"If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it" (1 John 5:16 KJV).

Is there anyone you know who is a Christian and has fallen to sin? God said that He will honor your request on behalf of your brother or sister. When you see your brother sin, you can ask life for him, and God will give it to him. God said even if he doesn't ask himself, you ask for him and God will hear you.

God knows we have a whole lot of people we need to pray for. Well, God said He would hear your request. Why is that? You are His child and you are an overcomer. James 5 says, "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much," or the literal Greek says, "your prayers make tremendous power available." That is because you are His child.

Any father listens to his children. I listen to my children. My children can ask me to do something, and if I can do it, I'll do it. They know not to ask me something that is not my will. If they ask according to my will, I hear them. And they shall receive the petitions they desire of me. Now if a man is that generous, how much more generous is God who made man?

Now praying for someone that has fallen into sin is quite different than praying for someone that has committed the sin unto death. The Scripture says not to pray for the one who has committed the sin unto death, because it is impossible for them to be restored. Now there are some people who are confused about that.

What is the sin unto death? He is not talking about one that never received Jesus as Lord, then dies having never received Him. We know this is not the one because we are instructed to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send forth laborers to minister to those individuals.

However, he is talking about one that is fully mature in Christ, who operates fully in the gifts of the Spirit. It is noteworthy to mention here, that in my twenty-seven years in ministry, I haven't met one yet that denounced the Savior.

I've seen many that have backslidden. But even they don't deny that Jesus is the Christ. They just decided not to live for Him. So, we can pray for the one that has missed the mark - that is what sin is, missing the mark.

You were made to pray for your brother or sister in the Lord. When you pray you can get them restored in their relationship with the Father. It is about time that we realize that our prayers are effective; and our prayers are needed to bring life to those that miss the mark.

Scripture References: 1 Timothy 2:1-2; Hebrews 6:4-6; James 5:16

Keith Butler Ministries
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