21 Days of Prayer for the Lost: Day 7

This past holiday season I had the occasion to watch Home Alone again. In one scene, young Kevin asks an older gentleman, “Aren’t you too old to be afraid?” The man quietly responds, “You can be too old for a lot of things, but you’re never too old to be afraid.”

That line stopped me. It reminded me of a truth we don’t often say out loud—fear is normal. Even as Christians, fear is something we experience throughout our lives. It can rise up when we least expect it, and at times it can even become persistent or debilitating. Yet Scripture reminds us that fear is not a sign of spiritual failure—it simply means we’re human.

And often, fear shows up most strongly when we begin to care about the lost.

During these 21 days as we pray for those who don’t yet know Christ, many of us feel a nudge from the Holy Spirit—maybe to speak, to invite, to pray out loud, to share our testimony, or simply to begin a relationship. And that nudge is often immediately met with fear.

“What if I don’t know what to say?”
“What if I’m rejected?”
“What if God asks me to do something uncomfortable?”
“What if I’m not spiritually adequate?”
“What if this changes my relationships?”

These are real fears. But they’re also spiritual warfare.

The prince of darkness does not want a single believer reaching a single lost soul. Fear is one of his sharpest tools to hold us back—to paralyze, distract, or convince us that God cannot use ordinary people like us.

But Scripture gives us a surprising encouragement: even the apostle Paul—the bold missionary, the church planter, the evangelist—struggled with fear.

Think about that. Paul—the man who wrote nearly half the New Testament—admitted that when he shared Christ, he did so in fear and trembling. He didn’t arrive in Corinth feeling strong, polished, or confident. He wasn’t depending on eloquence, clever answers, or personal skill. He came weak… and God used him anyway. He came afraid… and the Spirit worked through him. He stepped forward trembling… and God showed His power.

God never asks us to be fearless—He asks us to be obedient. Just one step. One conversation. One prayer. One act of kindness. One moment of saying “yes” to the Holy Spirit.

In my own life I have found that one obedient step often leads to another—each one building spiritual maturity and courage. It’s like putting one foot in front of the other. God provides the strength and the words in the moment we need them, not before.

As we begin this year, pray with expectation. Don’t let fear hold you back. Trust that the Spirit will demonstrate His power through your weakness—just like He did with Paul.

Things for pray for today:

• Praise God that he did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love (2 Timothy 1:7).
• Ask God to make you receptive to the opportunities He places in your path.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.