Why
should we pray for one another?
Would my prayer matter to you?
puricarefiles
Why should
we pray if God already knows what is best for us, and has all the powers at His
disposal to give the best to us? Surely, He is our heavenly Father, and He is wiser
than we are.
Why does He need us to pray? Would
it not be better to trust Him, as He says, leave even the smallest details of
our lives to Him, and wait for His timing?
Would it not bring Him glory if we would
just leave everything Him to do what is best for us?
God is wiser than we are, no
matter how educated we are, or no matter how advanced our technology is:
1 Corinthians 1:25 "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men,
and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (ESV)
God commands that we should trust Him:
Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean
on your own understanding.
6 In all your
ways acknowledge
him,
and he will make
straight your paths." (ESV)
God commands us to pray for others.
James 5:16 "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (ESV)
It is for those very reasons that
we need to pray.
Praying for ourselves and praying for others, along with
confession, have benefits of healing.
James
5:16 "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (ESV)
James tells us that “the prayer of a righteous person has great
power as it is working.” This does not mean that only the prayers of good
people are heard.
The word “righteous” in the Bible refers to those who have
faith and are covered by Jesus’ own righteousness (Romans 5:1;3:21-22; 4:2-3).
They have been made righteous because they have
received Jesus as Lord and Savior – Jesus’ own righteousness is imputed on them.
Jesus told us to pray in His Name (John 14:13-14). If you do something “in the
name of” someone else, it means you do it according to his will. Knowing God
and understanding His will is an integral part of prayer.
We begin to see why praying for
others is important. Prayer is not about getting everything we want for
ourselves, or keeping our loved ones safe, healthy, and happy at all times.
Prayer is a powerful way in which
we get to know our Savior. Praying for others will bring us closer to God,
because effective prayer is based on a knowledge of His will (1 John 5:14).
Praying for others also brings
believers together. It will also bring us closer to others, as we learn more
about them and focus on their needs, their cares and their well-being.
Some of our prayers could be running along these lines: Lord, give my friend a good job, a new car, good health, and happiness. Keep him in the hollow of your hands. If we are close to someone, we might pray for his marriage and other relationships.
Some of our prayers could be running along these lines: Lord, give my friend a good job, a new car, good health, and happiness. Keep him in the hollow of your hands. If we are close to someone, we might pray for his marriage and other relationships.
There is nothing wrong with
praying for these things. In fact, the Bible encourages us to pray for
everything and, by doing so, we address our anxieties (Philippians 4:6).
It is biblical to pray for health
and for good things to happen
3 John 2 "Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and
that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul." (ESV)
However, most of the prayers in
the Bible are more for spiritual concerns.
When Jesus was praying for others,
He prayed for their faith
Luke 22:32 "but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." (ESV)
Luke 22:40 "And when he came to the place, he said to them, 'Pray that you may not enter into temptation.'” (ESV)
He prayed for their unity
John 17:11 "And I am no
longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming
to you. Holy
Father, keep them
in your name, which you have given me, that they
may be one, even as we are one." (ESV)
He prayed for their sanctification
John
17:17 "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." (ESV)
Paul prayed for the salvation of
the lost
Romans
10:1 "Brothers, my heart's desire and
prayer to God for them is that they may be saved." (ESV)
He prayed that the brothers would
stay on the right path
2 Corinthians 13:7 "But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not
that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right,
though we may seem to have failed." (ESV)
He prayed that believers would be
strengthened by the Spirit, rooted and grounded in love, able to comprehend
God’s love, and filled with the fullness of God
Ephesians 3:14 "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." (ESV)
These are all prayers for spiritual blessings. They are all “in Jesus’ name” and according
to the Father’s will.
These prayers that in God’s word are
God’s promises and are guaranteed to find a “yes” in Christ
2 Corinthians 1:20 "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through
him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory." (ESV)
Praying for others fulfills a New
Testament command.
- We are to pray for all people
1 Timothy 2:1 "First of all, then, I urge that
supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people," (ESV)
- We are to pray for government
leaders
1 Timothy 2:2 "for kings and all who are in high positions, that we
may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way." (ESV)
- We are to pray for the unsaved
1 Timothy 2 "First of all, then, I urge that
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all
people, … 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (ESV)
- We are to pray for fellow
Christians
Ephesians 6:18 "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints," (ESV)
- We are to pray for ministers of
the gospel
Ephesians 6:19 "and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it
boldly, as I ought to speak." (ESV)
- We are to pray for the persecuted
church
Hebrews 13:3 "Remember those who are in prison, as though in
prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body." (ESV)
Praying for others gets our focus
off of ourselves and our own interests and onto the needs of others around us.
God commands that we “carry each
other’s burdens.”
Galatians 6:2 "Bear
one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (ESV)
Start praying for others today and
help to edify the Church, the body of Christ – the total body of believers -
that it may come into maturity and be a victorious Church.
Matthew 15:18 “And I tell you, you are
Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (ESV)
In this spiritual war, there are no fence-sitters –
you are either on the Lords’ victorious army or on the wicked “Powers” of
Satan.
Ensure you’re enlistment on the victorious army of
the Lord. Settle that sin issue right
now by saying this prayer:
“Father God, I confess I am a sinner and my sins
have separated me from you.
I am truly sorry.
I now want to turn away from my past sinful life and live a new life
pleasing to you.
Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again.
I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my
sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer.
I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to
rule and reign in my heart from this day forward.
Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You,
and to do Your will for the rest of my life. Thank you, Lord, that according to
Your Word, I am born again.
In Jesus' name I pray, amen.”
Related Posts:
“Someone Is
Praying for You”
lyrics
Someone is praying for you,
someone is praying for you.
So when it seems you're all alone,
So when it seems you're all alone,
and your heart will break in two.
Remember someone is praying for you.
Have the crowds round you gathered
in the midst of the storm?
Is your ship tossed and battered are you weary and worn
Don't lose hope someone's praying for you this very day
And peace be still is already on the way.
Someone is praying for you, someone is praying for you.
So when it seems you're all alone, and your heart will break in two.
Remember someone is praying for you.
Is your ship tossed and battered are you weary and worn
Don't lose hope someone's praying for you this very day
And peace be still is already on the way.
Someone is praying for you, someone is praying for you.
So when it seems you're all alone, and your heart will break in two.
Remember someone is praying for you.
When it seems that you've prayed ‘til your strength is all gone
And your tears fall like raindrops all the day
long
He cares and He knows just how much you can bear
He'll speak your name to someone in prayer.
Someone is praying for you, someone is praying for you.
So when it seems you're all alone, and your heart will break in two.
Remember someone is praying for you.
Remember someone is praying for you
He cares and He knows just how much you can bear
He'll speak your name to someone in prayer.
Someone is praying for you, someone is praying for you.
So when it seems you're all alone, and your heart will break in two.
Remember someone is praying for you.
Remember someone is praying for you
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