Equipping to Serve: Prayerful Support

Prayer (as you’ve probably heard before) is crucial. But there is a difference between thinking that and acting on it.

THIS IS AN EDITED EXCERPT FROM MY BOOK COMING OUT THIS SUMMER TENTATIVELY CALLED, I WANT TO SERVE: SERVING WITH CHRISTLIKENESS IS MORE SIMPLE THAN YOU THINK. Prayer (as you’ve probably heard before) is crucial. But there is a difference between thinking that and acting on it. there is a difference between just praying casually and praying mindfully. Praying mindfully requires praying for the requests that someone has asked of you as well as the things you want them to grow in. To clarify, praying for the things you want them to grow in doesn’t mean those things that you are judging them about. It means acknowledging that all of God’s people need to continue to grow in their knowledge, boldness, and faithfulness to God. Their growth in those areas will lead to the transformation that God wants to see in them. So pray those things for them. In his letters, the apostle Paul set a great example of praying for the spiritual maturity of his brothers and sisters in Christ. Even when times were difficult for the people he was addressing, he always made a point to focus on it. He writes in Colossians 1:9-12:

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”

Paul cared deeply for his brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae. He knew that the church was struggling with dealing with false teachers. He also knew what these young Christians needed the most. So he prayed earnestly that God would fill them His knowledge, spiritual wisdom, and understanding. Paul saw an opportunity to point people to Christ and he did so by praying for the strengthening of their faith, the only thing that would result in life change and good works for the glory of God. Another thing to remember is that praying mindfully means not only praying with them but for them when the Spirit places them on your mind. When your prayer for the people you’re serving becomes a mindfully directional practice, it is incredible to see how it can transform not only your relationship with that person but also with God. God sees your faithfulness and commitment to them and blesses it. He is also well pleased when you demonstrate your trust that He is responsible (not you) for the growth of that individual through your prayer. There are several different ways to schedule times to pray, but the way that seems to work best for me is to set aside a day each week where I pray about specific groups of people. Those days aren’t exclusive to those groups when there are pressing things to pray for, but the time I set aside for prayer in the morning is spent on those people. Currently, I pray for the leadership in my church on Mondays. I ask God that they would lead with wisdom and through the power of the Spirit in them. Tuesday I think globally, praying for the missionaries in the field and for the power of the Gospel to reach unreached people groups. Wednesday I focus on the people I’m discipling or being discipled by, praying for their requests and that God will use me to point them to Christ. I lift local outreach ministries up in prayer, asking God for loving, patient, and consistent efforts to share the truth of the Gospel to continue. I take time on Friday for the people in my house church, for their spiritual maturation and thankfulness for their serving hearts. Saturday and Sunday my schedule is different, so I try to be prayerful about the most pressing requests and needs. Like I said, another way may work best for you, but what is important is that you make the effort to be intentional about praying for the people you are serving. * Check back on Thursday for a short, practical list of ways to make people feel supported through prayer.