It's sad that we don't pray more, because there are so many people we could pray for and help. When you pray a prayer in Jesus' name, it runs just like a messenger. Just thinking about them is not going to do it. Yo have to send the messenger, you have to pray the prayer.
It's like a telephone call: You, are like the exchange , God sends the main call to your mind to pray for someone, but it's up to you to make the connection , to send it on to the party who needs it. Love is making a connection from God to somebody who needs our love. You are the connection between God and that person, you are the operator connecting the call !
God makes the call, but then you have to plug it in and send it on it's way to that person, and of course, on the other end of the line, they have to pick it up and they have to listen to receive the call.
So much depends on prayer ! That's why God wants you to pray. And that's just how simple it is ! When God puts the thought in your mind about someone, that's a message from God, and He wants you to be the operator and put that call through by prayer That's all you can do. You can't make them receive it, you can't make them pick up the phone. They have to pick up the phone. So if you are willing to be an operator, you have to make the connection.
When you pray for them and try to send them the message, it's on the way, but if they don't want to hear from God and they don't want to hear the truth and they don't want Salvation and they don't want the answers, then they just refuse the call.
But the most important thing is that we are the link between God and them, but after the message is on the line, then it's their responsibility. If they don't pick up and listen, that's not your fault, you are only the operator.
We could accomplish so much through prayer ! The world will never know how much has not been accomplished because people didn't pray. That's how important it is for you to pray. Prayer is the hand of faith that flips the switch. Your prayers can do mighty things, even change the course of history. So, pray for a poor little girl or a old bum or a world leader or a country or anything . You can pray, and it turns God's mind !