INTERCEDING FOR OTHERS

SCRIPTURE:
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped 
praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of 
his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 
so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: 
bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being 
strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may 
have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, 
who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the 
kingdom of light.
(Colossians 1:9-12)

MEDITATION:
The scriptures tell us that we will have troubles in this world.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this 
world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” 
(John 16:33)
That means that we know others who will also be experiencing problems at times.
We may wonder how we can be of help to them in their times of trouble.

You and I can always go to Jesus in our time of need, but what should we do 
for a friend or loved one who is going through a crisis? 
How can we pray for someone God has brought to mind, 
when we don’t know the exact details of their situation? 
In Colossians 1:9-12, Paul includes 
a powerful prayer for his fellow Christians. 
His example gives us six ways to intercede on another person’s behalf.

1. May my friend be filled with the knowledge 
   of the Lord’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding (v. 9). 
Ask the Lord to give our friend or loved one, 
spiritual discernment and clear direction about His desires for them.
God is ready to show us exactly what to do in any given situation. 
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8)
We don’t have to say, “Show my friend Your Will, if it’s Your Will.” 
The scriptures tell us that His promise to show them His Will, is His Will.

2. May my friend walk in a manner worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ 
   and please God in all respects (v. 10). 
Pray that our friend will remember the great privilege of being part of 
God’s kingdom; and that he or she would seek to live a lifestyle 
that pleases Him.
If a person is a believer, then he or she is called to emulate the life of 
Christ; his or her words and behavior should closely resemble the character 
and attitude of Jesus. 
If he or she does not know Jesus as his Savior, ask the Lord to make Himself 
known in their life, so that he or she will become a child of God, 
and will give glory to the Lord through his or her repentance and obedience.

3. May my friend bear fruit in every good work (v. 10). 
Pray that our friend will wisely invest his or her time and resources 
for the sake of God’s kingdom - so they will have an eternal impact, 
rather than a temporal one. 
Being busy doesn’t always mean being fruitful. 
Busyness can become a poor substitute for doing what the Lord wants us to do.

4. May my friend increasingly grow in the knowledge of the Lord (v. 10). 
Pray that our friend will have a hunger for God and seek Him through scripture.
We may try to quench our desires with other things, 
but only God can satisfy our spiritual hunger. 
Nothing can take the place of a healthy relationship with our Heavenly Father. 
Finding spiritual fulfillment is possible only through reading scriptures, 
applying His word to our lives, and observing the results.

5. May my friend be strengthened with all power, 
   according to God’s glorious might (v. 11). 
On behalf of our friend, ask God to provide him or her with the strength to 
remain persistent and unwavering in the truth, regardless of the circumstances. 
If we know someone is going through a crisis, 
don’t stop praying for the power of God to work in his or her life. 
Keep praying for the person to be enabled to do His will, for His glory.

6. May my friend express joyous gratitude to the Father for His grace (v. 12). 
Pray that our friend will have a thankful heart and share his or her 
gratitude with others as a testament to the good work of the Lord in his 
or her life.
It can be a challenge to remain thankful 
when we’re experiencing unpleasant circumstances. 

But, when we thank Him in the midst of our bad circumstances, we show a 
trust in His ability to work through our situations to bring about good results.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, 
who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
In his efforts to steal our joy and diminish our witness, Satan often 
uses times of difficulty to bombard us with destructive thoughts.
Connecting to God and living a life that pleases Him 
is our defense against these attacks.

ACTION:
As Christians, we are connected to the One who has authority over all things, 
knows all things, and loves us unconditionally. 
He wants to hear the desires of our hearts and give us wonderful blessings. 
If we come to Him asking for wisdom and the strength 
to walk in His ways, He will answer our prayers.
He will also respond to our prayers for others, 
which is our responsibility as believers.

Think about somebody who is going through a difficult time. 
Using Paul’s example, spend time each day petitioning God 
to work in that person’s life. 
As you intercede for others, 
you will begin to see God’s impact on their lives, 
and you will experience the blessings of watching His good work.
We may not know what to say to the other person, 
but we do know how to pray for them by name.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, teach me to be aware of my friends and loved ones 
who are in need of prayer, and to faithfully pray for them by name. 
Help me to put aside my pride and ask others to pray for me as well.”