Why should I pray for others?
"I want all of you to pray for everyone. Ask God to bless them. Give thanks for them" (1 Timothy 2:1).
"At all times, pray by the power of the Spirit. Pray all kinds of prayers. Be watchful, so that you can pray. Always keep on praying for all of God’s people" (Ephesians 6:18).
"The LORD is ready to help all those who call out to him. He helps those who really mean it when they call out to him" (Psalm 145:18).
God wants us to care for others by praying for them.Jesus prayed for others and wants us to follow His example. He prayed that His disciples would be filled with joy, be safe from evil, and be holy. He also prayed for us!
Why did Jesus say we should follow His example and pray for others?
• God wants to talk to us. Prayer is a great way to stay in touch and learn about our Heavenly Father. It’s also the way to learn what God wants us to do and let Him direct us.
• Praying for others changes us. When we pray for others, our view of them changes. We learn to care more about them. Jesus tells us to pray even for people who are mean (Matthew 5:44). Praying for our enemies is one of the best ways to help them. We can pray that they find Jesus and learn that He loves them.
• God answers our prayers. He is all-powerful, so He can answer any prayer that’s in His plan for us. He is also all-good, so He will always answer with what’s best for us.
If you’re not sure who to pray for, check out "Who should I pray for?"
