“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always pray for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:18 NKJV
Have you ever hit your little toe on the edge of the table before? The pain is indescribable and affects the entire body. You subconsciously start praying for the pain to subside quickly. The Bible describes the church as a body, intimating that we are interconnected with each part playing different roles but also looking out for each other. One vital way we can do that is to pray for each other. By praying for one another, we demonstrate our love for each other.
We ought to be intentional about praying for each other as it affords us the opportunity to bear the burdens of our brothers and sisters in the best way possible. We can save each other from pending errors on account of our prayers for one another. We are all facing one challenge or the other, and our prayers greatly contribute to help alleviate each other’s problems.
By doing this, we are bearing the cross of our fellow brethren, which is a fulfilment of God’s instructions (Galatians 6:2). We weren’t designed to go through life alone, so it is essential for us to hold each other up in the place of prayer.
We see an example of this in the early church, John writing to Gaius prays for his prosperity in body and spirit (3 John 1:2), Paul highlights how Epaphras prayed for the Colossian church (Colossians 4:12) , Paul continually writes that he prays for the believers in different churches, mentioning some of these prayers in his letters (Ephesians 1:15-18, Philippians 1:9, Colossians 1:9-11).
Not only are these great examples for the act of praying but are also examples of prayers we can pray for each other. Do you know a brother who is going through a difficult time, pray that he stands perfect and complete in God’s will for Him (Colossians 4:12), do you know someone sick, pray that she prospers in her health (3 John 1:2). You might not be able to render any physical help or solution but you can always pray.
With this in mind, remember to be consistent in praying for one another just as our anchor scripture instructs us to do. This act helps strengthen our fellow brethren especially when they are going through tough times.
Dear believer, whenever you tell your brethren that you are praying for them, ensure you actually do so. Take intentional steps like writing it down in your prayer list so that you do not forget. Make it a habit to pray for your brethren.
PRAYER: Father, thank you for the privilege to call ourselves your children. Thank you for giving us a family whose bond is stronger than earthly ties. May we grow more in knowledge, till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of your Son. Strengthen our convictions against the lies and deception of the enemy in Jesus’ name, amen!
Bible Reading Plan: Ezekiel 9-12