Praying For You

We are in an age that is desperately in need of prayer. Prayer has so many layers, there is Spiritual Warfare prayers, intercessory prayers (praying for others for help, healing, and more), there is relational prayers when we use prayer to talk with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, there is prayers for our enemies (Matthew 5:44), prayers for our nation, leaders, and governments (1 Timothy 2:1-3), and prayers that are repetitious like The Our Father Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Prayer in our day and age is often considered and add on to Church services, but in truth it is essential and the Early Church consider it paramount, especially in persecution. Jesus Christ our Lord and God said, "Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:19-20). These verses from the Lord prove prayer is powerful but they also demonstrate a Church does not need to be large to make an impact, it simply takes two at the minimum. Prayer and Ask are interchangeable.

Prayer takes so many forms in our Christian walk. You can pray without utter a word, instead letting God speak to you in the stillness (Psalm 46:10). One can pray loudly as if in pitched battle against cosmic forces of darkness (Ephesians 6:11-12). Other times we pray in prescribed way with hands cuffed and closed, or on our knees, or looking at an image of Christ or the cross with candles. Prayer is like breathing to us Christians and we need to keep breathing lest our lungs empty of life giving breath of the Lord; we are admonished to pray always: "Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), "devout yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful," (Colossians 4:2), and "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer/Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer./Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying." (Romans 12:12, NIV, NLT, ESV). We pray without ceasing because it is like breathing, if you stop you die. This is not command to pray without taking breaks for eating, and other needs, it means to let prayer permeate your everyday life, to be in prayer, to be asking, and communicating with Christ always and all day.

There are so many ways to pray or ask, but do not be discouraged to pray because there are many ways to ask [like asking which changes and can have trillions of variations so does prayers, we may recite a prayer like the Our Father or form a new one that is personally ours or for another]. Pray in group or having meetings, "These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers." (Acts 1:14). Pray in private so that you may commune with Christ and have personal conversation, "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:6). If you find temptation at your door pray the Our Father, "Pray, then, in this way:‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts (trespasses, sins), as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]" (Matthew 6:9-13). The point is prayer is suppose to permeate our everyday lives. Its not about mastering a book of prayer, but rather letting it take its many forms in our lives such as prayers of thanksgiving, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Phillippians 4:6). When we thank Christ in prayer we take away our anxieties and fears which focus on what we might lose or do not have or can't do, but thanksgiving makes us focus on what God has done, what He is doing, and what blessings we have.

Prayer is conversation with God, it can be felt in our spirit, body, chest, mouth, and senses, it transcends and yet can be about our ailments, and material things. In tribulations, trials, and emergencies in this life, people often say as comfort and a promise, "Praying for you." In our culture today that seems like a good thought with little practicality, but in truth prayer is the most potent and powerful thing we possess as Christians, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16). Prayer is a weapon but also a healing balm, the Apostle laid hands on and prayed to heal. Prayer has many layers, but it is all connected to hub that is Christ Jesus our God and Lord. As Christians our prayer life needs to be active and alive! We don't need to merely pray for protection anxieties, fianancies, and for others, but we must pray to dwell in presence of Christ, "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." (Acts 4:31).

Praying is so important that God Himself, Jesus Christ, spent much time in prayer, "One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God," (Luke 6:13), and it was in prayer that Christ our Lord said, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, ²¹ that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:16-28). If God who is Jesus and One with Father teaches us to prayer (see earlier verses) and made prayer such an important thing, they shouldn't we Christ followers make it important? Remember prayer simply means asking and conversing with God, we pray when we want to seek God, spend time with God, ask something of God, help others in God, and etc. Praying or asking is like breathing, and should become so part of our nature as Christ followers that we don't view it as a formal and arduous affair, but as life giving connection with Christ and with each other (fellow Christians). As we pray for persecuted, ill, and anxious brothers and sisters in Christ we become connected to them because Christ lives in all believers (Colossians 1;27, Romans 8:10-18)! The Apostle Paul said this when He claimed, "For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is." (Colossians 2:5), Paul is able to do this merely because Spirit of God lives in all saints, "Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16).



As we breath, ask, and pray (all synonyms of each other) we can be comforted that we aren't the only ones praying. God Himself prayers for us, "Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us," (Romans 8:34), interceding is intercessory prayer, "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people,," (1 Timothy 2:1). Jesus prays for us continually, "But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:24-25). Thus we can take heart that our God and Savior has not ceased to make supplication on our behalf, but continues to as He sits at the Right Hand of Father! Prayer is not a one sided thing, we pray (ask, talk) and God prays back to us!


Fall in love with prayer. Its not suppose to be this event, moment, or ritual, but as enjoyable as conversing with a friend and as deep and open to variation as when we introspect ourselves or when we seek to know something through reading a book or website. Prayer is to probe our own souls, to seek God, to sit in presence of Christ, to be still and let our true selves emerge, to seek help or comfort for another Christian or even an enemy, to be enraptured by God Spirit, to do battle against devils, to remind us of God's truth via Scriptural prayers, and much more. Prayer is not just a unique layer of Christian clothing among many, it is the very heart and brain of Christianity. It is the connecting epicenter to Emmanuel, to God Himself, and it is not just asking or repeating, but it is like music, it fills every part and comes from every part of our being, prayer is not just for physical or mental, it is not just for spiritual, it is holistic as God is, and it is communication with God that is powerful, profound, and frankly a miracle. For others prayer is ritual and to get God to help, but for us Christians prayer is more, it is God coming to us and relating to us, communing, connecting, exchanging words, and touching His presence. Its more, and in many forms as attested in the Scriptures, but it is essential and as important as breathing and our blood flowing. Prayer connects us to Divine Trinity, it connects us to each other, and it uses words, silence, and every part of our being; it should be chief on the list of Church participation, with only The Holy Bible being read, preached, and Gospel coming in a close second or tie; for without prayer evangelism, rightling interpreting the Bible, preaching, and more does not work. You have to pray and have that relationship with the Trinity in order for even evangelism and all other Christian imperatives to happen. For it is the Holy Spirit that draw people to Jesus, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father--he will testify about me." (John 15:26). Asking and prayer is highly involved in this, for it was when Apostles prayed the Holy Spirit or Advocate fell (Acts 4:31). Just as the Disciples asked questions of Jesus, so we must ask and pray to Jesus Christ our God, and through prayer and connecting to Christ we will discover His wisdom and all knowledge, "to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:1-3). Therefore, anyone who wants wisdom and knowledge must pray and ask the Lord Jesus Christ for it, but in truth they really must ask for Jesus Himself whom it is contained therein, and so believe in Jesus Christ as Lord God and Savior (Romans 10:9-10), and have relationship (prayer) with Him. Amen.

Addendum: More Bible Verses on Prayer

Pray from Genuine Heart

I spoke earlier that it can be beneficial to pray repetitiously in the middle of temptation, I gave the example of saying The Lord's Prayer or Our Father Prayer. But do not mistaken that to mean you should make prayer life repetitious or where you pray by root or the same words expecting God will listen if you keep saying them, God hears the first time and prayer is primarily to communicate with Christ, and as aforementioned has varaiants.

"When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again." (Matthew 6:7).


Pray for Perseverance

We must pray for perseverance especially in these days of persecution.

"With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:18)

Prayer in Temptation

A reminder from our Redeeming Lord that prayer combats temptation and ergo is excellent thing to do when you find yourself tempted.

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:41, Mark 14:38)

Pray for Salvation

We are encouraged to pray for evangelism unsaved people, and in an essence this is not only important for those about to preach the Gospel, it is partaking in it.

"Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation." (Romans 10:1)

Pray for Healing

Praying for healing is throughout the New Testament, but this particular instance includes Elders. That does not mean you must always gather elders to pray, for Jesus said we all indiviudalty in Him have power to lay hands and heal (), but we should not ignore that sometimes Elders should be called to lay hands and pray.

"Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." James 5:14-16)

Pray or Ask without Doubt

We must not doubt when we pray, but except that Christ hears us and is working on our behalf.

"But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." (James 1:6)

Holy Spirit Praying For Us

Just as Jesus of the Trinity prays for us, so does the Holy Spirit.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." Romans 8:26

Prayers Heard in Heaven

"And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God's people." Revelation 5:8

This verse is why many Churches have censer and release incense amongst the congregation in Churches. The Eastern Orthodox are famous for their censers and doing symbolism involved with this verse.

Pray for Those in Trouble

"Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise/Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise." (James 5:13)

Pray in Prison

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them." (Acts 16:25)

Pray and be Sober

Very befitting of the times. So many are captive to drunkenness which inhibits a sober mind to pray.

"The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray." (1 Pete 4:7)


Promise that Prayer will be answered

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24)

End Times Prayer

While maybe not phrased as prayer per-se, we can turn Scriptures into prayers since they are God Breathed in the first place, why not breath them back to the One who gives us breath?

"He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20).