Praying Into Another Person's Vision-an act of Love and Friendship
Praying Into Another Person’s Vision-an act of Love and
Friendship
We live in a highly individualistic society—which carries
over into our prayer life—many of us pray alone—and we justify that by showing in
the Bible various occasions where Christ went and prayed alone.—We also look at
the prayer closet (Matthew 6: 6)—as reason to pray alone. Even with these times mentioned in the Bible
when Christ prayed alone, the Bible also mentions about Christ taking a few of
his disciples with him to pray. Matthew
17: 1-9
When we look at prayer, and fundamental points of prayer—which
can be called elements, (See ‘Prayer Elements’ at the following
link: http://wheatlandministries.blogspot.com/2010/11/prayer-elements.html),
these Prayer elements work together in a way that might be called acts of love
of a person on the behalf of others. (See
‘Prayer is an Act of Love’—link: http://wheatlandministries.blogspot.com/2007/01/prayer-is-act-of-love_04.html)
.
The context of prayer being made on the behalf of others,
can refer to both individual and corporate prayer when it comes to upholding
someone else, especially if they have share a vision with rou about what they sense
God wants them to do. Part of that
prayer could be—in a practical sense prayer..:
- That their vision will be aligned with God’s Word
- For their vision- that the Lord will work the details out—including the nitty gritty details—
- For needed resources including financing or other need,
- Asking people to join in prayer as prayer partners,
- Asking for people to join as advisers or a board--people who have a similar vision or calling (we need to ask the Lord to bring these people together).
Here is why those prayer points above are important. Many times, the Lord has given each of us a
vision, but we seem stymied. Others when
they pray, often pray once or twice for someone’s vision, but regular praying
into that vision—er—uh—oops—we don’t do it very well—and we often move on
praying for other things once we prayed once or twice. I do know there are some intercessors who
will take the challenge to regularly pray for someone’s vision—but they are few
in number.
Taking the time to regularly pray for a friend’s vision
could make a difference of your friend being able to move ahead. It seems that sometimes the Lord waits to
answer until others join together in their prayers—exactly what may be
happening in the spiritual realm that causes hold back of our prayers being
answered, and keeping us from moving forward — is not always clear. When that happens, it could also be a time of
needed preparation or training for us. Even
when answers seem long in coming and there is sometimes a wait in seeing a
vision come about, the principle agreeing together is Biblical, in accordance
with Matthew 18:19, must not be neglected.
It is important to keep that vision before the Lord. Consider the example of the woman who kept a
request before a judge. See Luke
18:2-8. I believe that when Christ shared
that story in Luke 18:2-8, He was teaching us to keep our requests before
Him. Praying regularly for
someone’s vision is doing just that.
Perhaps the gist of what I am bringing up here is—would you be willing to join with someone and pray
for their vision-regularly?
Now if one does desire to pray for someone, and seeks the Lord
on how to pray into that person’s vision—how do we know what to pray for—???? We all like to see clearly, but the Bible
says we see through a glass dimly (I Corinthians 13:12). The result is that we have to depend on God
to lead us one item at a time. This may also
require reading between the lines, and asking the Lord for wisdom and discernment
on the issues at hand. This would be difficult for someone, but with God’s help
it can be done. Also, it takes a willingness
to sense someone else’s burden and involve yourself with that person and learn
first hand about their vision/burden. Once
you have an understanding of their vision—what it is, joining together with
them in prayer is like taking a weight off a weary traveler. The action of Aaron and Hur made it possible
for Moses to hold up his arms in a major battle when Joshua fought Amalek. See Exodus 17: 9-13. Watching out for, praying for, and
helping each other is the action that can make it possible to complete/move
forward on accomplishing their vision.
That is the action of a true friend.
In considering what the action of a friend can do in the
area of prayer, we need to remember that man was not meant to walk alone. We need to encourage each other. We need others to listen to us, listen to the
Lord, and seeking God’s word—to help us in seeking God’s thoughts—not only our
thoughts, but thoughts and actions that help each other.
In addition to praying for your friend, we should also seek
the Lord to include those in our churches to pray for our vision that:
- That your friend’s church will encourage and pray for the vision.
Why pray for their church?—perhaps
that church is so self focused—churches are like people—that they fail to bring
in help that the Lord provides—which may be what the individual needs to move
ahead with the vision the Lord has given.
What is happening when we pray into a friend’s vision—that
action is a true act of friendship that is important in helping your friend
move ahead. Proverbs 18: 24 says: “A man that hath friends must shew himself
friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
Also Hebrews 3: 13 says to “…exhort one another daily,” and
such action is a true act of friendship.
Praying with a friend for their vision is honoring to
God and encourages each other which the Word of God says we are to do.
Thoughts-Reflection
**Have you prayed for someone’s
desire or vision to serve? What can you
share from that experience that would encourage us on how the Lord worked when
you and others prayed for a vision?
**What does it mean pray without
ceasing when it comes to praying for someone’s vision?
**Does the individualism that
impacts our society, keep us from praying for someone else’s desire to serve
the Lord or their vision?
**Do we understand the importance
of importunate prayer (Link: http://www.praynetwork.org/profiles/blogs/importunate-prayer) when it comes to praying for someone else and their vision?
**there may be other reasons not
touched on in the above reflection questions of items that affect our praying
for the vision of someone else. Would
you be kind enough to share some?
