The Power of Family Prayers – Episode 85
I recently attended a prayer breakfast where I heard an amazing testimony to the power of family prayers. The prayers of a family or friends for a particular person are so powerful. In this episode, I want to share with you some of what I learned and the power of prayers for your family.
Family prayer is so important – we don’t realize the impact. We can unite as a community to pray for someone, we pray in the gap for those who may be struggling with their faith OR for those who need our prayer:
Jesus Prays for His Disciples – The Power of Family Prayer
John 6:26
- I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours ((John 6:9).
- All I have is yours and all you have is mine (John 6:10).
- While I was with them I protected them (John 6:12).
- I kept them safe by that name you gave me. (John 6:12). (The name? Jesus Christ.)
God knows what we need and He is what we need! Think about that. We are worried, concerned and we allow these feelings to overcome us to the point that we can’t function. I understand, life is a struggle and guess what – we hold this inside and don’t want anyone else to know. We continue on as if everything is okay.
And, to make matters worse? The enemy uses this to torment us and keep us bound to a place where can’t escape on our own. Friends, the only person who can set you free is the Lord. He is the one who knows all of our needs – all of our wants and keeps everything in perspective for us.
When we rely on Him for everything we will be victorious. One of the ways to get out of our own problems is to pray for others. Not in a way that has us tied up in knots with worry but in a way that releases the situation to God.
I keep learning and growing along with all of you on my journey of faith. I decided that the time before Lent I would give up worry. It was eating me inside and I was so concerned about things I could do nothing about – yes, I prayed and I stood in the gap, but instead of releasing things to God for Him, in His wisdom and mercy to take care of… I was concerned He wouldn’t answer, or that He would answer but not how I wanted Him to answer.
Instead every time I was tempted (do you hear that word, “tempted” it is true – we are tempted) so, when I was tempted to worry I said, “into your hands Lord I place this situation.” And left it there! Is it easy? No way, but I have faith.
In Exodus 3:1-15 we read about Moses and the burning bush – one verse really stood out for me. The Lord God told Moses he was … “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.” And, He went on —The Lord said, “I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers, so I know well what they are suffering.”
God knows what we are suffering and what our friends and family are suffering. I spoke to a friend who is praying for her friends who are suicidal or have children who are suicidal. Another friend’s daughter was given a dire diagnosis of no hope after cancer treatment. We can stand in the gap, we can pray. One friend was so moved about another friend’s situation she took a calendar and started a prayer chain with each of us taking one day to pray for this person.
God hears the prayers of the family. The family can be blood-related but the family of God is interrelated. We, those of us listening to this podcast – we are family, we are the family of God. No matter what your faith journey if you are starting out or you are a committed Christian we all have people to pray for. I received a text as I was preparing this talk for a friend’s daughter who is having her first baby – she is on the way to the hospital so we pray!
Are you connected to others who pray? For those of you on Facebook we have a large group of prayer warriors – you can join us there, or email me at Felice (at) MediaAngels.com and I will add your prayer request https://www.facebook.com/AFewMinutesWithGod/
Remember – God knows our needs – he took the Israelites out of Egypt, and that was a miracle and He had not sent His Son, Jesus Christ at that point! Now the Lord has lived, died and is resurrected! He is here for us and we need to trust.
Jesus, I trust in you and I pray for those listening to this episode. You hear their prayers just like you heard the prayers of the people in Egypt who were under slavery. Lord we are under the slavery of sins such as anger, a feeling of injustice, pride, hate, impatience and all those little sins we think are minor and not important. I ask your forgiveness of these sins and I say right now, that I am sorry for the way I have sinned against you in Word, in thought, and in deed. I ask you, Lord, to fill me with Your Holy Spirit, to wash away those feelings I have and to allow me to focus on what is good and right. Dear Lord, you know my needs – and I know you are what I need. I ask you, Lord, to hear my prayers especially for myself and those I now pray for ….
I praise You Jesus for this time to give you all the glory and all the honor that you deserve, and I thank you for the hope you give me each day, and I pray all this in Jesus Name, Amen.
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