Treasures New and Old
Treasures New and OldScripture in Prayer
I have trouble knowing how to pray for others – What pattern can I use?
Ephesians 6:18: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” and Colossians 1:3: “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.”
I find that most of us either pray the same kind of prayers (patterned after the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew), or we pray short prayers like: “If it be Thy will please heal Marta from her cancer . . . .” We have a hard time finding good things to pray regarding people we know. Paul can help us (as can John, James, and Peter) by simply looking at what they prayed for when they wrote to the believers in their various epistles. I have summarized the various requests I found in their epistles into a few words below – but I encourage you to look at each passage yourself and see the applications.
When you think of someone, couple them with one or more of these very biblical requests – pray back God’s own words, and in some cases, promises for those you are praying for. I’ll give you an example at the end of this article.
This is NOT an exhaustive list and you are encouraged to expand this list as you do your own daily Bible studies.
James 5:16 – Healing for one another
Hebrews 13:18 – A good conscience free from unconfessed sin
2 Corinthians 2:7 – Forgiving others (do you know someone who needs this?)
1 Timothy 2:1-8 – That your prayer target will have faithful (faith filled) prayers or prayer life
2 Thessalonians 3:1 – That God’s Word will have free reign in our life (their life . . .)
2 Thessalonians 1 – That they will be worthy of His calling and that their life will have Works of Faith with Power, and that God would fulfill His good pleasure in all goodness in their life (I like that one!)
1 Thessalonians 5:23 – That God would sanctify your prayer target wholly (completely – Body, Soul, and Spirit), and that God would keep them blameless until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
Colossians 1:9 – That they will be filled with His knowledge of His will for them with all wisdom and understanding
Philippians 1:9 – That their love may abound towards others with knowledge and judgment (discernment for their needs)
2 Corinthians 13:7 – That they would do no evil (and be kept from temptation)
2 Corinthians 5:20 – That they would be reconciled to God (primarily for the lost – but for backslidden folks as well)
The following are found in the first several verses of the listed reference:
1 Corinthians 1, 1 Timothy 1, and Jude – That your prayer target will have mercy, grace, peace, and love multiplied unto them (pray this for your whole family – each individually – daily – and for your various church families)
Ephesians 1 – That they will have spiritual blessings (we all need these!)
Philippians 1 – That God will finish the work He has started in them (and He will!)
1 Thessalonians 1 – That their work of faith, labor of love, patience of hope and election will be sure (this is a good one for missionaries and pastors . . .)
2 Thessalonians 1 – That their growing faith and charity (love), will abound towards each other and others
1 Timothy 1 – That they would not listen to fables or endless genealogies (anything that gets our focus messed up!)
2 Timothy 1 – That their tears (sorrow, pain, trail, loss) would be blessed by God and turned into joy, and that God would stir up their spiritual gifts within them to be used for Him and the edifying of the Body of Christ
Philemon 1 – That their communications with God (and with people as they share their faith) would be effectual
2 Peter 1 – That they would have divine power to succeed, all the things they NEED (not want), that they would escape corruption and lustful attacks, that they would add to their faith, and that they would see the fulfillment of His great promises toward them
2 John – That their children will walk in the truth (and not in the world’s wisdom) and that they will desire to walk in His commandments (and thus succeed and fulfill them in their lives)
3 John – That they will prosper in health, in their soul, and walk in the truth of the gospel
2 Thessalonians 3; Jude – That they be kept from evil, unreasonable, and contemptible men (and women!) – all evil companions!
“Lord Jesus, it is my sincere prayer that You fulfill all of the requests above, especially mercy, grace, peace, and love multiplied unto everyone who reads this.”
May God bless you all!
Bro. Joe
References
Strong, J. Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries. Meyers, R. (2005). e-Sword. [computer software] . Franklin, TN: Equipping Ministries Foundation. (Original work published 1539)