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How to Pray for Others: A Guide for Spiritual Leaders

  • Writer: Jack Selcher
    Jack Selcher
  • Oct 31
  • 4 min read

Updated: Nov 17

Understanding the Need for Prayer


"Pray for me!" This request often fills my inbox. Many of those reaching out live in Africa, India, or the Philippines. I have never met them and know little about their lives. So, how do I pray for them? This question deserves thoughtful consideration.


In the churches I have served, members often share specific prayer requests. For example, “My husband had a heart attack and is in intensive care.” These requests highlight a common theme: many focus on physical ailments. While it is perfectly fine to pray for health issues, we must remember that God invites us to bring all our anxieties to Him (Philippians 4:6-7). However, we should also recognize that most scriptural prayers address our spiritual needs.


Aligning Our Requests with Scripture


Our requests would benefit from a scriptural alignment. The Apostle Paul and Jesus prayed in ways that were far more diverse than our typical prayers. By examining their prayers, we can learn how to pray more effectively. Below, I categorize various prayer needs into specific areas.


Physical Needs


  1. Daily sustenance (Matthew 6:9-13)

  2. Whatever concerns you (Philippians 4:6-7)

  3. The removal of suffering (Matthew 26:42)

  4. Healing for others (Acts 28:8)

  5. Other Christians (Ephesians 6:18)

  6. God’s mighty power to strengthen us (Colossians 1:9-12)

  7. Great endurance and patience (Colossians 1:9-12, 1 Thessalonians 1:3)

  8. Power for goodness (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)


Mental Needs


  1. Insight to discern what is best (Philippians 1:9-11)

  2. God’s mighty power to strengthen us (Colossians 1:9-12)

  3. Great endurance and patience (Colossians 1:9-12, 1 Thessalonians 1:3)

  4. Overflowing with thanksgiving to God (Colossians 1:9-12)

  5. Power for goodness (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)


Emotional Needs


  1. Whatever concerns you (Philippians 4:6-7)

  2. The removal of suffering (Matthew 26:42)

  3. Full joy (John 17:15,17)

  4. Speaking God’s word with great boldness (Acts 4:29-30)

  5. Knowledge of the hope to which God has called us (Ephesians 1:18-19)

  6. The Spirit to empower and enlighten us to comprehend Christ’s love (Ephesians 3:14-19)

  7. Other Christians (Ephesians 6:18)

  8. God’s mighty power to strengthen us (Colossians 1:9-12)

  9. Great endurance and patience (Colossians 1:9-12, 1 Thessalonians 1:3)

10. Overflowing with thanksgiving to God (Colossians 1:9-12)

11. Power for goodness (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)


Spiritual Needs


  1. Forgiveness of sins (Matthew 6:9-13)

  2. Whatever concerns you (Philippians 4:6-7)

  3. Submitting our will to God’s will (Matthew 26:42)

  4. Driving out an impure spirit in Jesus’ name (Mark 9:29)

  5. Escaping life’s temptations (Matthew 6:13)

  6. For God’s ongoing mercy as a sinner (Luke 18:13)

  7. My faith and that of others not to completely fail (Luke 22:32)

  8. For power to finish the work God assigns to us (John 17:1)

  9. Sanctification by God’s word (John 15:15,17)

10. Complete unity among believers (John 17:11, 23)

11. Speaking God’s word with great boldness (Acts 4:29-30)

12. Demonstrating God’s power through our ministry (Acts 4:29-30)

13. For others to become followers of Christ (Acts 26:29)

14. Open doors of ministry (Romans 1:10)

15. Salvation of our countrymen (Romans 10:1)

16. For the Lord’s people to be receptive to our ministry (Romans 15:31)

17. Knowledge of the hope to which God has called us (Ephesians 1:18-19)

18. The Spirit to empower and enlighten us to comprehend Christ’s love (Ephesians 3:14-19)

19. Knowledge of the riches of our glorious inheritance (Ephesians 1:18-19)

20. Knowledge of God’s incomparably great power for us (Ephesians 1:18-19)

21. Knowledge of God’s will (Colossians 1:9-12)

22. Knowledge of God (Colossians 1:9-12)

23. God to make us complete with His full life and power (Ephesians 3:14-19)

24. Other Christians (Ephesians 6:18)

25. An open door to proclaim the gospel clearly (Colossians 4:3-4)

26. Declaring the mystery of the gospel fearlessly (Ephesians 6:19)

27. The gospel to spread rapidly and be honored (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2)

28. Insight to discern what is best (Philippians 1:9-11)

29. Being pure and blameless on the day of Christ (Philippians 1:9-11)

30. Being filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Christ (Philippians 1:9-12)

31. Pleasing God through our good works (Colossians 1:9-12)

32. God’s mighty power to strengthen us (Colossians 1:9-12)

33. Great endurance and patience (Colossians 1:9-12, 1 Thessalonians 1:3)

34. Overflowing with thanksgiving to God (Colossians 1:9-12)

35. Standing firm in God’s will with maturity and confidence (Colossians 4:12)

36. Faith-generated work (1 Thessalonians 1:3)

37. Love-prompted labor (1 Thessalonians 1:3)

38. Being worthy of our calling (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

39. Power for goodness (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

40. Faith-prompted deeds to bear fruit (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)


Safety Needs


  1. Those who persecute and mistreat you (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:28)

  2. Deliverance from the enemy of the faith and evil people (Matthew 6:9-13, John 17:15,17, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2)

  3. Whatever concerns you (Philippians 4:6-7)

  4. Escape from all that will happen at the end of time (Luke 21:36)

  5. The removal of suffering (Matthew 26:42)

  6. Safety in dire situations (Acts 12:5) and from unbelievers (Romans 15:31)

  7. Other Christians (Ephesians 6:18)

  8. God’s mighty power to strengthen us (Colossians 1:9-12)


Relationship Needs


  1. Whatever concerns you (Philippians 4:6-7)

  2. Those in authority over us (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

  3. Little children (Matthew 19:13)

  4. Complete unity among believers (John 17:11, 23)

  5. Other Christians (Ephesians 6:18)

  6. God’s mighty power to strengthen us (Colossians 1:9-12)

  7. Great endurance and patience (Colossians 1:9-12, 1 Thessalonians 1:3)

  8. Overflowing with thanksgiving to God (Colossians 1:9-12)

  9. Christian leaders (1 Thessalonians 5:25)

10. Power for goodness (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)


How to Pray for Strangers


So, how do I pray for those I don’t know who request it? While I don’t claim to have all the answers, I often send this message: “Father in Heaven, I pray that your grace will abound toward NAME and meet all their needs so they will be prepared to do every good deed you have planned for them for Your glory. Amen.” This prayer is rooted in 2 Corinthians 9:8 and Ephesians 2:10.


Conclusion: The Power of Prayer


Prayer is a powerful tool that connects us to God and to each other. It transcends distance and circumstance. By praying for others, we not only lift their burdens but also deepen our own faith. See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.


See free spiritual growth resources for Christians at https://www.christiangrowthresources.com.


God has empowered me to write His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength. It’s a free, evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship e-book. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead 6,830 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 16,725 people. I invite you to explore and use it in your setting.


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