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Praying for Others In John 16:6-24, Christ prays for his disciples
- that God would protect them from the evil one as they went
out into the world to spread the Word - and for those who
would hear their message and come to believe that God had sent
his son to save the world. Christ prayed for others and so
should we.
We are commanded to pray for others:
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love
your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you
may be sons of your Father in heaven" - Matthew
5:43-45a.
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being
watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may
open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the
mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may
proclaim it clearly, as I should" - Colossians
4:2-4.
"I urge, then first of all, that
requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for
everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may
live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
This is good, and pleases God our Savior who wants all men
to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. … I
want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without
anger or disputing" - 1 Timothy 2:1-4,
8.
We are also given examples of praying for
others:
"Epaphras, who is one of you and a
servant of Christ Jesus, sends his greetings. He is always
wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all
the will of God, mature and fully assured" - Colossians
4:12.
"I have not stopped giving thanks for
you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the
God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give
you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may
know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may
be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which
he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in
the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who
believe" - Ephesians 1:16-19a.
"For this reason I kneel before the
Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth
derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he
may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your
inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through
faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in
love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp
how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you
may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now
to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask
or imagine, according to his power that is at work within
us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
through out all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" -
Ephesians 3:14-21.
(All scripture taken from the Quest Study
Bible, Copyright 1994 by Zondervan Publishing House.)
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