We are encouraged in the Bible to pray for others. It is common sense really that praying for others is the right thing to do however when the Bible says those others also include people who hate us and persecute us it takes on a whole new reality…
Sadly, the first instinct with most people is to return violence with violence, arguing with arguing, nasty name-calling with nastier name-calling, meanest with more meanest.
We are called to fight evil with good, and to retaliate by praying for our enemies’ well-being.
There are amazing miracles to be seen when praying for the sick, praying for your enemies, praying for Church members, and praying for your friends.
So let’s take a look at the main scriptures that talk about praying for others…
Pray For Them Who Despitefully Use You And Persecute You
- But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. (Mt 5:44)
- Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. (Lk 6:28)
What does despitefully use mean? – insult, falsely accuse, to treat abusively, use despitefully, to revile, to threaten.
What does persecute mean? – persecute, to pursue in a hostile manner, drive away, cause to flee, put to flight, make you run, harass, trouble, mistreat.
So you are to pray for people who…
- Despitefully use you
- Insult you
- Falsely accuse you
- Treat you abusively
- Revile you
- Threaten you
- Persecute you
- Pursue you in a hostile manner
- Drive you away
- Cause you to flee
- Harass you
- Trouble you
- Mistreat you
Why? So That You May Be The Children Of Your Father Which Is In Heaven
- That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
- And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Mt 5:45-48)
Do Not Cease Praying For Every Member Of The Church
- For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. (Col 1:9)
- Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: (2 Thess 1:11)
Why? That They Might Walk Worthy Of The Lord
- That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
- Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: (Col 1:10-14)
- That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thess 1:12)
So Every Church Member May Excel In the Following 7 Traits
- Walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing
- Fruitful in every good work
- Increase in the knowledge of God
- Strengthened in his might
- Patience
- Longsuffering with joyfulness
- Give thanks to the Father
And In Every Church Member, We See The…
- Fulfilling the pleasure of God’s goodness
- Fulfilling of the work of faith with power
- Name of our Lord Jesus Christ glorified
Prayer For The Sick
- Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: (James 5:14)
- And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. (Mark 2:3-5)
The last verse doesn’t specifically mention prayer however these guys did everything in their power to bring their sick friend before Jesus.
It took four of them to carry him on a stretcher and who knows how far they had to travel to get their friend to where Jesus was, they had to get through a large crowd, when they couldn’t get into the house they didn’t turn around and give up.
They climbed on top of the roof, tore an opening, lifted their friend up onto the roof, and then lowered him down to place him right where Jesus could be found, and where he could be healed.
Wow! What great friends. They showed a lot of patience, persistence, and back-breaking work. We can present our friends into the presence of Jesus through prayer. Pray for the sick!
Why? That The Prayer Of Faith Save The Sick
- And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
- Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:15-16)
Great things happen when you pray for the sick…
- The prayer of faith shall save the sick
- The Lord shall raise the sick up
- If the sick person has committed any sin they shall be forgiven
- Pray for one another that ye may be healed
- The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much
Prayer For Your Friends
- And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. (Job 42:10)
Why? Because Your Friends Need It And So Do You
- Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
It was after Job prayed for his friends (who had upset him with their words so perhaps this could even tie in with pray for your enemies) that the LORD turned his captivity.
Amazing! Everyone all of a sudden came out of the woodwork to help him and comfort him. They all chipped in with money to get Job back on his feet again.
These were the same people who were nowhere to be seen and abandoned him while he was going through his sufferings.
Yet… when Job prays for his friends everything changes. His friends get pardoned and he gets abundantly blessed.
In summary, praying for others is a win-win situation for both the people being prayed for and the person doing the praying.
We pray for others sincerely and genuinely and we get blessing as well.
You may also be interested in… How Many Times An Angel Of The Lord Appeared To Joseph (And Why)
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