Why Praying is the Most Important Thing You Can Do for People

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Prayer is going to God's Throne of Grace about the spiritual battles going on around us. When we pray for people, we invite God to help fight their battles. #SpiritualWarfare #Prayer #BlessingBloggers

I’ve read countless books about prayer in my life.

But in recent years, the Lord has shown me that I need to read less about prayer and spend more time in prayer.

Here are a few things I’ve learned from actually praying…

♥ Prayer can be comforting—as we bring every need to God’s Throne of Grace and receive His grace and mercy.
♥ Prayer can be reflective—thanking and praising God for His blessings, goodness, and grace.
♥ Prayer can be seeking—pleading with God for wisdom, guidance, and direction in life.

All amazing blessings! Yet, maybe one of the most important things to remember is that…

♥ Prayer is warfare—it is our God-given weapon in the battle between good and evil . . . between God’s heavenly warriors and the enemy’s demonic forces.

And that is what Paul is asking his readers to do toward the end of Romans:

Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit. 

Romans 15:30

When you and I go to God’s Throne for a family member, friend, or even a complete stranger . . . when we pray for people, we are going to battle for them. Interceding for someone as they fight an illness, or live through grief, loneliness, joblessness, depression, or anything else this world throws at them . . . can make all the difference in their battle physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

I love this quote from Pastor Tony Evans…

“Simply defined, prayer is earthly permission for heavenly interference.”

May you and I find ourselves faithfully praying for people inviting the blessing of heavenly interference as together we fight the battles of life.

Prayer is going to God's Throne of Grace about the spiritual battles going on around us. When we pray for people, we invite God to help fight their battles. #SpiritualWarfare #Prayer #BlessingBloggers

A Prayer Asking God to Help Us Pray for People

Lord, Your Word consistently tells us to pray for one another. You told us to bring our burdens to You and that You will help us. (Matthew 11:28) And Paul wrote that it is Your will that we would carry each other’s burdens. (Galatians 6:2) One of the most loving and compassionate ways we can love one another is to carry someone’s burden to You in prayer.

Please forgive me. I pray about many things but too often I don’t pay close enough attention to the battles the people around me are facing . . . too often I fail to pray as intentionally as fervently as I should. Too often I say I’ll pray for someone and forget as soon as I walk away or I “shoot off” a quick brief prayer and fail to think about it again. I’m so sorry.

You have given us this awesome gift. You promise to hear the prayers of Your children. Please empower me to become a prayer warrior. Help me to faithfully pray for the people around me. Make me intentional about helping them fight their spiritual battles through the gift of prayer. Lord, You have already won the spiritual war . . . Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory. Forever and ever. Amen.

During the covid lockdown our pastor challenged us to find a way to reach out and encourage our neighbors.

Rev and I prayed about it and decided to drop a short letter off at each home on our street telling our neighbors that we would pray for them. Here’s a copy of what we left:

Prayer is going to God's Throne of Grace about the spiritual battles going on around us. When we pray for people, we invite God to help fight their battles. #SpiritualWarfare #Prayer #BlessingBloggers

We added each of our email addresses and also placed a mailbox out front so people could leave a request anonymously.

It turned out to be such a simple way to reach out. It has blessed us and we pray that it is blessing our neighbors too.

On today’s note write:

Lord, help me faithfully pray for people.

If you would like us to pray for you . . . please leave your request on the Blessing Counters Prayer Page or in the comments below.

Finally, I want to close today by praying this prayer for each of you.

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

Click here to read the rest of Romans 15.

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9 Comments

  1. What a wonderful idea that you and Rev came up with during the Covid, Deb! Yes, we need to be more intentional about our prayers, knowing we come before the Lord when we pray. May He bless you most richly today, my friend!

    1. Thank you, Martha! It has been a blessing . . . a way to get to know our neighbors a little better and encourage each other with faith and prayer. They have been a blessing and encouragement to us. Have a great day, my beautiful friend!

  2. Elisabet Jusino says:

    Hi God bless
    I thank God for you , for blessing my life and day with your letters.
    I want to ask you please for me my name Elisabet and I’m having very battle in my life now, I have to make a decision and I’m so tired and my heart broken . I just want to hear God will for my life. But I don’t have to much time to decide . So please pray for God open my eyes and give me guide.

    Thank you
    Blessing

    1. Hi, Elisabet. Thank you so much for your kindness in letting me know you have been blessed by CMB. I am so sorry you are going through this difficult time. I am praying for you and asking God to give you the guidance you need. May He be with you and bless you!

  3. Thanks so much for this beautiful post on prayer. I would like to request prayers for my brother Gerry as he is trying to recuperate from Covid that he contracted last November 2020. Covid attacked every organ in his body and with God’s Grace he was able to get off a ventilator after 43 days but is now trying to get strong enough to walk which is very challenging for him. He’s only 57 and in a rehab/ nursing facility . Prayers would be so appreciated. Thanks again for your beautiful post.

    1. Hi, Patti! What a challenging and difficult road to recovery you have all endured with him. I am praying for him and asking God to continue to restore his health and strength. May God be with and bless you all!

      1. Thanks so very much Deb.

  4. Angela Cahill says:

    What a wonderful way to reach out to your neighbour’s during this time of Covid and for reaching out to all of us who read your daily devotional. We are all in need of prayer. Life is full of struggles at the best of times but more so now during the pandemic. Sparing a thought and including those near and far in our prayers, is a blessing for them and us too! We are all one family trying to navigate our way. Lord Jesus fill each and everyone of us with your love. We lay before you all of our needs and worries. Please take them to your heart and present to God our father. Holy Spirit guide us along the path of life and fill us with your strength and courage and peace.
    Amen.

    Blessings Deb and many thanks for your faithful encouragement!

    Angela – Ireland

    1. Thanks so much, Angela! Asking God to be with you and bless you!