May 8, 2025

“Doctor, When Do I Die”

We are focusing this week on prayer for unbelievers. Yesterday, we shared three biblical truths that will increase our faith for this. Our faith grows by reading, hearing, speaking, and meditating on God’s Word. Today, we will look at five more faith-building truths regarding God’s heart for unbelievers.

FACT #1: God Is Hungry to Save

While on earth as a flesh-and-blood human being, with very real human appetites and needs, Jesus demonstrated that His hunger to save sinners was greater than His hunger for food. In John 4, He went out of His way to minister to a confused, immoral Samaritan woman, married and divorced five times, and currently living with yet another man. Jesus forgave her, poured His living water into her, and introduced her to God as Father. Immediately afterward, when encouraged by His disciples to eat, Christ simply said, “I have food to eat that you do not know about” (John 4:32). He was so excited about what happened with this seemingly hopeless lady that He had lost His physical appetite!

She shared her testimony with the village, and many of them believed upon Him because of her words. They asked Jesus to remain in the village for a while, and He agreed to stay for a couple more days to teach and share with them. “Many more believed because of His word, and they were saying to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One truly is the Savior of the world”’ (John 4:41-42; NASB).

Jesus hasn’t changed; He still loves to rescue the lost.

FACT #2: Jesus Was Willing to Become Human and Die to Save Us

Another powerful faith-building truth is that Jesus chose to become human in order to redeem humanity. No one, absolutely no one, could possibly imagine what it entailed for Christ to do so. He loves us so much that He chose to pay this price, rather than have us remain outside His family. When faced with the agony of the Cross, Jesus stayed the course choosing torture, humiliation, and death, rather than angelic deliverance. He could have called upon legions of angels to deliver Him (see Matthew 26:53). However, His desire to save us was and is so strong that no price or sacrifice was too great. He did this for YOUR family and friends! Put a face to the price He paid!

In his book Written in Blood, Robert Coleman tells the story of a little boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion. The doctor had explained that she had the same disease the boy had recovered from two years earlier. Her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the disease. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor.

“‘Would you give your blood to Mary?’ the doctor asked.

“Johnny hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled and said, ‘Sure, for my sister.’

“Soon, the two children were wheeled into the hospital room—Mary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and healthy. Neither spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned.

“As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny’s smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube. With the ordeal almost over, his voice, slightly shaky, broke the silence, ‘Doctor, when do I die?’

“Only then did the doctor realize why Johnny had hesitated, why his lip had trembled when he’d agreed to donate his blood. He’d thought giving his blood to his sister meant giving up his life. In that brief moment, he’d made his selfless decision.”(1)

Johnny didn’t have to die to save his sister. However, this was not the case with Christ. Our condition required Jesus to give His blood and His life. And He did it gladly. That’s how much He loves us. 

FACT #3: God Delights in Showing Mercy

Still another important truth is that the Lord delights in showing mercy (Micah 7:18). It isn’t a stretch of God’s righteous nature to give mercy to unbelievers; He delights in doing so! Nineveh was a wicked city whose level of sin reached a point that demanded judgment (Jonah 3:4). However, when the people of Nineveh repented, God delighted in changing the verdict and releasing mercy! His heart hasn’t changed! He is just as excited to show mercy to your family member or friend.

FACT #4: Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Lost

Jesus said He came to seek and to save the lost (see Luke 19:10). Our holy and infinite God humbles Himself to seek fallen man. Unfathomable.

I can wrap my finite mind around we humans being told to seek God, but every brain cell goes into overload when told He seeks us. God pursuing those who hate and reject Him? Where does such incomprehensible love come from? There simply are no words.

God is on a quest. Every day, He looks down the road, waiting for another prodigal to crest the hill. When He sees one, He runs - yes, He RUNS to them - and embraces them even while they’re still covered with slop and mud. Then He restores the prodigal’s inheritance and throws a party saying, “My child is home!” (Luke 15:11-32). And His love is just as great for those who have never known Him. 

FACT #5: Our Restoration to God Is the Theme of the Bible!

And finally, think about this: the entire Bible is the story of God’s plan and desire to save the fallen human race, to restore them into His family. Genesis brings us very quickly to the Fall - chapter 3. The remaining 1186 chapters of the Bible are the story of God’s quest and plan to redeem the human race. After Adam’s fall, He didn’t run from us; we ran from Him (Genesis 3:8). He’s been chasing us ever since.

God‘s heart is to save. Meditate on, feed your heart with the truths we shared yesterday and today. You will soon be filled with faith, fully convinced that the God who seeks and saves will do so for those you desire to see saved. 

Pray with me:

Father, satan’s plan to capture us began with him distorting Your heart. He has never stopped. The deceiver paints You as legalistic, mean-spirited, hard to please, one who loves to judge harshly, and who is distant and unapproachable. You, however, are the essence of goodness and kindness. Your merciful heart is to redeem. You desire intimacy with us, always seeking our companionship. Yeshua is the ultimate proof of Your love and compassion.

You said in Your Word that we have power to demolish the mindsets satan and sin have planted in unbelievers, and to stop his schemes and plans from succeeding against them (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Therefore, we bind the lies, deceptions, mindsets, and beliefs he has ingrained in our prodigals and unbelievers for whom we pray. (Matthew 16:18-19). According to Luke 15:17, You can and will bring them to their senses. You will lift the veil from their eyes and shine Your light into the darkness (2 Corinthians 4:3-6). We use Christ’s keys of authority and release this now! (Matthew 16:18-19). We open the door for truth and light to reach them, and close the door to deception (Isaiah 22:22). We have been offered no less by You, Father, and by Your grace and power, we will accept no less! We ask and release these things in Yeshua’s name. Amen.

Our decree:

We decree that unbelievers and prodigals - by the millions - are coming to their senses and will come to the Heavenly Father. 

Today’s post was adapted from my book How to Pray for Lost Loved Ones, published by Baker Books.

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

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1. Craig Brian Larson, Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1993), p. 25.