How To Pray For One Another Series

How to Pray for One Another

Begin with Jeremiah People clip about prayer requests from the album First Love

Fortunately our prayer request time is not Looney toons like that.

A common form of prayer is “intercessory prayer.” That is praying on behalf of someone and their need. It could be…

• Health issues

• Mental issues

• Relationship problems

• Temptations or even sin

It is one of the ways, as Gary read from Galatians 6:2 that we carry one another’s burdens. Prayer is not the only way, but it is an essential element in our caring.

In the moments of Jesus’ greatest fears and anguish, he prayed and encouraged his disciples to pray – Luke 22:39-40

Later Jesus prayed that we would all be one – John 17:18-21

Jesus is our intercessor – Romans 8:34 & Hebrews 7:25

Jesus knows the mercy that we need.

Now then – Paul tells us to pray for all people – 1 Timothy 2:1-2

And James tells us to pray so that people will be healed – James 5:16

This is where we are at now:

1) THIS IS A LOVE ONE ANOTHER MOMENT

Jesus entered Jerusalem the Sunday before his crucifixion and death. We call it the “triumphal entry.” It was a triumphal entry of humility, grace, mercy and love because he would become the one and only, once and for all sacrifice for sin.

He went to the Temple, entered through the Golden Gate and saw the money-changers robbing the people and he cleansed the temple, turning over money tables, setting animals free and reminding everyone that the Temple is to be a house of prayer to God. He cleansed the Temple of greed and contempt for the true faith in God.

On Monday, Jesus was challenged by Jewish leaders about this event the day before. “By whose authority did you do this?” Good question. Jesus had the authority; it was his as the Son of God. The ruling class, the Sadducees wanted Jesus dead, the Pharisees just wanted Jesus to be silent and after he had silenced the Sadducees, a Pharisee asked Jesus a questioned that teachers debated regularly.

In the lesson on the greatest commandment, Jesus gave a second great command, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Be good too, care for, seek their benefit and welfare of your neighbor, those around you.

But in the upper room, a few days later during the Passover meal with his disciples, the Last Supper, Jesus tells them, “Love as I have loved you!”

That’s an emphatic statement. You must do this. It is more than simply love your neighbor as yourself, it is more than be helpful, it is give them your life. Love at its very core is sacrificial. Giving up your life for God’s glory through the loving care you show your brothers and sisters in Christ.

So in application, the first thing is to lift people up in prayer. Praying for each other is one of the ways you love each other.

• Jesus did

• Others have

• We are

I want you to do two things today. 1st – Look around you and see those closest to where you are seated. Pray for them this week. Even ask them if there is anything specific you can pray for them. 2nd – Take the list of prayer needs in the bulletin and spend 5 minutes every day this week praying for them.

2) WHAT TO PRAY FOR YOUR CHRISTIAN BRETHREN

Here’s the practical part of the message. You may want to take notes because this is going to be good. It’s simple, but it’s good!

There are almost Scriptures we could refer to with things to pray for each other. Look them up. Pray them. The orangeish-peach colored insert gives you some of those scriptures. Refer to that to help you.

But I want give you 7 things to pray for your Brethren and if we are all praying in such a way, our prayers might not be so confusing. What do I mean by that! I wonder how Cubs fans prayed for a championship against the Indians and how many Cleveland fans prayed for a championship against Chicago. Let’s get on the same page and we can adjust and learn and grow as we go, but let’s start here.

1. Pray from the heart – truly care about the people you are praying for, even praying with emotion. Empathize with their problems and their pain, hurt with them in prayer and the Holy Spirit will translate it accurately to God the Father.

- Learn to love the one you pray for so you will care about them

- Mean what you pray, even if you aren’t sure you are being accurate. The Spirit is helping in this area especially.