How long have you been after your loved ones to come to know Jesus as their Savior? Has it been a struggle? Are they resisting the message of the gospel more and more. Do they seem to be getting further away from Him with each passing day? Here are some things you can do to cooperate with God in the salvation of your loved ones.

2 Peter 3:3–10 (KJV)
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

God’s Love for the Unsaved

• This section of scripture has a tremendous statement of God’s love for the unsaved.
• Let’s look at it.
• Notice first, the reaction of the scoffers in 2Peter 3:4.
• What is a scoffer?
• A scoffer is someone who jeers or mocks or treats something or someone with contempt.
• Have you ever run into this type of person before?
• These believers were teaching that Jesus was coming again and they were being mocked at and scoffed at because of it.
• These scoffers, though, had an agenda.
• They desired to continue to live in their sin instead of react and adjust their lives to the fact of Jesus coming.
• If you believe that Jesus is indeed coming, wouldn’t that result in a careful monitoring of your lifestyle and activities?
• The scoffers justification for their sinful lifestyle was that nothing cataclysmic has ever taken place since time began.
• In this choice, they partook willingly, verse five indicates.

DEFINITION: ‘willingly’ – gladly, willingly, of choice or preference.

• These people were willing and glad to be ignorant.
• They preferred ignorance.
• Their argument boiled down to this: ‘Since nothing has ever happened of a world shaking order since the beginning of creation, why should we believe in a rapture or a second coming of Jesus?’
• In verse 6, Peter disputes the scoffer’s argument stating that they deliberately overlooked the Great Flood in Noah’s day; the most cataclysmic event ever.
• Peter’s warning to the church is that we don’t aspire to this same level of ignorance and rebellion.
• And now, the tremendous hope of verse 9.
• The Lord is long-suffering to usward not willing that any should perish…
• Notice two words here: ‘usward’ and ‘any’.
• The ‘usward’ spoken of is you and I, the already saved.
• The ‘any’ are those who are connected to us, our unsaved loved ones.
• The Lord is not willing, or it is not His will, that any of our unsaved loves should die without Jesus and so He waits patiently.
• So, how do we cooperate with the Lord in getting our unsaved loved ones into heaven?

First, Understand Salvation Is God’s Idea Not Yours

• God wants the lost saved more than you do.
• An unsaved person dying without Jesus was never God’s will.

Ezekiel 33:11 (KJV)
11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

• We must come to understand the great love of the Father God for humanity.
• Rom. 5:6-10 says ‘while we were yet sinners, He died for us.’
• Ps. 145:8-9 says ‘the Lord is good to all.’
• Also, remember that whether saved or unsaved, whether people choose to serve Him or not, the Lord is good to everyone.
• God says that He makes His sun to rise on the just and the unjust, Matt. 5:45.
• God makes His rain to fall on those who love Him with their spirits and those that hate Him with their spirits.
• The great intensity that the Father God loves humanity with is mostly misunderstood by man.
• The Father let His own Son be destroyed.
• He stood by and let them persecute Jesus.
• He stood by and let them mock Jesus.
• He stood by and let them beat Jesus to within an inch of His life.
• He stood by and allowed His Son to be crucified on a tree.

Romans 8:32 (KJV)
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

• Humanity is of infinite value to the Father God.
• We understand value in our economic system of things; $10.00 pays for $10.00 of merchandise.
• Would you pay $100.00 for a $1.00 piece of gum?
• The purchase is equal to the price paid.
• God thought you were worth it, when He sent Jesus to the cross for you and your loved ones.
• God did not get the short end of the purchase.
• When He sent Jesus to the cross, He got you!
• The Psalmist declared in Ps. 8:4 – what is man that you are mindful of him…?
• There are places in the scripture where we see man rising to an understanding of the great value that God has for humanity.
• Do you remember those individuals who said that they would rather be cursed than to see their brethren cursed?
• Moses, for example in Ex. 32:32

Exodus 32:32 (KJV)
32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

• Paul, for example in Rom. 9:3

Romans 9:3 (KJV)
3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

• Since, man is selfish at his core because of sin, where did such a great desire for salvation and forgiveness come from in these men to the point that they desired themselves to be cut off?
• This intense desire could have only come from the Father God.
• This is His true nature.
• The Father says in effect, ‘I would rather my own Son be cut off than that humanity would be cut off.’
• NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, doubt His willingness to save your loved ones.
• You don’t have to talk God into the notion of saving your unsaved loved ones.
• When you really understand the Father’s great love for man, it puts praying for a person’s salvation in right perspective.
• Remember that God is not holding back!
• He’s trying to get them saved, more than you know or realize.
• He is desperately wanting them to come to Him.

Second, Understand Your Authority in Christ!

• Spiritual authority has something to do with the unsaved coming to Jesus.
• Know that Satan has blinded the minds of the unsaved (2 Cor. 4:4).
• It is Satan that has a realm of darkness under which the unsaved live.
• There are two kingdoms; light and darkness (Col. 1:13).
• Jesus told the Pharisees that they were of their father the devil or the kingdom of darkness (Jn. 8:44).
• People who are in darkness are influenced by that realm (Eph. 2:2).
• But, the scriptures clearly teach that believers have authority over the realm of darkness!
• You can find that sense in these verses: Eph. 4:27, Mk. 16:17, James 4:7, Lk. 10:19, and 1 Jn. 4:4.
• Our responsibility is to use our God given authority and break the influence of the enemy in Jesus name
• Remember that the unsaved cannot see – 2 Cor. 4:4.
• They need help to see.
• They need the fog that covers their eyes to be lifted.
• You can find more information of our authority in Christ by accessing the post ‘Step Up and Take a Seat’.

Third, Pray For Laborers

Matthew 9:36–38 (KJV)
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

• After, you use your authority to bind the enemies influence in a person’s life, pray for a laborer to cross their path.
• Understand that despite your desire for their salvation that you are not the best witness to your family.
• In order for them to come to Jesus through you, they are going to have to admit that you were right all along.
• Many times this is a hard thing for them to do.
• It is at times best that you don’t witness to them.
• Don’t bug them; don’t worry them; don’t hassle them; leave them alone in the natural.
• Of course these are general guidelines and the best thing is to be led by the Spirit of God in these matters.
• Notice Matt. 9:37.
• Jesus states a problem that exists; big harvest, few workers.
• The Godhead did not cause this under-staffing problem.
• A good businessman would properly staff his company.
• The answer to the under-staffing problem is prayer.
• Pray that the Lord would send a laborer.
• Now, here is the beauty of this kind of praying.
• The Lord, in His wisdom, knows which laborer to send to your loved one.
• In each of these areas stay in faith.
• Have faith that God loves the unsaved more than you do.
• Stay in faith as you exercise authority over their blinded eyes.
• Stay in faith as you pray for laborers.
• These are some ways that you can cooperate with God for the salvation of your loved ones.

Call to Action:

You cannot doubt the great willingness of God the Father to save lost humanity. With that being said, you can cooperate with God in the realm of prayer and the realm of spiritual authority. Study the subject of authority until it becomes real to your heart. Meditate in the truth of prayer in connection with the lost until you are assured within that when you ask the Father God to send a laborer across the path of your unsaved loved one, that that is a settled thing with you.

Question: Are there any other steps you know or have taken to cooperate with God in the salvation of lost people? Please leave a comment in the section below. We would love to learn from and look forward to having your input.