In prayer evangelism, the initial blessing part is generally quiet and private, mostly done in secret - not so much for the ears of people but for the ear of God. We bless others in prayer, directed to our heavenly Father, because we are seeking God to come and open their eyes and hearts to the light of the Gospel of salvation and to the deep work of His Spirit. We are seeking for God to fill the atmosphere of our workplaces, schools, and homes with His presence, His peace, and all that is His Kingdom values.  

• Reason #1: When we declare peace over people we sow into disarming any negative view of Christians they may have. 

• Reason #2: If we are blessing people then we have chosen to step away from negative talk about them or to them. 

• Reason #3: Speaking God's peace over non-believers opens their eyes to the light of the Gospel. 

Blessing unbelievers opens the door to fellowship.  

• "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." - Matthew 6:6 NIV

• "...the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." - 2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

• "Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone." 12:9-17 NLT

• “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you... Do to others as you would like them to do to you." - Luke 6:27-28,31 NLT

• "We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us." - 1 Corinthians 4:12 NLT

• "Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing." - 1 Peter 3:8-9 NLT

Fellowship provides an opportunity to show unconditional acceptance by embracing our neighbors, friends, and acquaintances the way they are instead of the way we want them to be. Our befriending and loving on people shows them the instrinsic value they each have as created in the image of God. In a sense, out of the private blessing we are doing for people flows our own being a blessing to those very people through our friendship, and later through our prayers for their felt needs. 

Fellowship opens the door to prayer.

• "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

• "...love your neighbor as yourself." - Luke 10:27b NIV

• "Above everything, love one another earnestly, because love covers over many sins." - 1 Peter 4:8 N IV

• "So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith." - Galatians 6:9-10 NLT

This is about gaining an opportunity to meet their felt needs through prayer, needs they feel very deeply and have not been able to meet on their own.  Prayer is the most tangible trace of eternity in the human heart. When you pray for felt needs you touch your neightbor at the deepest level—the heart level. This is the closest you can get to them. Be patient and available.  God will reveal His love, His power, and goodness through the tangible display of brotherly/sisterly love in the action of prayer and also when there is answered prayer. To be truthful, in praying for people, they generally feel God's peace, love, and presence, even outside of any answers to prayer. 

• "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give." - Matthew 10:8

• "You are the salt of the earth...You aere the light of the world... let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." - Matthew 513-14,16 NIV

• “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:43-48 NLT

• "So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith." Luke 6:9-10 NLT

• "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." - Colossians 3:23-24 NIV

As people feel the love and the support we bring, they often open themselves up to hear the reason for the difference that Christ makes on our lives - the why we care and look beyond ourselves. We are then ready to share our story of how God touched our own lives, releasing transformation. And we can then share the Gospel, the story of how God is wanting to break into their lives to bring transformation. 

• "But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, 'How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!'” - Romans 10:14-15 NLT

• "And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ." - Peter 3:15b-16 NLT