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…Telling someone you are praying for them shows that you care for them in the deepest way.
You are fighting their spiritual battles with them.
They know that when they share a struggle with you, you are taking it to the throne of Heaven and claiming God’s promises on their behalf. It is the pinnacle of unity in the Body of Christ when we pray for one another and tell each other of God’s faithfulness through our prayers. So how can you let others know that you are praying for them?
Here are three ways to get started.
1. SEND THEM A VERSE YOU HAVE BEEN SPECIFICALLY PRAYING
…Sometimes when we’re in the midst of a struggle, we can’t see God working. By sharing a passage that relates to a prayer request, you can shine the light of truth into someone’s situation.
You can give them the tools to continue fighting their battle with the strength of God’s Word. This can be as simple as a text, or you can send them a note reminding them of your prayers with the verse written on a card. Either way, you are providing them with a visual reminder of the power of prayer. …
2. REMIND THEM HOW YOU HAVE SEEN GOD WORK IN THEIR LIVES
…I have written my prayers in journals since I was in college. I have many old notebooks stashed in my desk, and I periodically take them out to reflect on my past prayers and praise God for His faithfulness.
Sometimes my prayer requests make me laugh (physics tests seemed like such immovable mountains when I was 19), but it also deepens my faith to remember how God has time and time again answered even the most trivial of prayers. But if we’re not looking, we may miss His faithfulness. We must, therefore, not only pray for others but also celebrate with them when God answers. …
3. REGULARLY ASK THEM HOW YOU CAN BE PRAYING FOR THEM
…While there are general needs we can pray for each other regularly—wisdom for decision making, comfort in suffering, boldness in gospel proclamation—we should also be intentional about praying for specific requests in others’ lives.
Some of these specific requests may be obvious, and the Holy Spirit may even lead you to pray for particular people or requests at times. Yet we will never know how to pray for the inward spiritual struggles of our friends and family if we do not ask. …
The simple question,“How can I be praying for you?”has a two-fold effect. You are letting them know they are not alone, promoting unity in the Body, but you are also subtly pointing them back to Christ with whatever their struggle is.
