Our first impulse in prayer is usually to pray for ourselves. And that’s okay. Jesus invited us to pray for our needs every day (Matthew 6:11-12). When we do pray for others, the focus is often on a health issue or life crisis. By contrast, the example of the apostle Paul shows us three ways we can pray for God’s very best for his people.
Pray for Others to Grow in the Holy Spirit’s Power
Ephesians 3:16-17 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.
God has given us incredible resources in Christ. We have been chosen as his children, forgiven of our sins, given the Holy Spirit, made spiritually alive, granted resurrection power, and much more. From those resources, he empowers his people with inner strength. We all need strength within to overcome temptation, face trials, do hard things for God, and change our habits.
The result of this inner work is that Jesus becomes more than just a visitor, but a consistent resident in our hearts. The Holy Spirit cleans up our inner “house” to make each of us a fitting home for Jesus. So when we pray for others, we can ask not only for material help, but for the Spirit’s inner strength enabling the presence of Jesus to work deep within.
Pray for Others to Know God’s Love
Ephesians 3:17-19 Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.
Many of God’s people don’t live in the daily reality of his love. God’s love can never be fully grasped or measured, yet God wants us to understand it in our experience. He wants us to know how much he loves us. So we can pray for others to really know God’s love – in all its dimensions – in a way that changes their lives.
Pray for Others to Experience God’s Fullness
Ephesians 3:19-21 Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Jesus Christ through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
God’s plan for his people is to release the full extent of his life and power in our lives. The Christian life is simply God’s supernatural life in and through us. God has the power to do more in us than we can imagine, as he brings honor to himself through his work in us. So pray for other Christians to take great steps of faith and obedience – to share their faith, mentor others, serve, and give – in ways that express the extent of God’s presence and power in their lives.
Don’t stop praying for your own needs, or for the practical needs of people around you. But you can also add this powerful new dimension to your prayers. Pray for other Christians – and yourself – to experience more and more of God’s abundant power, presence, and love.
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- What percentage of your prayers are focused on yourself? On others?
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When you pray for others, what sort of things do you typically pray?
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Read Ephesians 3:16. Identify some areas where you need the Holy Spirit’s inner strength.
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Read Ephesians 3:18-19. How do you know when another person loves you? How do you know when God loves you?
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“The Christian life is simply God’s supernatural life in and through us.” Do you agree or disagree, and why?
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Read Ephesians 3:20. What are some things God might want to accomplish in and through you that stretch your imagination or belief?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
This is part of the Get Rich sermonlink series. Download the sermon slides.
