Prayer, many of us spend time praying. We have needs, wants, desires. We pray for God’s will to be done and for our daily bread. We make sure to pray before our meals and as I lay me down to sleep.
Prayer can be a bit confusing. Ask for anything in Jesus’ name and you get it. Anything? Really? Have a righteous person pray and you’ll be healed. So why are more people not being healed. Are there not many righteous people? Then the whole issue of unanswered prayers, geesh.
Good news we can get clarity about praying for one another by looking at how people of the Bible prayed for one another.
Major Prayers
Abraham - Deceives King Abimelech - Gen 20:7,Now return the woman to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don’t return her to him, you can be sure that you and all your people will die.
Exodus 19:6, And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.
Moses - Bronze Snake - Numbers 21:7, Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.
Samuel - Asking for a king - 1 Samuel 12:19, “Pray to the Lord your God for us, or we will die!” they all said to Samuel. “For now we have added to our sins by asking for a king.”
Jesus Teaching - Kingdom of priests
Luke 6:28 - Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.
Connect the dots to the OT scriptures above - Abraham was to be a blessing to all nations, Israel had just defeated a nation that took some of them captive because they asked God for help, God was their king and that wasn’t enough, God had enough.
Exodus 19:6, And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.
The people were not being a blessing. So, Jesus teaches we are to bless others. But, not just any others, those that curse you and hurt you.
Jesus in Action
John 17:20-21 - prayer for all believers
“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
Pray for one another:
FORGIVENESS - BLESSING - UNITY
