chairman and Founder of United Prayer Ministry
Founder, Christian Women United,
AD2000 North America Womens Track
Kathryn S. Grant
Co-founder
Christian Women United
Purpose
The purpose of this Study Guide is to teach women and men in every nation to
pray in Triplets specifically for people in their own sphere of influence to be born
againtransferred into Gods kingdom. In addition, Gods people everywhere
should pray for the unreached people of the world to hear the Gospel of Jesus.
We believe that God gave this vision of His potential prayer power because it
now has been proven that Triplet praying is an increasingly successful movement
across every continent.
The desire, the will, the idea and the writing of this material were led by the
Holy Spirit. It is universal in its scriptural basis. It is simple, yet so profound that
its application to your prayer life will release Gods powerful answers as you pray
for those who need Jesus.
When Teaching
- Be sure you have prayer support when you teach this material.
- Apply to yourself before expecting others to follow your teaching.
- Use illustrations from your own life whenever possible.
- The Bible is the final authority, not what some person thinks.
- Mobilize all Triplets in your class as per instructions.
- Pray daily for all your students, and ask them to pray for you.
This Guide has not reached your hands by chance. God has chosen you to
study carefully and put into your prayer life the biblical truths He has revealed
about answered prayer. You are chosen of God for such a time as this. We are
praying for you.
[Evelyn Christensons A Study Guide for Evangelism Praying, edited November 2003.]
SECTION 1
********************
I
Why should we tell the whole world
about Jesus?
1. We must obey Jesus command in His Great Commission that we should go
and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV; see also Mark
16:15; Luke 24:46,47).
2. Jesus last instruction to His followers was that we should be His witnesses
even to the remotest part of the earth (Acts 1:8).
3. God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth
(1 Timothy 2:4; see 2 Peter 3:9; Titus 2:11).
4. Jesus made personal atonement not only for our sins but for the sins of the
whole world (1 John 2:2).
5. Jesus did His part on the cross; but He did not do what He left for us to do
reach the world with His saving message. (He only reached one person, the
dying thief, from the cross.)
6. Jesus is coming back, but He said the end cannot come until the gospel of the
kingdom is preached in the whole world.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world
for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come
(Matthew 24:14).
a. Revelation 7:9,10 tells us the final victory scene in heaven will include
people from every nation, tribe, people and tongue on earth (see
Revelation 5:8,9).
b. There must be no more barriers of understanding or acceptance of the
gospel due to culture, language or geography that the Good News of Jesus
has not crossed before the end can come.
II
Does the Bible really say that all people who
have not accepted Jesuseven from other
religionsneed to be evangelized?
1. Everyone is condemned until they accept Jesus.
a. Jesus said in John 3:18 NIV that all are condemned already unless they
believe in Him.
b. Through one transgression (Adam and Eves) there resulted condemnation
to all people (see Romans 5:18).
2. All people need their sins forgiven through salvation.
a. All people on earth are still in the state of original sin in which they were
born until they are saved (Romans 5:18,19; Luke 24:46,47).
b. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
3. There are only two spiritual kingdomsJesus and Satans, and all people on
earth are in one or the other.
a. Satans is a kingdom of darkness and Jesus is a kingdom of light (see
Colossians 1:13; Acts 26:18).
b. We [Christians] know that we are of God, and the whole world [outside
of Jesus] lies in the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19).
4. Salvation transfers people out of Satans kingdom into Jesus kingdom.
For He [the Father] delivered us from the domain of darkness, and
transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son (Colossians 1:13).
I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me
may not remain in darkness (John 12:46).
10
a. Jesus told Paul on the Damascus road that His purpose for calling him was
to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from
the dominion of Satan to God (see Acts 26:16-18).
b. Evangelism is spiritual warfare. It is Christians getting involved with
Jesus in the battle between the rulers of the two spiritual kingdoms of the
universe for the souls of lost people on Planet Earth.
1) Satan is trying to hang on to those he already owns because they were
born condemned already into his kingdom of darkness.
2) Jesus is calling us to help rescue those still captive in Satans
kingdomso God can transfer them into Jesus kingdom.
III
What will happen to those who
do not accept Jesus?
1. All who do not believe on Jesus will spend eternity in hell.
And if anyones name was not found written in the book of life, he was
thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).
2. What does the Bible say hell is?
a. Greek = Gehenna. Used by Jesus 11 of 12 times found in the New
Testament (see Matthew 10:28).
b. Occupants of hell are in two categories of beings:
1) The devil and his angelssupernatural beings (Matthew 25:41 and
Revelation 20:10).
2) Accursed peoplehuman beings (Matthew 25:41 and Revelation
20:15).
c. Descriptions of the eternal residence of the unsaved:
1) Inescapable place (Matthew 23:33).
2) Place of fire (Matthew 13:49,50).
3) Place of torment (Matthew 13:50).
4) Place of punishment, not reformation (2 Thessalonians 1:8).
5) Place of banishment (2 Thessalonians 1:9; Matthew 7:23).
6) Everlasting (Mark 9:47,48; Revelation 14:11). In Matthew 25:46,
Jesus used the same word eternal for the duration of punishment as
for believers eternal life.
11
IV
What was Gods provision for those
lost in Satans kingdom?
1. God loved people on earth enough to make the supreme sacrifice of His son,
Jesus, for us.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life (John
3:16).
2. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
3. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).
4. He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we
might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
5. But Jesus triumphed over Satan on the cross of Calvary.
And being found in appearance as a man, He [Jesus] humbled Himself
by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name
which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and
that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of the God the Father (Philippians 2:8-11).
6. And Jesus said, Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever
rejects the Son will not see life, for Gods wrath remains on him
(John 3:36 NIV).
V
What happens when a person accepts
Jesus as Savior and Lord?
1. We are born again.
Truly, truly, I [Jesus] say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot
see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).
12
VI
What must a person do to
accept Jesus?
1. Believe Jesus who came preaching two requirements in Mark 1:15, repent
and believe.
2. Acknowledge he is a sinner (Romans 3:23 and Luke 13:3).
3. Believe in Jesus (John 3:16).
13
VII
How will the world hear
if we dont tell them?
1. Jesus did His part on the cross; but He did not evangelize the world from the
cross.
2. Jesus left the reaching of the whole world with the message of His salvation to
us.
Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. How then
shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how
shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall
they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they
are sent? (Romans 10:13-15a).
14
For You To Do
First, examine your OWN heart. On what basis do you claim to be a
Christian? Have you ever accepted Jesus by repenting of your sins and believing
on Him, allowing God to transfer you from Satans kingdom to His? If not, do it
now. The rest of this manual will not apply to you until you do.
Next, check each excuse you have used for not praying for and helping people
to accept Jesus:
! I did not know of the Bibles teaching that no one can know God until he or
she believes on Jesus.
! I did not understand the reality and horror of hell for those not believing in
Jesus.
! I have not accepted my personal responsibility to obey Jesus command in His
great commission to tell everyone of His love.
! I have been too busy keeping my own family and myself together to bother
with other peoples problems.
! My church and Christian organization see evangelism as a projectnot
rescuing souls from Satans kingdom.
! I have been taught to believe that all religions lead to God and not to think of
Jesus as the only way.
! Since God knows who will be saved anyway, why should I bother?
! I lack understanding of the power of the Holy Spirit to use and bless my
seemingly feeble efforts.
! I am afraid I will fail.
! I am afraid of discussing spiritual matters.
! I would rather be liked by people than to push my religion on them.
! I just have not cared.
15
16
[Evelyn Christensons A Study Guide for Evangelism Praying, edited November 2003.]
SECTION 2
********************
Our Personal
Preparation
Goal: To fulfill Gods personal requirements in our lives which will
produce power in our prayers and bring results in our witnessing to those
who need Jesus.
I
The Bible clearly teaches that our
personal lifestyle will determine
whether or not God will answer our
prayers.
1. God will grant what we ask of Him because of our godly lifestyle.
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His
commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight (1 John
3:22).
a. This keep and do are in the continuous present tense in the Greek,
meaning consistently obeying and pleasing God.
b. This is not just an occasional burst of doing what God expects and
demands of us.
2. In John 15:7, Jesus said there are two ifs that will determine His fulfilling
this promise of prayer power.
If you abide in Me, and [if] My words abide in you, ask whatever you
wish and it shall be done for you.
a. This is the strongest promise of intercessory prayer power in the New
Testament.
b. But Jesus promised it only if we fulfill His requirements of the two ifs
in our personal lives:
17
II
What requirements does the Bible lay down in
order for us to have Gods power in prayer
and witnessing? *
[* For more complete coverage of these requirements, see What Happens When Women Pray by Evelyn
Christenson.]
18
b. There are two classes of sin in the Bible: singular sin and plural sins.
1) Singular sin is the state of sin into which all were born (see John 3:18;
Romans 5:18).
a) To Jesus the world always was those who have not accepted
Him as Savior.
And He [the Holy Spirit], when He comes, will convict the world
concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment because they do not
believe in Me (John 16:8,9).
b. Jesus came preaching repent and believe (Mark 1:15).
Examine Your Heart
Make sure when you accepted Jesus as
your Savior you not only believed but
repented of your sin.
2) Plural sins are those sins which we commit after becoming a Christian.
a) Jesus taught His followers (only) in His model Lords Prayer in
Matthew 6:9-12 to pray:
Our Father who art in heavenforgive us our debts
(see Matthew 6:14).
Debts or trespasses means sins biblically.
b) The apostle John wrote the book of 1 John to Christians and said in
1:9: If we confess our sins God will forgive and cleanse us.
c) Peter was writing to Christians when he said in 1 Peter 3:12: The
eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears attend to their
prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil
(emphasis added).
d) In 1 John 3:22, not obeying and not doing things pleasing to God
are sins.
e) It is the prayers of a righteous person in James 5:16b (NKJV) that
avails much.
f) See Jesus repent messages in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 that
He sent to His Christian churches (us) after He was back in heaven.
(See also 2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 66:18; Psalm 51:10-13; Psalm
24:3-5.)
g) Most revivals from Christs time until now have begun when a few
Christians got completely right with God (see 2 Chronicles 7:14; 1
Peter 4:17).
19
III
What part does God play in this personal
preparation for effective evangelism praying?
1. God knows no human being ever could fulfill all these requirements without
help, so dont try by yourself.
2. But He promised that He Himself would be the One to do it in us.
For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good
pleasure (Philippians 2:13 NKJV).
a. Since God gave us all these requirements in His Holy Word, the Bible, we
know they are His will.
b. We also know that He will do it in us, no matter how inadequate, unable
or frail we may feel personally.
3. Gods Holy Spirit even originates the desire in us for holy living and is
anxious and waiting to assist us.
4. Jesus is up in heaven praying for us now (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:24,25).
20
For You To Do
Read the enclosed List of Sins (pages 22-24) carefully and prayerfully,
asking God to convict you of any sin still in your life or unconfessed.
Reflect on this lessons biblical, personal requirements for prayer power so
you can confess as sin any ones that are missing in your life.
Ask God to bring any other unconfessed sins to your mind; then, wait in
silence for Him to recall them for you.
21
1. Thessalonians 5:18 In everything give thanks; for this is Gods will for
you in Christ Jesus.
Do you worry about anything? Have you failed to thank God for all things,
the seemingly bad as well as the good? Do you neglect to give thanks at
mealtime, openly in front of others?
2. Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly
beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within
us
Do you fail to attempt things for God because you are not talented
enough? Do feelings of inferiority keep you from trying to serve God? When
you do accomplish something for Christ, do you fail to give Him all the glory?
3. Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.
Have you failed to be a witness with your life for Christ? Have you felt it
was enough to just live your Christianity and not witness with your mouth to
the lost?
4. Romans 12:3 ForI say to every man among you not to think more
highly of himself than he ought to think.
Are you proud of your accomplishments, your talents, your family? Do
you fail to see others as better than yourself, more important than yourself in
the body of Christ? Do you think as a Christian you are doing quite well? Do
you rebel at God wanting to change you?
5. Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and
slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Do you complain, find fault, argue? Do you have a critical spirit? Do you
carry a grudge against Christians of another group because they dont see eyeto-eye with you on all things? Do you speak unkindly about people when they
are not present? Are you angry with yourself? Others? God?
6. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the
Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not
your own?
Are you careless with your body? Are you guilty of not caring for it as the
22
temple of the Holy Spirit in eating and exercise habits? Do you defile your
body with unholy sex acts?
7. Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth.
Do you ever use filthy language, tell slightly off-color jokes? Do you
condone others doing so in your presence, in your home?
8. Ephesians 4:27 And do not give the devil an opportunity.
Do you fail to see you are a landing strip for Satan when you open your
mind to him through satanic music, occult electronic games, pornographic
literature, computer chat rooms, yoga, sances, psychic predictions, occult
movies and literature? Do you get advice for daily living from horoscopes
rather than from God? Do you let Satan use you to thwart the cause of Christ
in your church through criticism, gossip, non-support?
9. Romans 12:11 Not lagging behind in diligence (NAS) Not slothful in
business. (KJV)
Do you fail to pay your debts on time? Avoid paying them altogether?
Do you charge more on credit cards than you can pay when due? Do you
neglect to keep honest income tax records? Do you engage in shady business
deals whether as an employer or employee?
10. 1 Corinthians 8:9 But take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become
a stumbling block to the weak.
Do you feel you can do anything you want to do because the Bible says
you are free in Christ? Even though you were strong enough not to fall, do
you fail to take responsibility for a weaker Christian who has fallen because of
following your example?
11. Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking our own assembling together.
Are you irregular or spasmodic in church attendance? Are you skipping
prayer meetings? Have you neglected family devotions?
12. Colossians 3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self
with its evil practices.
Do you ever lie? Exaggerate? Do you fail to see little white lies as sins?
Do you tell things the way you want them rather than the way they really are?
13. 1 Peter 2:11 Belovedabstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against
the soul.
Are you guilty of a lustful eye toward either sex? Do you fill your mind
with pornography or sex-oriented TV programs, movies, books, magazines?
Do you indulge in any lustful activity Gods Word condemnsfornication,
adultery, perversion?
14. John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you
have love for one another.
23
Are you guilty of being a part of factions and divisions in your church?
Would you rather add fuel to a misunderstanding than help correct it? Have
you loved only the ones in your church, feeling those of other denominations
are not of the body of Christ? Are you secretly pleased over the misfortunes
of another? Annoyed by their successes?
15. Colossians 3:13 Forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against
anyone, just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
Have you failed to forgive anybody anything that person might have said
or done against you? Have you turned certain people off? Are you holding
grudges?
16. Ephesians 4:28 Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him
labor.
Do you steal from your employer by doing less work, staying on the job
less time than you are paid for? Do you underpay your employees?
17. Ephesians 5:16 Making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
Do you waste your time or that of others? Do you spend time watching
TV trash, reading cheap books, procrastinating?
18. Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two mastersyou cannot serve God and
mammon (riches).
Is your goal in life to make as much money as possible? Accumulate
things? Have you withheld Gods share of your income from Him? Is money
your God?
19. Matthew 23:38 Even so you too outwardly appear righteous to men, but
inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Do you know in your heart you are a fake, just pretending to be a real
Christian? Are you hiding behind church membership to cover a life still full
of sin? Are you faking Christianity for social status, acceptance in your
church, community? Do you smile piously during the Sunday sermon but live
in your sin all week? Are you the person in your home you are trying to
impress people you are?
20. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, honorable, right,
pure, lovely, of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything
worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.
Do you enjoy listening to gossip? Passing it on? Do you believe rumors
or partial truths, especially about an enemy or your competitor? Do you fail
to spend time every day reading the Bible? Do you fail to think on the things
of Godonly good and true and pure thingsalways?
Permission granted by Evelyn Christenson to reproduce this List of Sins.
24
If you would like to delve deeper into biblical requirements for more personal
applications, the following section will help you. I also recommend a review of
1 John 3:22.
26
27
28
[Evelyn Christensons A Study Guide for Evangelism Praying, edited November 2003.]
SECTION 3
********************
29
1. He gave them power for ministry because Jesus knew they could not witness
effectively in their own human strength and power.
a. Acts 11:22-24 says that when God used Barnabas to bring considerable
numbers to the Lord, he was full of the Holy Spirit.
b. Paul said it was Gods power that worked mightily in him.
And for this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power,
which mightily works within me
(Colossians 1:29).
c. Paul gave credit for the conviction not to his words, but to the power of
the Holy Spirit.
For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and
in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction (1 Thessalonians 1:5).
d. When Paul confronted supernatural evil and the magician was struck blind
(Acts 13:8-11), Pauls power was because he was filled with the Holy
Spirit.
2. The Holy Spirit gave Jesus followers boldness to preach Himeven to those
who had crucified Jesus (Acts 2:14-36).
3. Their courage to suffer and even die for Jesus was because of the Holy Spirit
(see the story about Stephen in Acts 7:54-60).
III
Why do Christians today need the same
power of the Holy Spirit as we strive to
complete the task of reaching the whole world
for Jesus?
1. It is true that each person who receives Jesus as Savior receives the Holy
Spirit at that momentas Peter told the crowd while preaching on the Day of
Pentecost:
Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for
the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit (Acts 2:38).
30
2. However, there is much of the Holy Spirits working that Christians need in
their taking Jesus to the whole world.
a. Although God is omnipotent and capable of everything, Ephesians 3:20
tells us that He is able to do those great things only according to the power
that works in us:
Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we
ask or think, according to the power that works within us.
b. So, if we evangelize in our own power instead of letting God work with
the power of His Holy Spirit, we limit what God is able to do through us.
c. Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:18,19 for Christians who already had the Holy
Spirit living in them:
That you may knowwhat is the surpassing greatness of His power
toward us who believe.
3. Why arent human efforts alone enough to bring people to Jesus?
a. Plans and programs are not wrong, but only Gods power through the
Holy Spirit can actually convict and help people to accept Jesus.
And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of
wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power
(1 Corinthians 2:4).
b. In contrast to our feeble human ability, we have the same power working
in us that God used when He raised Him [Christ] from the dead, and
seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:20).
4. Much of our lack of boldness and courage is because we have not availed
ourselves of the power of the Holy Spirit as we ask God in prayer and wait for
Him to give it.
IV
How can Christians who are trying
to witness for Jesus hinder the
working of the Holy Spirit?
1. By quenching the Holy Spirit (literally putting out His fire).
Do not quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
31
a. Plans and programs are important, but Christians quench Gods Spirit by
substituting only human efforts for His divine power working in them.
Holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power
(2 Timothy 3:5).
b. We also quench Him by trying to persuade with our words of wisdom and
methods instead of relying on the Holy Spirit of God to demonstrate His
power through His Word and prayer (1 Corinthians 2:4,5).
c. We quench the Spirit by ignoring the urging of the Holy Spirit when He
sends us to reach such a person He knows is ready to hear of Jesus.
d. By being impatient for people to accept Jesus in our own way and in our
own timewhen the Spirit of God has not finished softening their
heartsalso quenches the Holy Spirits effectiveness.
e. By not fully availing ourselves of His power, we limit God in His ability to
do His great and mighty things in our touching the world for Jesus.
2. By grieving the Holy Spirit.
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30).
a. Christians grieve the Holy Spirit of God by sin in their lives, hindering His
power from flowing freely through them.
b. See Must be no known unconfessed sin in the life of the pray-er in
Section 2 for what to do about your sin as a Christian so as not to grieve
the Holy Spirit.
c. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit is right in the middle of the list of things
Christians should and should not do to keep from sinning in Ephesians
4:25-32.
V
How can we be assured of the power of the
Holy Spirit as we bring our witness
of Jesus to the world?
1. Confess and turn from any sins that are grieving the Holy Spirit.
2. Make sure we are not quenching Him by insisting on doing it our own way.
3. Believe Ephesians 5:18b: that it is Gods desire that Christians, to whom this
was written and who received the Holy Spirit at salvation, should keep on
being filled with the Holy Spirit. (The Bibles tense in the Greek is a
continuing, on-going process.)
32
For You to Do
1. Examine Gods Word with an open heart to find His instructions for you
personally about the Holy Spirit.
2. Look carefully at the methods and results of your witnessing efforts. Does
God have more of His power for you?
33
34
[Evelyn Christensons A Study Guide for Evangelism Praying, edited November 2003.]
SECTION 4
********************
I
Why do evangelistic efforts frequently
produce so few souls saved?
1. Many Christians are witnessing, going as missionaries, preaching and
faithfully inviting unbelievers to accept Jesusyet are puzzled at their lack of
results. Why?
2. One answer is that they failed to involve God sufficiently through prayer in
their soul-winning efforts.
a. Prayer brings the omnipotent God of the universe into the struggle of
rescuing souls from Satans kingdom and transferring them into Jesus
kingdom.
b. God works in unsaved hearts in proportion to our praying.
II
Why do we need pre-evangelism praying?
1. Before we start to share Jesus with an unbeliever, there is much prayer that is
necessary.
a. Much precious gospel seed, time, energy and finances are wasted because
we have not prayed sufficiently in asking God to go before us and prepare
hearts.
b. We must precede the sowing of the gospel seed with intense preevangelism praying.
c. This is imperative whether sharing Jesus personally by witnessing,
preaching, radio or television broadcasts or any other method of reaching
people for Jesus.
35
2. Since evangelism is setting people free from Satans kingdom, there are two
specific prayers we need to pray in this struggle:
a. Jesus parable of the seed eaten by Satan explains one prayer we
should pray.
1) In His parable of the four kinds of soil, Jesus taught that when sown
seed (the Word) falls beside the road, the birds immediately eat it up.
2) Jesus explanation of the parable to His followers was:
The seed is the Word of God. And those beside the road are those who
have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the Word from their
heart, so that they may not believe and be saved (Luke 8:11,12).
3) So, before sowing our gospel seed, we need to ask God to go before
our seed to soften and prepare the hearts of the ones who will hearso
that the seed can take root and the devil will not be able to snatch it
away before they can be saved.
b. Satan blinding the minds of unbelievers hinders prayers.
1) Since with blinded eyes, people cannot even see the light of the gospel
we are sharing, we must pray for God to remove the blinders before
they can accept Jesus.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
in whose case the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the
unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of
Christ (2 Corinthians 4:3,4).
III
Why is prayer while reaching a person for
Jesus also imperative?
1. We must not depend upon our memorized methods or clever presentations,
but on the power of God since He alone can save.
2. An intensified supernatural struggle may go on while we actually are leading
someone to Jesus, so we must depend on God and not ourselves.
a. If there is a struggle to accept Jesus while people are trying to, ask God in
prayer to remove Satans blinders and any hold Satan may have on them.
b. Then overcome Satan through the blood of Jesusin the name of Jesus.
Tell Satan he knows Jesus is the victor and knows he cannot stand against
the name and blood of Jesus.
c. Knowing that you are praying Gods will that they be saved (2 Peter 3:9),
ask God to do His saving work in them.
36
IV
What weapons has God given us for
this battle?
1. Since this struggle against Satan is strictly spiritual, weapons of human
intellect and power never can bring victory.
2. We need supernatural weapons in this spiritual struggle.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,
for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely
powerful for the destruction of fortresses (2 Corinthians 10:3,4).
3. What weapons has God provided for us to use?
a. Prayer (James 5:16b).
b. The Word of God, the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17b).
1) Base all evangelism praying on the Word of God.
2) Use the Scripture to counterattack Satan as Jesus did in His temptation
(Matthew 4:4,7,10).
V
What is our authority in evangelism praying?
1. Jesus provided two new dimensions of authority for us when He came to earth,
died and rose again.
a. The authority of the name of Jesus.
Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask, and you will
receive, that your joy may be made full
(John 16:24).
1) Jesus name is important because it is all He is, including His authority.
Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the
name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus EVERY
KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and
under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11, emphasis
added).
37
38
VI
What prayer methods can we use for
evangelism praying?
1. For bringing Jesus to those around you, the following prayer methods are used
successfully around the world.
a. TRIPLET PRAYING is the powerful method of pre-evangelism praying
we are urging all people to use.
1) Organize your Triplet by joining with two other Christian believers,
each choosing three non-Christians for whom all of you will pray to
find Jesus as Savior and Lord (total of nine unsaved).
2) Get together every week for at least 15 minutes to pray for the
salvation of your nine.
3) See PRAYER TRIPLET Questions and Answers for complete rules
for Triplet praying (page 41).
b. In addition to your Triplet meeting, another very effective method of
praying for people who need Jesus is PRAYER WALKING.
1) Love all your neighbors by praying as you walk past their houses.
2) Show Christs love by seeking to know their needs and praying for
their requests.
3) Share Jesus with your neighborhood, and also schools and workplaces.
4) See Love Your Neighbor as Yourself, by Mary Lance Sisk. Ordering
information, see page 58.
c. Prayer groups other than or in addition to your Triplet, including church
and organization prayer meetings, are effective ways to pray for those
who need Jesus.
d. Faithfully praying in your own personal daily prayer time also is a
powerful method of pre-evangelism praying.
e. Avail yourself of any other method of praying for those around you who
need Jesus.
f. As God leads, fast as you pray.
2. Prayer for those around the world who have never heard of Jesus.
a. Pray asking God to lay on your heart a nation or group of people where
the name of Jesus neveror rarelyis heard.
39
b. Pray faithfully and fervently in your weekly Triplet meeting for those
people to find Christ.
1) Each week pray about current information from the radio, TV and
Christian publications that would influence the furthering of the gospel
there.
2) Get prayer needs from any church or mission with contacts in your
special unreached people group.
c. Pray with your church, denomination or other organization committed to
praying for and winning to Jesus those who never have heard of Him.
d. Pray, asking God to send Christians to tell others about Jesusbeing
willing to let God use you to answer your prayers.
Beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest
(Luke 10:2).
For You to Do
1. Find and sign up your other two members for your prayer Triplet (see Prayer
Triplet Card at the end of this Study Guide).
2. Find your specific country or people group where Jesus name is not known.
3. Organize your prayer Triplet (see Prayer Triplet Questions and Answers on
pages 41-42).
4. Pray faithfully.
40
41
Where to pray?
Anywheresuch as church, home, workplace, school, automobile, etc.
How long do we sign up for?
1. Decide in advance how many months you will promise to pray together.
2. Renew your commitment at the end of that time.
What will God expect of how I live?
Remember that Gods Word says that your godly lifestyle will determine
whether or not God will answer your prayers. Live 1 John 3:22 that tells us:
Whatever we ask [of God] we receive from Him because we keep His
commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
If one for whom we are praying accepts Jesus, then what?
1. If possible, incorporate him or her into your church, Bible study and/or
fellowship, making sure he or she is discipled in his or her walk with Jesus.
2. Dont stop praying for him or her.
3. Encourage and help that new Christian to get into a Triplet to pray for
those who dont know Christ yet. Channel his or her new zeal for Jesus
into reaching friends and family who are without Jesus.
4. Add another person who doesnt know Christ to your prayer list to give
you nine again for your Triplet praying.
How should we cooperate with other Triplet pray-ers?
1. If possible, organize your Triplet program in your church, denomination,
organization or community.
2. Select a chairperson to keep track of who is praying in Triplets.
3. If possible, mount a large wall map of your community. Insert a colored
pin where each Triplet is prayingwith a goal of covering your whole
area with evangelism praying.
4. Report all decisions for Jesus to the chairperson.
5. Come together regularly, once a month if possible, to praise God and pray
for your Triplet program and each other.
42
43
[Evelyn Christensons A Study Guide for Evangelism Praying, edited November 2003.]
SECTION 5
********************
I
Why do we, as Christians, need to support
each other in prayer as we are reaching
people for Jesus?
1. Since evangelism is rescuing souls from Satans kingdom (see Colossians
1:13 NIV), Satan will try to keep us from praying and winning people by
hassling us personally.
2. The people still captive in Satans kingdom were condemned, with all
mankind, at the fall in the Garden of Eden (see Genesis 3:15; Romans 5:18;
John 3:18), and he will not relinquish them without a battle.
3. We can expect Satan to sift, tempt and hassle us to keep us powerless,
preoccupied and apathetic in the battle for souls (see Luke 22:31,32).
4. We need spiritual tools to win this supernatural struggle (see 2 Corinthians
10:3-5).
5. In the Lords model prayer, Jesus taught us to pray for the Father to deliver us
from the evil one (see Matthew 6:13).
6. Gods Word commands prayer as part of the Ephesians 6 armor Christians
need in our spiritual battle with Satan.
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this
in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the
saints [Christians]
(Ephesians 6:18).
44
III
What methods should we use to
pray for each other?
1. With your TRIPLET:
a. Pray for your other two Triplet members daily.
b. Admit and communicate your own needs by telephone to be prayed for by
your other two Triplet members.
c. However, dont let your praying for the unsaved get lost in your praying
for each other.
2. Pray in existing prayer groups or form new ones you feel are needed to
adequately cover all of you in prayer.
3. Join or organize a telephone and/or email prayer chain in your church,
organization or community. (See Rules for Prayer Chain Members, pages
48-49.)
a. Pray faithfully for all of those who request prayer in their praying for and
reaching people for Jesus.
b. Call in your specific needs to the telephone prayer chain so others can
pray for you.
45
4. Form a 24-hour prayer clock when there will be a specific thrust to pray for
and/or bring people to Jesus.
a. Draw a large circle divided into time periods (of the whole 24 hours).
b. Each pray-er signs up for as much time daily as he or she will promise to
pray, producing unbroken praying.
c. Each pray-er prays that same time every day until the prayer-clock project
is finished.
IV
How does Ephesians 6:18 say we should pray
for each other?
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this
in view be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the
saints (Ephesians 6:18).
46
For You to Do
1. Using your Bible, prayerfully and carefully go through each scripture on page
45, identifying the source and the solution to Satans hassles.
2. Decide with your other two Triplet members when and how you will pray for
each other (but not at your Triplet praying time) such as getting together or by
telephone.
3. Organize or join a Telephone Prayer Chain in your church or organization so
you will be praying for others and they for you.
4. Participate in 24-hour Prayer Clocks for special prayer and evangelistic events.
5. Review your weapons and authority of the Name and Blood of Jesus (see
pages 37-38) .
6. Start praying in your support groups immediately recognizing the battle is
against Satan and that it already has been won by Jesus on the cross (see
1 John 3:8b and John 19:30).
47
Signed ____________________________________
If at any time you find these rules impossible to follow, please call the
chairperson and have your name removed from the prayer chain.
48
49
50
[Evelyn Christensons A Study Guide for Evangelism Praying, edited November 2003.]
SECTION 6
********************
I
Let God burden your heart for the ones you
want to lead to Jesus.
1. Love them enough to weep over their eternal destiny if they dont accept Jesus.
2. Care enough to pray faithfully for their salvation.
3. Be willing to include fasting when prayingas God leads.
4. As much as possible, stay in contact with them and pray for their personal
needs, assisting if you can.
II
Live your Jesus in front of them so that they
will want the peace and joy you have.
1. What they see in you will either encourage or discourage them from wanting
to become a Christian.
2. The more you radiate Jesus in your life, the more they will want what you
have.
III
Keep aware that this is a spiritual battle with
Satan for those people.
1. Satan will try to use procrastination, distractions, fear and shame to try to keep
you from actually sharing Jesus verbally.
51
2. Remember: It is not your words or your ability to answer their questions that
will defeat Satan, it is the power of God.
3. Be sure to include asking God to break down any barriers and the hold Satan
has on them.
4. In the name of Jesus, overcome Satan because of the blood of Jesus.
IV
Take them to places that give them an
opportunity to accept Jesus.
1. Evangelistic church services, meetings and special Christian crusades are
good places to hear the gospel.
2. Bible-study classes offer great opportunities to hear and understand Gods
message and give them an opportunity to accept Jesus.
V
Share naturally in your personal
contacts with them.
1. Interact with them in kindness and help in any way you can to lift any burdens
or problemsthus earning the right to share Jesus.
2. In conversation, tell of something God has done in your life; how He
answered a specific prayer for you; how He helped you with a Scripture verse;
and so on.
3. Help them to share with you by lovingly telling them, God has laid you on
my heart, and Ive been praying for you. What is happening in your life that
made God lay you on my heart?
VI
Ask God to make you sensitive as
to when you should ask them if they
would like to accept Jesus.
1. As God opens hearts, lead the conversations to accepting Jesus.
2. Sometimes people are ready to accept Jesus immediately.
52
3. However, it may take time for God to prepare some hearts through your
praying and sharing, so let Him guide you.
4. God knows the timing of their readiness to make a decision that will produce
their acceptingnot rejectingJesus.
VII
How to lead a person to Jesus from the Bible.
1. If your church or Christian organization has a plan for leading people to Jesus,
use it if possible.
2. If not, the following is a list of necessary Scriptures for their salvation.
3. Show all Scriptures to them in a Bible, if possible, so they will know it is God
speaking, not you.
53
54
55
VIII
Now what should we do?
1. Tell the new believer to find someone to tell immediately of what Jesus has
just done in his or her life.
2. Plan your next meeting together.
3. Promise to keep praying for him or herand do it.
4. Tell the new believer how to get in touch with you whenever they need to.
5. Show him or her how to grow in Christ by:
a. Reading the Bible every day, especially the New Testament.
b. Talking to God in prayer at a special time each day and throughout the day.
6. Get him or her started in a good study of the Bible.
7. Invite the new believer to go to your church with you, or help him or her get
involved immediately in a Bible-believing church of their choice.
8. If there is no available church, form a group with nearby Christiansstudying
the Bible, praying, and worshiping God.
9. Assist the new Christian in getting in a TRIPLET so they can begin praying
immediately for friends and loved ones who need Jesus.
10. In your TRIPLET, rejoice and praise God for this new Christian, and replace
that persons name with another who doesnt know Jesus.
56
57
To order, or if you would like more information concerning A Study Guide for
Evangelism Praying, write to:
Study Guide, PO Box 677, Elk River, Minnesota, 55330-9998 USA
For further information, visit www.unitedprayerministry.org.
The Study Guide has also been available in the following languages:
Afrikaans
Arabic
Assamese
Azerbijani
Bengali
Bihar Hindi
Bulgarian
Burmese
Cambodian
Chichewa
Chinese (simple)
Chinese (complex)
Croatian
Czech
Dari
English
Farsi
French
German
Greek
Gujarathi
Haussa
Portuguese
(Brazilian)
Romanian
Russian
Serbian
Slovakian
Spanish
Swahili
Tajik
Tamil
Telugu
Thai
Turkish
Turkmen
Ukranian
Urdu
Uzbeki
Vietnamese
Wolof
Xhosa
Zulu
Hebrew
Hindi
Hungarian
Italian
Japanese
Kannada
Karakalpack
Kazach
Kikuyu
Kiswahili
Korean
Kyrgyz
Lesotho
Malagasy
Malayalam
Marathi
Nepalese
Oriya
Pashtu
Polish
Portuguese
(Continental)
______________________________
Video and Audio tapes in English of A Study Guide for Evangelism Praying and
also the companion Book Praying Gods Way, can be ordered. Write to:
Study Guide, PO Box 677, Elk River, Minnesota, 55330-9998 USA
Or visit www.unitedprayerministry.org for order forms and further information.
______________________________
To obtain copies of Love Your Neighbor As Yourself by Mary Lance Sisk,
contact Love Your Neighbor, P. O. Box 472247, Charlotte, NC 28247-2247 or
phone (704) 541-1023.
58
PRAYER
TRIPLETS
Jesus said, Again I say unto you, that if two of
you shall agree on earth as touching any thing
that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my
Father which is in heaven. For where two or
three are gathered in my name there am I in the
midst of them.(Matthew 18:19,20 KJV)
Instructions
1.
2.
Name
3.
Address
City
3.
State
1.
2.
Zip
3.
2.
3.
Our unreached people group is:
59
60