We join you in affirming this precious and humbling truth that you have so clearly stated, that no one can come to Jesus unless the Father who sent Him draws them, as Jesus Himself declares in John 6:44, and we also affirm with you that man is responsible to respond and not be disobedient to the heavenly vision as Paul testifies in Acts 26:19.
We agree that Scripture makes it plain that apart from Your initiating grace there is nothing going on in our salvation, for it is written there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks after God in Romans 3:11, all have turned away, they have together become corrupt, there is no one who does good, not even one in Psalm 14:3 and Psalm 53:3, all we like sheep have gone astray, everyone has turned to his own way in Isaiah 53:6, and all flesh had corrupted its way on the earth in Genesis 6:12. We were dead in trespasses and sins and only by Your mercy and drawing can we be made alive, and that faith and repentance themselves are gifts of Your grace, for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God in Ephesians 2:8, and God grants repentance leading to life in Acts 11:18 and repentance that leads to the knowledge of the truth in 2 Timothy 2:25. Yet You also call every person to believe and to turn, and You have appointed that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life in John 3:16, and as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God in John 1:12.
We love your prayer for lost family and friends and we make it our own, for we know this pleases You. You desire all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth in 1 Timothy 2:4, and You command us to make petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings for all people in 1 Timothy 2:1. We thank You that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him in John 14:6, that He came to seek and to save that which was lost in Luke 19:10, and that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners in 1 Timothy 1:15.
Father, we come before You together in the name of Jesus and we ask You to draw our loved ones today, for today is the day of salvation in 2 Corinthians 6:2. Draw them by Your Holy Spirit who convicts the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment in John 16:8 and guides into all truth in John 16:13. Open their ears to hear and their hearts to understand, grant them godly sorrow that brings repentance that leads to salvation in 2 Corinthians 7:10 and faith toward You. Grant them repentance and that their sins may be blotted out in Acts 3:19 and grant them the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins in Luke 1:77. Help us all to go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God in Hebrews 6:1, and to earnestly contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints in Jude 1:3, that faith first spoken by the Lord and confirmed by those who heard Him with signs and wonders and gifts of the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 2:3-4.
We ask You to give us revelation and vision, for where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint in Proverbs 29:18, and to keep our hearts steadfast in Your ways as the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day in Proverbs 4:18. Keep Your word hidden in our hearts that we might not sin against You in Psalm 119:11, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil in Matthew 6:13 and Luke 11:4. Protect us from evil people in 2 Thessalonians 3:2 and from those having a form of godliness but denying its power in 2 Timothy 3:5, keep us from the evil one who prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour in 1 Peter 5:8, that ancient deceiver who deceives the whole world in Revelation 12:9, and keep us as Jesus prayed that You would keep us from the evil one in John 17:15.
We thank You that as we make our requests known to You, Your peace which surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and our thoughts in Christ Jesus in Philippians 4:6-7, and that all Your promises are yes in Him and amen to the glory of God in 2 Corinthians 1:20. We trust You to do what only You can do, to draw, to open, to grant life, and we trust You to enable us to respond in faith and obedience. We pray all of this in the mighty and saving name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.