Letter 24: Helping Others Through Prayer

Are you the only person on your prayer list?

Prayer is one of the most powerful ways to impact the world around us. It’s more than a routine—it’s a heartfelt conversation with God about the circumstances, challenges, and people in our lives. When you pray, you acknowledge that God is sovereign, capable, and able to move where human strength fails.

But here’s a question worth pausing for: Who is on your prayer list?

Who Is on Your Prayer List?

It’s natural to pray for yourself and the people closest to you—your family, your health, your needs. These prayers matter. But God invites us to go beyond our personal circle.

When you pray for others, you partner with God in what He wants to do in their lives. You become an intercessor—someone who stands in the gap for people who may not have the strength, clarity, or faith to pray for themselves.

Ask yourself:

• Have I been so focused on my own rescue that I’ve overlooked someone else’s need?

• Have I prayed for people I don’t personally know—my community, leaders, or those hurting in silence?

Expanding your prayer list isn’t just kindness. It’s obedience. It’s compassion. It’s spiritual maturity.

Why We Delay Praying for Others

If we’re honest, we all wrestle with this:

• Our own needs feel urgent.

• We lack passion for someone else’s situation.

• We’re busy.

• We’re not listening for God’s nudges.

• We don’t think it’s “our business.”

• We struggle with forgiveness.

• We doubt our prayers make a difference.

Yet none of these reasons outweigh the power of obedience.

Something shifts when you pray for others.

Your heart softens. Compassion grows. You begin to see people through God’s eyes, not your own.

Imitating Jesus’ Heart

If you want to learn how to pray for others, look at Jesus.

• He prayed for His disciples.

• He prayed for the hurting.

• He prayed for the lost.

• He prayed for His enemies.

• He prayed for those who crucified Him.

Jesus’ prayers were not self-focused but kingdom-focused.

As we imitate Him, our prayer life changes. The Holy Spirit will place people and situations on your heart—people you didn’t plan to pray for. That’s God inviting you into His work.

Scripture Focus

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” — Ephesians 6:18 (KJV)

Prayer is not just about our needs. It’s about “all the Lord’s people.”

Our intercession expands the reach of God’s love.

Life Application

This week, take intentional steps to expand your prayer list:

1. Start with your circle: family, coworkers, neighbors, church members.

2. Go beyond your circle: missionaries, those suffering in the news, leaders, and even people who hurt you.

3. Listen for God’s prompting: pause in prayer and let the Holy Spirit bring names to mind.

4. Write your list down: track what you’re praying for and record when God answers.

Praying for others never diminishes your own requests—it multiplies grace in every direction, including your own.

A Prayer for You

May the Lord bless you for every person you lift up in prayer.

May every seed of intercession you sow return to you in unexpected blessings.

May your heart remain sensitive, compassionate, and aligned with God’s will.

And may all that you pray concerning others be added unto you also.