Daily Devo
Not Sure What to Pray - part two
By: Lisa Hodgins
Saturday, May 24, 2025
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. 2 Corinthians 1:10-11
Paul valued the prayers made on his behalf. When people prayed, Paul knew his team would receive God's help. Last Saturday, the devo I wrote was about rewording bible verses into a prayer for others. I even listed some examples for you to try. This week I’ll continue by making a few other prayer suggestions.
Have you ever considered how important your prayers are? Sometimes, it's easy to pray for the people who are close to us since we probably know their needs. But how do we pray for the people we don’t know well, like our missionaries, mission teams, and Pastors? We can start by praying for their physical, spiritual, and emotional health. Pray that God would keep them healthy and sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading. Pray they would receive God's wisdom as they study His Word, and His boldness when they share the gospel. Pray that their personal and financial needs are met and for protection from spiritual attacks. Pray they will get the necessary rest to handle the challenges of ministry. Finally, pray for God to give them clarity and vision about His will for their lives.
Have you wondered how to pray for our public leaders when we aren't sure they're following Christ? We can start by praying their hearts are soft and receptive to the gospel. Pray for their salvation! Next, you can pray for their health and for them to have God's wisdom and will in their decisions. Finally, pray for their protection, especially against attacks from the enemy that might hinder their coming to the Lord.
The Lord is far from the sinful, but He hears the prayer of those who are right with Him. Proverbs 15:29 (NLV)
The main thing that will block our prayers is unrepentant sin in our lives. Before we start praying for anyone (even ourselves), we must examine ourselves to make sure sin doesn't hinder our prayers. To us, our prayers may seem insignificant, but God's Word says the opposite... He says they can move mountains!
...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
Your sincere, righteous prayers will accomplish much, so I pray these suggestions are helpful.
Read: Psalm 122:6, Ephesians 6:18