Intercession: praying for other people

What is intercessory prayer?

To intercede means to step in on someone else’s behalf. In prayer, it means bringing another person’s needs to God, the way you might speak up for a friend who couldn’t be in the room.

The Bible is full of people who did this. Abraham pleaded with God for the city of Sodom (Genesis 18). Moses prayed for the Israelites after they turned away from God (Exodus 32). Paul’s letters overflow with prayers for the churches he loved. And Jesus prayed not only for His disciples but for everyone who would one day believe through them (John 17:20).

“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Hebrews 7:25 (KJV)

That’s the heart of it. Jesus is still praying for you. When you pray for someone else, you’re joining in something He is already doing.

Why pray for other people?

You might wonder what difference your prayers make, especially when you can’t fix someone’s situation yourself. Scripture gives several good reasons to keep at it:

• God asks us to. Paul urged that prayers be made for everyone, including leaders and people in authority (1 Timothy 2:1–2).
• God works through prayer. He chooses to act in response to the prayers of His people, again and again throughout Scripture.
• It’s a way of carrying burdens. We’re told to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). Sometimes prayer is the main way we can.
• It changes you. It’s hard to stay bitter toward someone you pray for every day. Intercession softens your heart.

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

James 5:16 (KJV)

“Effectual fervent” means earnest and working. “Availeth much” means it accomplishes a lot. If you’ve ever wondered whether those prayers really get through, our article on whether God hears every prayer looks at what the Bible says.

Who to pray for

It helps to think in circles, starting close to home and moving outward.

• Family. Your spouse, children, parents and siblings: their health, faith, work and relationships. These prayers for family are a good place to start.
• Friends and neighbors. The friend who’s looking for work, the neighbor who just had difficult news.
• Your church and community. Leaders, volunteers, people who are lonely or new.
• The wider world. Leaders, people facing war, disaster or persecution, and those who have never heard of God’s love.
• People who have hurt you. Jesus told His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who mistreat them (Matthew 5:44). This one is hard, and it’s often where God does His deepest work in us.

How to pray for someone

You don’t need eloquent words. Here’s a simple way to pray for one person:

1. 1
   Bring them to mindPicture the person and their situation. Thank God for them by name.
2. 2
   Ask what they needIf you can, ask them directly: “How can I pray for you?” People are often touched simply to be asked.
3. 3
   Pray specificallyInstead of “bless Sarah,” try “give Sarah peace about her surgery on Thursday, and steady hands for her doctors.”
4. 4
   Pray beyond the problemAsk God for their faith, hope and joy, not only for their circumstances to change.
5. 5
   Leave the outcome with GodYou can ask boldly and still trust Him with the answer.

If you don’t know what to ask for, borrow words from the Bible. Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14–21 asks for inner strength, a deeper grasp of Christ’s love, and fullness of life in God, and it fits almost anyone. Our guide to praying with Scripture shows how to turn a passage into prayer.

Making intercession a habit

Once you start, the list can grow quickly, and it’s easy to feel guilty about the people you forget. A little structure helps:

• Keep a short list. Write names on a card or in a notebook. Start with five people, not fifty.
• Give each day a focus. For example: family on Monday, friends on Tuesday, church on Wednesday, the world on Thursday.
• Pray on the spot. When someone shares a need, pray with them right then, even for thirty seconds, instead of promising to pray later and forgetting.
• Note the answers. Write down when a prayer is answered. Looking back builds faith, and it’s a lovely thing to share with the person you prayed for.

Common questions

Scripture quotations from the King James Version (public domain).