7 Prayers I Pray for People I Love
woman praying
Praying for the people I love—my family, my friends, my co-workers, my church, my neighbors—is a joy and a privilege. When I know specifics to pray, I pray those. Often, though, I find my prayers are more general, using Scripture and the principles from the Word that the Father desires to be increasingly true in our lives.
Here are seven of the kinds of prayers I bring to Abba.
1. Love of God
May she know that You are so in love with her—that You delight in her. May she comprehend that she is loved and treasured by You, the God who has pursued her and rescued her and forgiven her. May she remember that nothing can ever separate her from Your love. (Jeremiah 31:3; Zephaniah 3:17; Romans 8:38-39)
2. Love for God
May he fall more in love with Jesus every day. May he love God above all else. May that love not grow cold or even lukewarm, but remain fire-hot! And may Your love in him flow through him to everyone in his life. (Mark 12:30; Revelation 2:4; John 15:12-13)
3. Forgiveness
May she know that in Christ Jesus there is no condemnation. That her sins are forgiven, buried in the deepest sea, removed as far as the east if from the west, remembered no more. That the price for her sins was paid on the cross. (Romans 8:1; Psalm 103; Romans 6)
4. Light
May he know that he has been rescued from darkness and brought into the light of the Son. Protect him from the attacks of the evil one as he wears the full armor of God. May he choose to walk in the light, and to let that shine brightly to all around. (1 Peter 2:9; Ephesians 6:10-18; Ephesians 5:8)
5. Work of Art
May she know that You were there forming her in her mother’s womb. May she believe that she is fearfully and wonderfully made—a beautiful work of art. May she discover and choose the wonderful plans and good works for which You created her. (Psalm 139:13-16 Ephesians 2:10.)
6. Image of God
May his life reflect You, Lord, as he is made in Your image. May he be increasingly transformed into the likeness of Christ so that his thoughts, words and actions are those of Jesus. May love, mercy and grace be his trademarks and flow from him each day to everyone he encounters. (Genesis 1:27; 1 John 4:17; Isaiah 60:21)
7. Holy Spirit
May she consistently walk in the Holy Spirit, drawing on His wisdom and power to live in truth and justice. May she hunger and thirst for You and Your righteousness. May she be satisfied by You alone as You fill her with your Spirit. May she never settle for less than Your best. (Ephesians 5:18; Romans 8)
Of course, there is so much more to pray. Paul’s prayers in his letters cover many of these requests and others also. These prayers represent many of the truths of Scripture concerning what Christ has accomplished for us and what He continues to work in and through us. For me, these ensure that I am bringing each person before the Lord, for the most important answers I could desire.
You will see that these prayers are written in blessing form, and that’s how I like to pray. I love for my words and prayers to always be blessing those I love.
What about you? What are some of your favorite prayers?
C2017 Judy Douglass
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