I’ve never met a Christian who didn’t think it’s important to pray for others. It’s one of the most basic practices of our faith. Scripture gives us many clear calls to pray for others.
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, —1 Timothy 2:1
Keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, —Ephesians 6:18
At the start of my walk with Jesus I began the practice of praying for others. I’m not sure if I was taught to do it but I remember just feeling God’s love so much for people that I almost couldn’t help but to pray for them. That love is what drives our prayers for others. It can be hard to sustain though. I admit that in some seasons of my life I’ve not done much praying for others. The very best seasons of my life, though, are always marked by strong prayers for others.
He hears us!
It’s exciting to think that when we pray for others that God answers. Well, sometimes what we pray for may not be God’s will so our prayers aren’t answered. Sometimes the Lord is going to answer but there’s a delay. But let’s not focus on those issues at the moment. If we pray simple prayers according to God’s will—He hears us!
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life ... —1 John 5:14-16
Are you hearing that? When we pray simple prayers like, “Lord, touch this person with your love. Reveal truth to them. Let them be encouraged today. Drench their heart with goodness. Remind them of what Christ did for them on the cross. Increase their desire for You. Draw them near.”—the Lord answers our requests! We can impact people’s lives through the ministry of praying for them.
Epaphras
Consider what the Apostle Paul said about an ordinary local pastor. Much of his ministry was behind the scenes, hidden from people, but not hidden from God.
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. —Colossians 4:12-13
One of the things I love about the ministry of praying for others is that we can do it from anywhere. We also don’t need any money to make the ministry happen. Absolutely nothing can stop us from ministering in this way. Even in pandemic isolation we can pray for others. Even if we were confined to a prison cell or a hospital room we can pray for others. Even if we are super busy we can still pray quick prayers for others in our free moments.
The Day will reveal
In the next life we will realize just how powerful prayer was. We tend to exchange the ministry of prayer for more practical ministries like teaching, serving and giving. Obviously, we are called to minister in practical ways but our neglect of praying for others shows that we don’t really think it does that much. Oh how the Day will reveal that prayer was the most powerful thing we could possibly do. It is the one thing that sets into motion the interventions of God!
Another thing I love about the ministry of praying for others is that all of us are candidates to dramatically impact the world. A seminary degree is not required. We don’t even need to be educated. We don’t need to possess leadership or social skills. It doesn’t matter if we are rich or poor. We don’t need to be attractive looking, and we don’t need to dress nicely. We can be young or old. Any of us can make a huge difference in the world by praying for others!
Anna
It makes me think of Anna. She was quite old. Doing the math, if she was married at 15, and married for seven years, and then a widow for 84 years, that would make her approximately 106. The only number we don’t know for sure is how old she was when she got married. So she may have been a little older or younger than 106. This is how the Bible describes her life:
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. —Luke 2:36-37
We aren’t sure what kind of fasting she did. Perhaps she ate a light breakfast early in the morning and then broke her fast before bed. I picture her at the Temple from 7am to 7pm or later. Daily! Just praying. It doesn’t mean she was anti-social. I imagine that she ministered to many of the younger women—which was probably all of them—who came into the Temple. Maybe at times she would pull little clusters of people together to pray for a certain thing. She did this all day every day. And the Lord saw to it that her behind the scenes ministry was honored in Holy Scripture. I believe part of the reason the early Church experienced so much grace and power was because of the mighty prayers of this little sweet lady.
Rewards
We know that the Bible teaches that we don’t all receive the same rewards in Heaven. Just like not all punishments in hell are equal.
Each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. —1 Corinthians 3:13
It’s subtle, but did you catch in that verse that we are not judged by the quantity of our work? We tend to think that people who had tremendous public ministries like Billy Graham will receive the greatest rewards in glory. I’m sure Billy will be rewarded, as he lived an absolutely faithful life all the way to 99! But in Heaven we will suddenly see the people who labored behind the scenes in prayer be greatly rewarded. We’ll see people who lived in obscure parts of the world or who were in the bottom 1% in terms of talent, be greatly rewarded. We will watch some little old lady that lived alone and prayed all day receive a massive crown that makes Billy Graham’s crown look like a Crackerjack toy.
What’s my ministry?
Through the years I’ve counseled a lot of people who are trying to figure out what their ministry is. The truth is we don’t need a special ministry. We don’t need to lead anything. The very best thing we can do is pray for others and love the people around us. I think if we do that really well, the Lord will likely promote us to some kind of leadership position. Maybe. Maybe not. It doesn’t matter. What I’m saying is that the most powerful ministry in the world is available to every single one of us. Traditional ministry we may need to step out of as we start getting older. But the ministry of praying for others we can do into our 70’s, 80’s, 90’s—even when we are 106 like Anna!
Pray for one another
I’ve been praying for those of you who are on this 100 day pursuit with me. I don’t know everyone personally but it doesn’t matter. I’m praying for you. Here’s my challenge today. Can you start praying for all those on this 100 day pursuit? Let’s pray for one another that God would do amazing things. Let’s pray for each other that the Lord would reveal Himself and deepen our relationship with Him. Let’s pray for those in this 100 day family who have never encountered God in a dramatic way that they would see the glory of God! May God fill us with love and burden us to pray earnestly for each other.