There is a prayer I have prayed for decades—one that has shaped my heart more than any other. It comes from a promise God spoke in Psalm 2:8 (NLT): “Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession.”
Most people read this as a Messianic prophecy, and it absolutely is. But it is also an invitation—one that God extends to every believer who dares to pray His greatest desire: that all people would hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, come to repentance, and receive Him as their Savior.
When I pray for “the heathen”— those aren't derogatory words, but as Scripture’s ancient way of describing those who do not yet know the Lord. I ask God to give them to me as my inheritance, and to use me—however He desires—in helping them find Him. As we pray, God has those who plant His Word by sharing the good news with others. He has some praying for the seed planted in their hearts, which is equivalent to watering that seed so it will germinate and take root. And God has others sharing and leading people to Christ. When we participate in any of these ways, and they come to Christ, they are our inheritance! I can tell you with absolute certainty: when you pray this daily, it not only releases Heaven's power, but absolutely transforms you as you continue to pray it!
Why does it change you so deeply? Because you begin to pray the very heartbeat of God. There is nothing God desires more than the salvation of people. It's the very reason Jesus left Heaven to become the sacrifice for our sins. And we know this because God tells us that the only reason He has not yet come back is because He is still reaching the hearts of those who will receive Him! 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV): “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise… but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Again, this is why Jesus has not yet returned. He is waiting for every last person who will come to Him, and then like the door on the ark, the time will come for it to close.
When you align your prayer life with what God cares about most, something supernatural begins to happen. God opens your eyes. You suddenly notice the people around you who are lost—neighbors, coworkers, store clerks, family members and relatives, civil leaders, and more. Your heart wants to intercede for their salvation.
The result of seeking this inheritance is that your heart becomes tender. You begin to experience a growing hunger to communicate the gospel—simply, gently, and in everyday language. You’re moved with the compassion Jesus felt when He saw the crowds: “He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36 NKJV) And little by little, God changes you from the inside out. You begin to love people the way He loves them. You see them through His eyes. You care about their eternity.
This simple but powerful prayer of faith—“Lord, give us the heathen for our inheritance”—does more than reach Heaven. It softens and transforms a Christians heart and life. Yours! God begins to do a new work in you. You start looking for opportunities to sow seeds of the gospel. You become bolder, yet kinder. You find yourself speaking to people with warmth and sincerity because you genuinely care about their soul. And this is exactly what God intended.
Jesus told us in Luke 19:10 (NKJV): “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” When you pray Psalm 2:8, you step into that mission with Him. You say, “Lord, I care about what You care about. I want to be part of what You are doing in the earth.”
This is the prayer God always answers. It is His heartbeat. It is His longing. And when you pray it daily, it won’t just change your prayer life—it will change your entire life.
So, could you start now, this moment? It's not long. It's not hard. It's simply a prayer to be prayed for in faith. It is a seed of faith that moves Heaven and earth while transforming you.
Let's pray: “Father, in Jesus' name, I pray for the heathen of this world for my inheritance. You promised me the heathen, and so I pray for it in faith now in Jesus' name. I thank you that you are moving throughout the earth in ways I could not fathom. I thank you for allowing me to share your burden. I thank you for moving Heaven and earth to help others come to know you. And I thank you that my prayers of faith matter. I rejoice with you in all those who come to know you today, and pray for those who have had the seed of your gospel planted in their hearts. Water that word in their heart and help them to surrender to you, including all of my unsaved loved ones and friends. I pray for this in faith now in Jesus' name, Amen. "
Pray that every day and watch what God does. Watch His heartbeat become your heartbeat! Nothing could be better!
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