Has there ever been a time that you just did not want to pray for someone?
Maybe you just did not want God to bless the efforts of some. Instead you wanted Him to make them think like you. I’ve been there.
We know that the Bible speaks on intercessory prayer, but what exactly is that supposed to look like?
Intercessory prayer can be hard sometimes if you don’t approach it from a biblical standpoint.
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1 Timothy 2:1
What about our enemies?
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;
Matthew 5:44
Pray for them. Really? Pray for them? It may be hard to swallow, but if we don’t we are being disobedient.
When Jesus was here, He took care of spiritual, physical, and mental needs. He took care of their physical needs when He healed the blind and made the lame to walk. He took care of their mental needs when he drove out demons. He took care of their spiritual needs when He told them they were forgiven, and ultimately He took care of those needs permanently – for those choosing salvation – with His death, burial, and resurrection.
Those are the same types of needs we are to lift up today – spiritual, physical, and mental.
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: 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.
James 5:13-15
In this passage we are told to pray for ourselves, and to pray for our sick. The “prayer of faith” is in reference to prayer for salvation. Many folks who are sick have very little time to come to the Lord if they have not done so already. We need to make the effort to talk to them about Jesus. Hopefully they will make that prayer.
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1 John 5:14
As far as praying for their will or your will, we need to pray for God’s will. If it is not in God’s will, you won’t be getting it anyway.
LIFE APPLICATION
Key Focal Verse:
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
Psalms 66:18-20
Today’s challenge is to pray for someone that you have not wanted to lift up in prayer. Pray for their salvation if they are not saved. If you do not have anyone that you have hesitated to pray for in the past, then pray for someone that it’s been awhile since you’ve lifted them up in prayer.