The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:14

When we look at our world, and the people that are in our lives who do not believe, it is important to see that they do not believe because they do not understand the things that come from the Spirit of God since they are without the Spirit. An understanding of this should bring us to the realization that we need to pray for the Spirit to be at work in our relationships with nonbelievers, moving in them and causing them to wrestle with their understanding of life. These things do not come from us, and cannot come from us alone, but must be the work of the Spirit in them.
How could we make someone understand that Jesus is Lord? How could we make someone acknowledge that they have sin, or are in need of anything else than what they have? At times this whole section of faith can be frustrating, but in another sense it should give us pure joy.
Sometimes I encounter people who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ, and from a worldly perspective, don't think they need one because everything has worked out for them and they don't realize that anything is wrong. They see no weakness in need of help, and have no guilt for their sin. In these times, where I would generally feel totally helpless, I feel helped. These occurrences are reminders that it is the work of the Lord that brings people to salvation and not our own merit. Of course, we can be, and are, used by God to bear witness to the things that we know, but the actual work of salvation will be the Lord’s.
Think of the people that are in your life who are in need of salvation. Ask the Lord for overwhelming compassion for them, and an inclination to pray for them. Be intentional in your life with your friends. - Matt Joynt