God has been stirring up a burden in my wife, Julie and me, for our many unsaved family members. We’ve also heard this from other Christian friends we know as well. This is a clear indicator that the Holy Spirit is about to be poured out upon all flesh in these last days before tribulation comes upon the whole world. I believe this is our “hour of opportunity”—an open window to pray like never before with the burden of the Lord for our lost family members and to prophetically proclaim Household Salvation, even as Joshua did in Joshua 24:15 when he declared, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”!
It’s time for Christian parents, whether still together, or a single mom or single dad, to have daily devotions with their children. A reading from the Bible along with a family prayer will do wonders for the children. It will ground them in the fear of the Lord and in a sense of divine purpose for their lives even at an early age. Fathers are the priest of their home and they are responsible before God to bring up their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. It is also the joy and honour of single moms to instill the truth of God’s word into their children and God will be their husband and a Father to the children. It cannot be stressed enough that when you get this priority right, God can begin to move in your situation to bring forth Household Salvation.
There are two main passages in the Bible that support the scriptural principle of Household Salvation—the first one is Exodus 12:3 which says,“Speak unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, they shall take to them every man a lamb, a lamb for a house”. And when the Death Angel came through Egypt, he passed over every Hebrew house that had the blood of a lamb applied, and the entire family inside were saved. The harlot Rahab in Joshua 2 is another example of household salvation where her entire family was spared death because of her faith. The second passage is in Acts16 where Paul and Silas were miraculously released from prison and prevented the jailer from taking his own life. In desperation, he cried out to Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house”. It was God's desire to save, not this man only, but all of his family. So the promise included his house.
Your prayer and intercession breaks the grip of the enemy upon your loved one. It softens the ground of their heart to receive God’s mercy. It awakens in them a sense of conviction that they need to get right with God. That’s exactly how we all got saved—because someone was praying.
We are a vital part of the Holy Spirit’s “last call” for men and women to repent before Christ comes for His Bride! The devil is not happy with us praying for our loved ones who are held captive by him, so be prepared for a fight as you begin to stand in the gap, but know that God stands with you to strengthen you in the fiercest warfare ever fought on planet earth. You can expect your loved ones to react in a negative and even angry manner initially, but do not be disheartened—that is a sure sign that God is working. Keep up the praying and stand your ground and see the salvation of the Lord! Here are four basic points to assist you in knowing how to pray more effectively for your loved ones.
POINT #1. Pray with CONFIDENCE—this is the ASSURANCE that God hears your prayer! 1John 5:14 tells us, “this is the confidence that we have in Him, for if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” We also know according to 2Peter 3:9 that “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” That includes your loved ones! So pray in faith and boldness knowing that you are praying according to God’s will for your unsaved family. Household salvation is always God’s will.
POINT #2. Pray with COMMAND—this is the imparted AUTHORITY that we have in Christ, according to 2Corinthians 10:4-5 for the “pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, (arguments) and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” Command the enemy to release your loved one from his grip of deception, apathy and human reasoning.
POINT #3. Pray for CONVICTION—this is the God-aroused AWARENESS in your loved one’s soul of their need for repentance and godly sorrow that works salvation. How does this happen? Through intercessory prayer that removes the spiritual blinders from their eyes and awakens them to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. No one can come to Christ on their own accord until they are first drawn by the Spirit. This happens when you pray for hot conviction on their sinful heart. Remember that Ephesians 6:12 tells us that we do not wrestle with flesh and blood but principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
POINT #4. Pray for COMPASSION—this is the unconditional ACCEPTANCE of who your loved one is, regardless of their ungodly lifestyle. No matter what they have done, they are a still a soul in need of salvation. Matthew 9:36 tells us that,“When Jesus saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd”. Lost sheep without a Shepherd. Let’s put ourselves in their shoes and let’s remember where we came from and what our lives used to be like before Jesus, our Good Shepherd, rescued us from sin and destruction, when old things passed away and all things became new. While not condoning their sin, your loving acceptance of them will work more powerfully upon their heart than a thousand sermons. Leave the preaching to others who God will bring into their lives to witness to them through your prayers of compassion.
At the time that I was preparing this article, the reality of Household Salvation Prayer hit home full force to Julie and me, when we received the tragic news of two sudden deaths in our family involving a head on collision. A father and son that we will never see again on this earth. They won’t be at family gatherings anymore at Christmas time and weddings and special occasions. Death is so final and that’s why the Holy Spirit is sounding an urgent plea to bring our loved ones to the throne of grace while there is still time, where God can extend mercy and grace in their lives toward Household Salvation. Jesus stands poised with the Lamb’s Book of Life opened, ready to record your loved ones’ names in its eternal pages, and when the roll is called up yonder, they’ll be there!
