The people we have in our lives, our family, and our friends are hand-picked by God. Family is the one thing we have with us forever, which is why we should stick together when possible. And praying for your family and friends should be something you do during your prayer time.
God wants us to know just how important prayer should be in our lives. Prayer strengthens family bonds. And strengthens our relationship with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 says, "Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live." (MSG)
James 5: 13 says, "Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises."
But sometimes it can be hard to find the words to say to God. So I want to share with you a few prayers that you can pray when you want to pray for your family or for a friend. I have given you some verses to go with the prayers so that you can see where the prayer has come from.
A GUIDE TO PRAYING
God loves it when we have a conversation with him. And using his word is a perfect way to do that. I also want to show you a great way to pray in case you struggle in this area.
Praise Him – Using Psalms 23 read back and affirm who God is and how he loves and cares for you.
Admit to Him – Using Psalms 32 confess your sin to the Lord. Prepare your heart to hear his words.
Thank Him – Thank the Lord for all he has done for you.
Ask Him – Ask the Lord to encourage, convict, and soften your heart. To help you to hear and understand him and his kingdom.
Now that we have warmed up let’s start praying for our family and friends shall we? Fill in the empty spaces with the person’s name. Pray these daily to impact their lives!
A PRAYER TO HELP THEM GROW IN THEIR WALK WITH THE LORD
Colossians 1: 9-11 says, "......We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need...."
Heavenly Father, Please give______complete knowledge of your will and give them spiritual wisdom and understanding. That they may live a life worthy of you Lord and may please you in every way, bearing good fruit, all the while growing as they learn more and more about you. I also pray that they will be strengthened with all your glorious power so that they will have all the endurance and patience they need to fight battles. Thank you for loving us all and for taking such good care of us. You are worthy of our praises. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen
A PRAYER FOR HARD TIMES
Isaiah 41: 10 says, "Don't be afraid , for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."
Heavenly Father, I am praying with a heavy heart Lord. ________ is going through a tough season in their life right now and I am willing to be a part of their answer. To share their burden with them. And to have a real spirit of compassion for them. Teach me how to pray and intercede on their behalf as they go through this season in their life. I ask that you help them to not be afraid or discouraged because you are with them. Show them that you are a mighty God and that you have everything under control. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
A PRAYER FOR STRENGTH
Deuteronomy 31: 6 says, "So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you."
Heavenly Father, I pray that you show _______ that you are a good God. Thank you that you will never leave them and you will never fail them. Help them to be strong and courageous during this time in their life. In Jesus’ name, I pray Amen.
A PRAYER TO LIVE IN UNITY WITH OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS
Colossians 3: 13-14 says, "Make allowance for each others faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony."
Heavenly Father, Thank you for the love you have for me. I pray that you help me to show the same kind of love toward my family. That all of my family members will live in harmony. Help the ones who have trouble forgiving one another to forgive. And help us to see that we need to forgive others because you have forgiven us. In Jesus’ name, I pray Amen.
A PRAYER FOR UNSAVED LOVED ONES
Heavenly Father, I am praying for _______today. I pray that you open their heart towards you. That they will finally see just how much you love them. Help them to feel that love you so freely give to us all. I pray that you will show them what is important in life and that is to have a personal relationship with you. Thank you for allowing me to show them what it is like to have you in my life. Help me to be an encouragement to them. In Jesus’ name, I pray Amen
CONCLUSION
I am so glad you chose to stop by and take a look at my prayers. I hope they have helped you get closer to the Lord. Please drop a comment and tell me what you thought. And share this post with others. Thank you for helping me share the gospel with the world. Don’t forget to subscribe to my email list in the box that says “join the rest” so that you can receive my newest blog posts in your inbox once a week.
