THE CONVERSION PRAYER

The book of Romans has some familiar verses that have become the standard ‘conversion prayer.’ Paul, an apostle, wrote:

“The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim: If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:8-9).

The Gospel (Good News) has become a formula that depends on the person ‘inviting Jesus into our heart.’ Perhaps a deeper understanding might be that Jesus is inviting us into his heart…his life. There is still an obvious point of willful choice to that invitation.

So, how do we ‘lead someone to the Lord’? We don’t. The Holy Spirit does. Our active role is to ask the Lord for this to happen…praying with faith.

Scotty Smith, retired pastor wrote: “I didn’t invite Jesus into my heart; he gave me a new heart.”

But, then again, we cannot get very technical here because there are no two examples alike in the New Testament of how people ‘come to the Lord.’ Just hug’em and invite them into the Kingdom reality of Jesus.

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”
Jesus