I was blessed to be raised in a home where both of my parents had an active prayer life.
As long as I can remember they started their days off long before our alarms went off so that they could have their devotional and spend time in prayer including quiet time to listen. Around 35 years ago my mother and a few other ladies started a prayer group at church and they continue to meet every Tuesday morning. Those ladies have seen people healed, people comforted, people come to the Lord, babies born and houses sold! There is such power in prayer and in numbers!
While many of us pray for others to get a job, have good health, travel mercies, etc. If we know someone well we might pray for more personal things like their relationships, etc. The Bible encourages us to pray for everything. Philippians 4: 6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." This helps us to remember that God is in charge and can ease our anxiety. 3 John 2, "Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well."
In the Bible Jesus prays for others. He often prayed for his disciples. He prays for their faith. Luke 22: 32, "But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." Jesus also prayed against temptation. Luke 22: 40, "On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” Jesus prayed for unity. John 17: 11, " I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world,and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one."
Paul prayed for salvation. Romans 10: 1, "Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved." Paul prayed for others to stay on the right path. 2 Corinthians 13: 7, "Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed." Paul prayed for the Ephesians, Ephesians 3: 14-19, "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
It is important for us to pray for others. 1 Timothy 2: 1, "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people." We are to pray for our government leaders. 1 Timothy 2: 2, "...for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." Notice it did say ALL! We are to pray for the unsaved. 1 Timothy 2: 3, "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." We are to pray for Christians. Ephesians 6: 18, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." We are to pay for ministers of the gospel. Ephesians 6: 19-20, " Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." When we pray for others it turns our focus from ourselves. If we prayed like this daily think how we could help build up the body of Christ!
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