Why
Should I and How Can I
Pray
For Others?
We
must establish first.
Is
there a reason we as believers,
should make it a point to pray for
one another?
Is it really something that we should consider as a command of sorts? Or just something nice to say, “I'll be praying”, to each other when there is a need? Sadly, too many times that phrase ends up being just that, a nice saying ?
There are a couple of ways that we can know if a precept, (Ex: general rule or principle intended as a regular rule of action to regulate behavior) is encouraged and should be a definite part of our Christian walk.
First, it is stated as a straightforward, proclaimed command (Ex: OT 10 commandments and NT, this is my commandment that you love one another, must forgive, walk in the Spirit...).
Second, it is stated as a strong encouragement to do (Ex: help the weak, give to the needy, be baptized...).
Third, it is a constant example spoken of and acted on in God's word (Ex: all of the above, parables, and more). Many times it is encouraged and lived by example to do.
Here are just a few of the mentions of prayer in the Bible;
Psalm 65:2
Isaiah 56:7
Revelation 5:8, 8:3,4
1 Chronicles 16:11Mattew 7:7, 26:41,
Luke 18:1
John 16:24
Ephesians 6;181
Thessalonians 5:1
James 5:13,16
Acts 1:14, 4:24, 12:12, 21:5
2 Chronicles 7:14
Jeremiah 29:13
Mark 11:24,
This study is to break the surface and get some insight as to what God's Word says about prayer and praying for one another.
Prayer to our heavenly Father is a vast and inspiring subject and is much more than this writing. However, this study is focusing on the importance of prayer and importance of prayer for our fellow believers.
Galatians
6:2 Bear one another's burden, and so fulfill the law of
Christ.
-What
does Galatians 6:2 bring to your mind
of
bearing one another's burden?
There are those that do not have someone else to help hold them up when they are weak, struggling, hurt or in the middle of a decision, so we must be sure to pray for one another and help carry their burden.
Sometimes the burden is physical, sometimes emotional, situational or spiritual.
Some things we can do nothing about other than pray, however we must not discount the power of that one action .
Paul wrote a lot about praying for others. He talked about prayers he prayed and prayers that others prayed. He specifically mentions those who worked alongside him.
All of them desired that the new believers would experience the transforming power and love of Jesus in their lives.
They wanted them to grow in the saving knowledge and power of Jesus Christ, to become victorious and continue to live in their new life.
So naturally they believed that praying for one another was a definite way to help with that growth
-Who
presented the greatest example
of
prayer in the Bible?
he disciples, of course, had the absolute best example for prayer. They saw and heard Jesus pray many times, during which he often prayed for them as well.
In John 17:9-17 & 20-22; Luke 22:31-32 Jesus prayed that his disciples and those that serve him in the future might be kept strong, sanctified through the word, that they might be one with the Father, and that they might have His joy fulfilled in them.
Other times that Jesus Prayed;
Mark1:35, 6:46;
Luke 5:15-16, 6:12, 9:18, 22:41-42
In addition Jesus declared that his house would be called a house of prayer.
Isaiah 56:7
Luke 19:46
As we commune there with the Lord in prayer, in His house, what better place to hold one another up in prayer as well. Additionally our daily times of prayer are also wonderful times to pray for each other.
So the New Testament church came to know that prayer was a very important and significant aspect for believers to participate in. It was and is, needed for the very growth and survival in this world as a Christian.
In Paul's letters to the churches he would often mention that he was praying for his fellow believers.
Prayer Is A Ministry
As previously mentioned, Paul was not the only one praying diligently for the believers. Those who worked with him prayed, as well as those who were working and living among the believers. Paul took note of one man who had a intense burden to pray for the churches and people. His name was Epaphras,
Colossians 1:7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,
Colossians 4:12-13 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. 13. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Epaphras prayed often and intensely for his fellow believers/family of God. He loved them so much.
Many times Paul expressed his appreciation and love for his fellow believers while letting them know that he was praying for them.
Philippians 1:3-5 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4. always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5. because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
Colossians 1:3-5a We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4. since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.
Colossians 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you,...
Ephesians 1:15 & 16 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
So
do we have to pray for one another?
Fortunately, God did not leave us wondering about upholding our brothers and sisters in Christ, in prayer. He placed specific statements to that effect in His word.
-1 Timothy 2:1-4, I exhort, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people...This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
What
statement in that verse lets us know that praying for others is good
and should be done by us all?
In Ephesians 6 after giving us the list of armor we are to put on to fight the enemy, God directs Paul to end with this... in verse 18,
-Ephesians 6:18, Praying always at all times with all kinds of prayers and requests in the Spirit, vigilantly and persistently for all the saints.
There are many but here is one more:
-James 5:16 Therefore confess your faults to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Paul even requested prayer for himself and his coworkers, from the believers more than once. One instance was very simple and to the point...
-1 Thessalonians 5:25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.
Conclusion:
Ephesians
6:18,
Praying
always at all times with all kinds of prayers and requests in the
Spirit, vigilantly and persistently for
all the saints.
So the conclusion appears to be, that Prayer for each other as brothers and sisters in Christ is not an option that we can pick and choose to do, it is a stated command, a strong exhortation and is lived out in the scriptures, to pray for one another.
Prayer and prayer for others appears to be an absolute command. We cannot live victoriously in this world without constant and regular communion with God, in addition, prayer is not just for ourselves but also for others.
We have established that it is our duty to pray for one another, but how do we know what to pray if we don't know personally their daily needs and/or struggles.
What
things did Paul pray for the believers?
Paul prayed detailed prayers for other believers.
Sometimes Paul would pray the same thing for several of the churches, even if they were in different locations. Other times he would pray something specifically for a single church or for individuals and/or groups of people.
In looking at these different occasions of prayer made by Paul and other church leaders, there appears a list of common subjects of prayer that they made.
The prayers they prayed were all for the growth and benefit of the fellow believers they were teaching, encouraging, or just fellowshipped with.
Praying for our fellow believers, our brother and sisters in Christ, is another way for us to show our love for them as Christ commanded us. We need one another's prayers as we run the race that is before us.
Intercessors Needed!
There will be times as individuals that we will need to be the intercessor and then other times the one in need of the intercession.
This specific subject list is referenced mostly from the New Testament books of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Timothy.
Paul and the leaders who prayed these prayers sometimes talked about how they agonized and travailed in prayer for the churches and individuals.
I truly believe that Paul knew that there were specific things we all need as believers to be able to stand strong and to grow in grace, faith and love of God and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit to continue to win souls and make an impact on the world around us.
In addition , I use the following list to pray for my children and grandchildren. I pray for their specific physical and temporal needs, but I use this as a guide to cover spiritual needs I might see in their life or just requests for spiritual growth in their souls.
Sometimes we can forget some of the ways God desires for us to grow and develop as His children. It's just as well for us to ask for and seek for these spiritual characteristics in our own lives.
Paul stated this phrase often as it says in Philippians 1:9, And this is My prayer for you....
These are taken from
Ephesians 1:26-19, 3:14-19;
Philippians 1:9-11 and
Colossians 1:9-12.
Hopefully you will want to read through these verses to get some background of why Paul wrote about the needs to pray for. Then you can use the list as a remembrance or guide of what Paul listed to pray for.
God Bless you as you hold up your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
Here is how we can pray for other believers:
Pray that they may...
- Understand God's will
- Gain Spiritual wisdom and spiritual understanding.
- Live holy lives, pleasing to the Lord,
- Bear fruit for Christ and in good works.
- Be strengthened spiritually by the Holy Spirit.
- Persevere in patience and strengthened in faith and righteousness,
- Give thanks to the Father joyfully.
- Continue in the hope of heaven.
- Experience the nearness of Christ.
- Be filled with the revelation of the love of Christ.
- Be filled with the fullness of God.
- Show love and kindness to others
- Discern evil
- Be sincere and blameless, give and seek forgiveness.
- Eagerly await the Lord's return.
- Increase in the knowledge of God.
- Have love that abounds more and more,
- have knowledge and discernment to know what is excellent
- be pure and blameless when the day of Jesus Chris comes
- be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.
- Not be discouraged
We should never run out of ways to pray for fellow believers, whether they be family, friend, leader or just an acquaintance.
Concerning non believers, we must pray for them as well. We should pray for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to draw them to Jesus. Pray for them to be aware and sensitive to God's voice. Then that God will send individuals to plant and water the gospel into their lives for God to bring the harvest and growth. 1Corinthians 3:6-8
This study is not an exhaustive writing on prayer, there are so many aspects of how prayer is an integral part of our Christian life. This is to just focus on one aspect of prayer, that of upholding our fellow brothers and sisters.
Hopefully it has given a starting point in order to make a habit of that very thing, because we need one another prayers and it pleases God that we show love through praying for each other.
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