Praying for Others
ICS Daily Devotions

1 Timothy 2:1-5 (NKJV) Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.

There are many different kinds of prayers mentioned in the Bible. There is the prayer of agreement between believers, the prayer of faith, the prayer of consecration, the prayer of praise, and the prayer of petition. There is also the prayer of intercession, which we, as believers, make on behalf of and for other people. We should not just pray for our own needs without also interceding for the rest of society. Christians ought to pray for the church, not only for the ones they attend but also for others in their local area and around the world. Supplications should also be made for the government and the rulers of the country. We should pray for God to give officials wisdom, prudence, and godly discretion to govern the nation in the right way, ensuring peace, order, and morality in society. Schools also benefit from our prayers. We can pray for students to be hardworking and diligent and that academic institutions instil Christlike values and attitudes within the younger generations. Finally, we can pray for the neighbourhood as a whole, petitioning God to bless the temporal and, more importantly, spiritual state of the entire community. If we want to see changes in our country, home, school, and any other situation, prayer should be our first resort.

James 5:16b (NKJV) The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

We are dealing with a fallen and broken world whose ruler is the god of this age. The devil and his cohorts influence the world at different levels of society. It is a spiritual warfare where prayer is our most powerful weapon. Praise God that we have the victory in Jesus Christ because He has disarmed principalities through His work of redemption. We can enforce His victory through prayer and the authority given to the church. However, the church needs to pray, take authority in the name of Jesus, and push back the forces of darkness. Let us therefore take all our petitions to God in prayer, especially for the needs of others.

Sermon Series: Do not lose heart, but always pray until something happens