PRAYING FOR OTHERS

The Call and Blessings of Intercession

Praying for ourselves comes naturally to many of us.. We pray about our children, our health, our finances, our work, the decisions before us, and the doors we hope will open. With so many personal concerns to bring before God, we can find ourselves returning to the same prayer points day after day.

I know this cycle well—reciting prayer points for myself and my children, rarely looking beyond our immediate circle.

But the Bible urges us to look beyond ourselves: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people” (1 Timothy 2:1, ESV).

Scripture gives us many examples of people interceding for others. These stories show us the difference our prayers can make in the lives of those around us.

Genesis 20:17 records that “Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again” (NIV).

In the New Testament, Jesus also prayed for others. In Luke 22:31–32, He warned Simon Peter that Satan had asked to sift him like wheat. But Jesus did not leave Peter without help or hope. He assured him, “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (KJV).

God answered Jesus’ prayer that Peter’s faith would not fail. After Peter denied Jesus three times, he returned and went on to strengthen others, just as Jesus had said.

This shows us that praying for others can strengthen them in difficult times and help carry them through trials. It can also bring us comfort and assurance when we respond to God’s prompting to pray.

My aunty Helen, once recounted how she and her friends gathered for a prayer watch for the son of one of their friends who had been detained in a foreign country. She said they spent the entire day praying for him every three hours. The next day, they received the news that he had been released.

What a remarkable example of the power of intercession!

Her story echoes what happened in Acts 12. King Herod had already killed James, the brother of John, and then had Peter arrested. Peter was kept in prison under heavy guard, awaiting trial. But he was not alone. The Bible tells us, “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him” (Acts 12:5, NIV).

While the church prayed, God intervened. An angel appeared in the prison, Peter’s chains fell off, and he was led safely past the guards and out through the prison gate.

Peter was in prison, but the church arose in prayer on his behalf—and everything changed.

Scripture does not merely invite us to pray for others. It also shows us how seriously we should take this responsibility.

In the Old Testament, Samuel faithfully prayed for the Israelites. After they asked for a king, the people realized that they had sinned and pleaded with Samuel to pray for them. Samuel assured them, “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will instruct you in the good and the right way” (1 Samuel 12:23, ESV).

Samuel’s words remind us that failing to pray for others is not merely a missed opportunity; it could also be a sin against the Lord. Just as Samuel had a responsibility towards the people entrusted to him, we also have people God has placed in our lives and in our care. When we know that we ought to pray for them but neglect to do so, we may be walking in disobedience to God.

We are therefore called not only to pray without ceasing for ourselves but also to carry others before God in prayer.

When we pray for others, we may find our own prayers answered too. Job 42:10 tells us, “After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before” (NIV).

Clearly, praying for others invites God’s favour. The Lord desires that we look beyond our own needs and bring the needs of others before Him in prayer.

Notice that when Job prayed for his friends, he was still suffering. He had experienced tremendous loss, and his own life had not yet been restored. Yet, in the middle of his pain, he turned his attention towards others and prayed for them. This must have pleased God because He blessed Job abundantly.

This does not mean that praying for others is a formula for receiving everything we want. Neither should we pray for others simply because we expect God to reward us. But Job’s story shows us that even when we are hurting, we can still carry the needs of others before God. And as we pray for them, we may also experience His comfort, favour, and provision in our own lives.

As we seek to please God, may we follow the examples of Abraham, Jesus, the early church, Samuel, and Job by lifting up those around us who are suffering, burdened, or in need.

This week, deliberately add a friend or neighbour to your prayer list. You could also ask a coworker whether there is something you can pray about for them. Then follow through and pray.

Taking deliberate steps like these will help us look beyond our immediate concerns, follow Jesus’ example, and faithfully carry the needs of others before God.

May the Lord bless us as we do so—in Jesus’ name.