Have you noticed that when you begin to pray for others you start to see God moving? I’m under the belief God moves all the time, but we’re more aware of it when we’re attentive.
When I pray for others, I start to be more present. I pay attention to my family, friends, and those around me. I become more curious about how God is moving in their lives.
Prayer is powerful. It doesn’t only change those we pray for—it changes us too. The problem is that sometimes, we don’t know how to pray for others.
If that’s you, keep reading to learn more about how to pray for others when you don’t know what to pray.
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The Importance of Praying for Others
The Bible talks about the importance of praying for others. Here are a few Bible verses about praying for others:
“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.” (James 5:16 ESV).
“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44 ESV).
“And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10 ESV).
“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.” (Ephesians 6:18 ESV).
It’s important to pray for others because it’s a biblical command. When we pray for others, we’re aligning ourselves with God’s will.
7 Ways to Pray for Others
You understand the importance of prayer but you’re unsure how to pray for others. Here are 7 ways to pray for others.
#1 Ask God for help when praying for others.
If you don’t know how to pray for others, ask God for help. Ask him to reveal to you how you can pray for this person. Ask him to make you more aware of the needs of others. Whenever you hear the circumstances of someone else, make note of it and pray about it.
#2 Ask them if they have prayer requests.
Ask the person if they have any prayer requests. Most of the time, people will tell you what they need prayer for. Hearing a prayer request gives you something specific to pray for that person.
Keeping prayer requests in your prayer journal is a good way of making sure you don’t forget prayer requests.
#3 Pray scripture over their lives.
Another way to pray for someone is to pray scripture over their lives. Simply find a passage in the Bible that you believe will be beneficial to pray over someone’s life.
Meditate over this scripture then pray it over their lives.
#4 Pray for any unspoken prayer requests.
Sometimes people won’t be comfortable with sharing prayer requests. That’s okay. You don’t need prayer requests to pray for someone.
You can still pray for this person. God knows what’s going on in their lives. Acknowledge this and pray for God to provide their needs, whatever that may be.
#5 Pray for them to become more Christ-like.
There are various verses that speak of us becoming more Christ-like (1 Peter 2:21, 1 John 2:6, 1 Corinthians 11:1, Ephesians 5:1-2).
Becoming more Christ-like means becoming imitators of Jesus. Jesus is the perfect example of who we should strive to be in all circumstances. Therefore, praying for others to become more Christ-like is powerful.
#6 Pray for their salvation.
If you have unbelieving family members or friends, pray for them. An important aspect of this life is turning to Christ and away from sin. If the people in your life aren’t following Christ, they’re headed down a dangerous path.
Praying for their salvation is one of the best things you can do for them. You can also pray for opportunities to share the gospel.
#7 Pray for God to show His love to them.
Maybe someone is going through a hard time in their life. Pray for God to show his love to them during their circumstances. Pray that he reveals himself to this person in the midst of their trial.
Knowing God is there even when things are tough is comforting.
3 Simple Sample Prayers for Praying for Others
Now that you have some ways to pray for others, here are a few sample prayers when praying for others. These aren’t meant to be ritualistically said. They’re only here to serve as examples for you if you get stuck.
Sample Prayer About Healing
Dear Lord,
Thank you for your faithfulness. I lift this person up in prayer. We trust and believe you can heal this person. If it’s your will, please heal this person. Comfort this person while they’re suffering. Make your presence known to them. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sample Prayer About Salvation
Dear Lord,
Thank you for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Thank you for saving me. I’m a sinner and don’t deserve your grace. Now that I’ve tasted your goodness, I want others to too. I pray my family and friends would receive salvation and that their lives would be transformed. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sample Prayer About Hard Times
Dear Lord,
Thank you for the hard times. I say thank you because I know that trials and tribulations cultivate perseverance, character, and hope. I’ve learned more in the hard times than I have in the good times, so thank you. Please comfort this person who’s going through a hard time right now. Help them see your goodness in the hard times. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
I hope this has been helpful to you. This is meant to be a guide, not something you rigidly follow. When in doubt, trust God with your prayer life and keep praying.
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