Pray For Us!

Paul, an anointed and appointed servant of Christ three times in his epistles solicited the prayers of the saints. His ministry portfolio included authoring almost half of the New Testament canon, pioneering the work of missionary evangelism and establishing several churches, yet he was never reluctant to request the prayers of everyday rank-and-file believers. While it is clearly scriptural to request prayer for our personal needs, elevating the needs of others in prayer is a ministry available to every believer. Unfocused on his personal needs, he solicited prayer for three things:

1. Boldness in declaring (utterance be given) the word of God. (Eph. 6:18-20)

2. That the word of God may have free course and be unhindered in its delivery and reception. (2 Thess. 3:1).

3. That he would stand in good conscience and honorably in all things. (Heb.13:18)

His life and ministry offer us deep insight into an irrefutable and constant truth, that as followers of Jesus Christ each one of us will need the prayers of others, while we in turn pray for the needs of others. Whether we serve in the pulpit or in the pew, whether we minister in the foreground or the background, whether we are seasoned intercessors or still growing in the discipline of a daily prayer life, all of us will need the prayers of others. Know too, that God does not answer our prayers on the basis of our titles or positions but on the basis of time spent in His presence and in prayer. Notice that James 5:16ff states that that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (NIV). 

How then should we pray?

Pray in the morning, noon and night. (Daniel 6:10)

Pray privately (Matt. 6:6)

Pray corporately (Acts 2:42)

Pray quietly (I Sam. 1:13)

Pray meditatively (Psalms 1:2)

Pray in the Spirit (Jude 1:20)

Pray strategically (Colossians 4:2)

Pray constantly (I Thess. 5:17)

Finally, my brothers and sisters, Pray for us.