Celebrating the Lord's Salvation (1 Samuel 11:13)

In this episode of Pray the Word on 1 Samuel 11:13, David Platt reflects on the truth that the Lord alone has the power to save.

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Pray the word with David Platt is a resource from radical dot net. First Samuel chapter eleven, verse thirteen. But Saul said, Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel. So there's a lot happening here in first Kings chapter eleven. People who had risen up in rebellion, and in the verse right before this, in first Samuel chapter eleven, verse twelve, the people are saying to Samuel, We need to put some people to death for this rebellion. But Saul speaks up, he says, Not a man shall be put to death this day. And this is the phrase that I want to encourage us to think about and pray according to. For today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel. Now there was a specific context here in 1 Samuel chapter 11 in which the Lord had worked salvation. But that phrase is a phrase we see all over the Bible. The Lord alone has the power to work salvation. Salvation is his work, it's what he does. And when he does, we have much reason to celebrate. And so, in light of this phrase, the Lord has worked salvation. I want to lead us to pray that the Lord would do that work in individual lives around us, in specific lives around us. I want to lead us to pray right now, and obviously you're gonna have to fill in the blank with the people around you when you think about family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors who you know need salvation from the Lord, they need God to work this salvation. I want to lead us to intercede specifically for them right now. And then, much like we often do on this podcast, for us to intercede for the Lord to work salvation among unreached people, specifically Gujarati Hindus in India and spread out in other countries around the world. So let's pause right now and just think about people in your family, friends of yours, co-workers, neighbors, people you know, people in your sphere of influence, like picture their names and their faces right now who who don't know Jesus. Let's just pray right now, God, we lift up all of these people to you. Others have the same, God, we ask you right now, please work salvation in their lives. Please, God, we ask you, work salvation. Do your work of saving sinners in these specific lives, we pray. And God, as we ask you to do that, we pray that you would give us sensitivity to your spirit and boldness to share the gospel with them. We know that the only way they can be saved is by hearing the gospel and believing it. So, God, help us to proclaim the gospel to them. God, please keep us from being silent. Help us to speak your gospel to these people. And God, we pray, knowing that our words can't convince them. Only your spirit can do this supernatural work, only you can work salvation. We ask you, God, please work salvation in their lives. We're asking for that right now together. And God, we're uniting our hearts together also for Gujarati Hindus all across India, spread out in other countries. God, we pray for your salvation to be made known. God, we pray that you would work salvation among Gujarati Hindus. Please, God, please save them. Open their eyes to you as the one and only true God, as the one who has made a way for them to be forgiven of their sins. God, please work salvation. Cause the gospel to go to them. Send out laborers to take the gospel to Gujarati, men and women and children. God, we pray that you would work your salvation among them, that they may be reached with the gospel. The disciples may be made and churches might be planted and multiplied among them. God works salvation in ways that lead to celebration, celebration in heaven and celebration on earth. As we say, today the Lord has worked salvation for this person, for that person, for this people group, for that people group. God works salvation, we pray. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.