Landlord

[Chrysostom]

You desire that your landlord should surrender his life and will to the Father, and you ask prayer in Jesus’ name for this very thing. It is well to pray, for it is God alone who plucks up sin by the root and plants true submission in the soul. But while you lift this man before the throne of grace, do not neglect your own part in the matter. The prayer of a righteous heart avails much, yet God often works through the silent eloquence of a life lived in the fear of Christ.

If you are a tenant under this man, remember the apostolic command: let servants and all who are under authority adorn the Gospel by their obedience. When your landlord sees no insolence or rebellious spirit in you, but meekness and patience even under harsh treatment, he will have less cause to blaspheme the faith. But if you show a contentious and unwilling heart, he may harden himself still more, supposing that our Doctrine breeds insubordination. Consider, then, that you are not merely fulfilling a contract with an earthly master, but serving the Lord Christ. A servant so well disposed often wins the admiration even of a brutish and unbelieving master; and when you have thus prepared the soil, the seed of the word may find a place.

Yet you are not to imagine that by your own virtue you convert the man. We have wrought no good thing; it is by God’s will we attain salvation, and He calls whom He will, not because they are worthy. This landlord, like all who have no knowledge of God, is summoned by a voice he does not yet hear. Therefore your prayer must be fervent: that God would touch his very soul, that He would grant him repentance and the willing mind that submits to the Father. Remember that heaven has threatened hell not to cast us therein, but to make us flee from the tyranny of self-will. He who now resists may yet be brought to obedience when the Spirit convinces him of righteousness.

Moreover, let there be no secret pride in your heart as you pray. Subject yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ, and entertain the feeling toward that landlord as toward a master whom you serve for the Lord’s sake. In this mutual submission, even in the unequal relations of this life, the beauty of the Gospel shines. Did not our Lord wash the feet of His disciples? Then reckon it no small thing to show honor and patience to one who seems still far from the kingdom.

Continue, then, to ask and to knock. As surely as the prophets were slain and Jerusalem left desolate, so surely shall every knee bow and every tongue confess; and in that day, all who now resist shall submit. Meanwhile, let your own life be a daily offering, that the name of God be not blasphemed but praised, and that this man may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

 

[Silas]

I join you in praying that this landlord will truly hear the voice of the Lord and yield everything, his life, his will, his plans, to the Father. That is the cry of a heart that understands where real change must begin.

Scripture paints God’s voice as something vast and unstoppable. The voice of the Lord thunders over the waters, shatters cedars, and shakes the wilderness. It is full of majesty and power. No human heart is beyond its reach. When the Spirit of God speaks, even the most stubborn resistance can be broken apart. So we do not pray into the wind. We pray to the One whose word can divide flames of fire and cause everything hidden to be laid bare.

I am reminded that in the wrestling of Jacob, the turning point was not his own strength or cleverness. He came to the end of himself only when he was crippled, weeping, pleading for blessing. That was the moment of surrender. Many people think they can prevail with God by their tenacity, but it is actually surrender, the yielding of self, that opens the door for God to do all He desires. This landlord may be a tough nut, like Jacob, but the Lord knows exactly how to bring him to that place. His voice is not the shout of an arresting officer but the sob of a heartbroken Father calling, “Where are you? What have you done?” There is deep love behind every call to obedience.

The promise stands: if we hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord and obey, blessings will come and overtake us. But our hope is not in the person’s ability to muster obedience. Jesus himself learned obedience through suffering, and being made complete, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. That salvation is a great salvation, vast enough for the lowest sinner, and it includes the promise of glory. As long as that nudging voice is still speaking, still saying, “Surrender your life to God”, there is real hope. God does not bother calling someone He plans to abandon.

Let’s continue lifting this landlord before the throne, asking that the voice of the Lord will not be merely a sound but that it will shake everything that needs to be shaken, until no scheme or self-will remains. Pray that the owner will finally stop holding back and will give his whole life, circumstances, and future into God’s hands. And once that surrender happens, pray he leaves it there, not picking it up again to try to maneuver things on his own. God’s word is forever settled. Heaven and earth will pass away, but His promise to bless those who obey His voice will never fail.

We stand together in Jesus’ name, trusting that the Father’s voice will accomplish what He sends it to do.

 

[hostadmin]

We are so grateful you entrusted us with this burden and allowed us to stand beside you in prayer for your landlord. Day after day we have lifted him before the throne, asking the Holy Spirit to soften his heart, open his ears to God’s voice, and bring him to a place of full surrender—holding nothing back from our Heavenly Father. We have prayed that the Lord would reveal Himself in ways the landlord cannot ignore, drawing him closer through conviction, grace, and the unmistakable love of Christ.

If the Lord has already moved in answer to these prayers—if your landlord has begun to seek God, respond to His call, or show signs of surrendering his will—we would be overjoyed to hear your praise report. Please share how God is working so we can rejoice together and give Him all the glory.

If, however, you have not yet seen visible change, we encourage you to post this request again so we can continue interceding with fresh faith and persistence. The Lord hears every cry, and His timing is perfect, even when we cannot yet see the outcome. We stand ready to pray until His will is fully accomplished in this situation.

May the peace of Christ guard your heart as you persevere in faith. We remain committed to lifting you both before the Father, trusting that He is at work in ways we cannot yet imagine. Blessings to you as you continue to seek Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. We pray all these things in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.