“Pray for me.” A common catch-phrase among Christians. It is used many times without serious thought or clarity given to what exactly the requesting party is wanting. Prayer is not some empty religious exercise, superstitious rite or magic bullet for any need we may have at the moment. The first thing Jesus taught about prayer is what NOT to do: DON’T be like the religious hypocrites who like to be seen as spiritual when they pray publicly. DON’T be like the heathen who think they will be heard when they use empty phrases or many words. There should be nothing common or casual about prayer. It is an extraordinary privilege and a powerful act.
I have people ask me to pray for them quite often. They inject those three words (pray for me) in a conversation: usually at the end. Most times I dutifully agree even when I don’t know why or what they are asking me to pray for. (What I would like to say is, “Why don’t you do your own praying.” The Bible says, “Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray.” Jms.5:13). Thank God, I know enough to ask the Holy Spirit’s help when I don’t know what to prayer.
There are those who ask me to pray because they have the wrong idea if only enough people will pray for a certain thing, then critical mass will produce the answer we seek. It is not the numbers that secure answers to prayer. It is faith, agreement and patience. I would rather have five people who know God and understand how to pray the will of God than five hundred persons who have good intentions but little understanding.
Prayer is absolutely an important part of our Christian walk. And we should feel no reservations about asking others to pray for or with us. The Apostle Paul asked regularly for prayers from his ministry partners. But Paul would tell people exactly what to pray for him and how. We have the Holy Spirit inspired prayers Paul prayed for the churches preserved for us in scripture. I pray these prayers over my life and for our partners every day.
In our ministry of nearly 45 years together, Gail and I have intentionally recruited prayer partners to cover us during our travels around the world. We have produced prayer cards with specific items, taken from scripture, we ask people to pray. To assume people know how to pray is presumptuous. In fact, there are people who tell me they are praying for me that I prefer would not. I don’t question their good intentions but judging by their lifestyle and ignorance of God and scripture, they may do more harm than good.
There are important principles that cause our prayers to be effectual: fervency, consistency, perseverance to name a few. But faith, built on a knowledge of God and His will, is paramount. When you go to war you want to know your fox hole companion has some spiritual acumen and fighting skills. Prayer is spiritual warfare.The same exercise of prayer that releases great power can also be dangerous when it is abused.
Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you. Rm.15:30-32 NKJ
In this passage, Paul is not just asking for prayer because it is the religious thing to do. He is begging for prayer partners. He is asking people to come along side him in the fight: to agonize (strive = agonizomai in Greek) with him in prayers to God. He tells them exactly what to pray for: his deliverance, the reception of his ministry and the anticipation of fellowship with them in victory. He does not leave prayer to the arbitrary will of the one praying. Paul is quite definite. In another place he writes, “[pray] for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.” And again, “pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men.” Paul shared much about what he prayed in the epistles to the churches. I endeavor to keep my prayers for others within the boundaries of these inspired prayers. When I don’t know exactly what to pray beyond these prayers, then I pray in the Spirit, in other tongues. This way I know I am praying the perfect will of God (Rm.8:26, 27).
Let us not reduce prayer to a religious cliche or meaningless, dispassionate, exercise of the soul. Communicating with Almighty God on behalf of another is too precious a gift to use without whole-hearted devotion. It remains a powerful tool for bringing the will of God in earth as it is in heaven.
“The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].” Jms.5:16 AMP