Praying for Others

by Candace Joy
from Virtuous Daughters, September 2007~Volume 7, Number 6

“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 5:16 KJV, emphasis mine.)
   
​Here are some notes from a sermon that my pastor preached a few weeks ago, that help us know how to pray for others.

    When you think of others, is your first inclination to pray for them? Some people want to pray for others, but are not sure what to pray. What can we pray for others? We can pray the Scriptures! Isaiah 55:11 says: “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” In light of this, here are some references of Scriptures that you can pray for others:

Paul’s Prayers
                Romans 10:1
                2 Corinthians 13:7
                Ephesians 1:15–19
                Ephesians 3:15–19
                Philippians 1:9–11
                Colossians 1:9–12a
                1 Thessalonians 5:23
                2 Thessalonians 1:11–12
                Philemon 1:4–6

The Blessings of Paul
                1 Thessalonians 3:12–13
                2 Thessalonians 2:16–17
                2 Thessalonians 3:5
                Hebrews 13:20–21

Scriptures to Pray Especially for Missionaries
                Ephesians 6:19
                2 Thessalonians 3:1–3
 
One thing that I did to put this into practice is get a prayer journal (a notebook is fine). I wrote down all the Scriptures listed above in the front and people to pray for (myself, family, friends, church leaders, government leaders, etc.) in the back. I find it handy to have everything in one place. :) I also have found other Scriptures that are not on this list that I have added to my journal.

    I would encourage you to receive the word with all readiness of mind, and search the Scriptures daily, whether these things are so (like the Bereans in Acts 17:11). God bless you!