Interceding for Your Friends
Jesus prayed, “I am praying for them [Jesus’s disciples]. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours... And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” JOHN 17:9, 11 ESV
Friendship is a precious gift from God, one that involves prayer – praying for yourself and praying for your friends. Prayer is a powerful tool that allows us to communicate with God, and Jesus knew this well. He often prayed to God the Father for protection and unity between His disciples and between them and God.
As believers, we are called to follow Jesus’s example of intercession and pray for our friends. Prayer is not simply wishful thinking or positive vibes but a petition before the Lord most High. We are invited to make our requests known to God, who promises to hear and answer us.
In seeking God’s face and praying for our friends, we wage spiritual warfare on each other’s behalf. We intentionally and specifically intercede for their spiritual and physical well-being, asking God to protect them and to strengthen their relationships with Him and with others.
Perhaps we have not been praying for our friends as we should. Maybe we have not been praying at all, and our prayer life is struggling. But the good news is that we can present ourselves before the Lord, confess our sins, and ask for His forgiveness and help.
As we pray, we can thank God for the favor He has shown us and for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us. We can thank Jesus for His blood that made a way for us to enter the Holy of Holies and for welcoming us into His secret place. We can thank the Holy Spirit for teaching us to pray as we should and for interceding on our behalf before God.
God is present and listening to us. We can approach His throne of mercy with boldness, asking the Holy Spirit to teach us to be intercessors and to love our friends as Jesus loved His disciples. We can be encouraged in knowing that God hears our prayers and that they matter to Him.
We should always remember that friendship calls for intercession. Let us follow Jesus’s example and pray for our friends, asking God to protect them and to strengthen their relationship with Him and with others. May we approach God in prayer today with boldness, seeking His face and asking Him to teach us to be intercessors.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I worship You for who You are. Your wisdom brings joy and peace to my life. I adore You for Your patience is eternal and Your grace is immeasurable and inexhaustible. You alone are worthy of all my praise! Amen.
This is an excerpt from Morning Gratitude: Inspiring Moments to Start Your Day by Pray.com – a devotional now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.
