Praying for the Needs of Others

By Ronnie Floyd, CP Op-Ed Contributor Friday, August 10, 2018

Outgoing Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd led a focused time of prayer during the National Call to Prayer for Spiritual Leadership, Revived Churches and Nationwide and Global Awakening at the annual meeting of the SBC Tuesday, June 14, 2016, in St. Louis. | (Photo: Adam Covington)

Recently, Jeana and I returned from Israel, the Holy Land. When we take groups to Israel, we always offer to pray for others in the Garden of Gethsemane.

So, on Tuesday morning, July 10, in rapid fire before the Lord, we called out the personal needs of a few hundred people who sent requests. When we finished this hour in the Garden of Gethsemane, I told Jeana I was absolutely exhausted. Even though it was not even mid-morning, the process of prayer exhausted me. Why? Prayer is hard work, especially when you carry the burdens of so many. Jeana said I was exhausted because I preached my praying that day, calling out to God with such great intensity.

Going through this list reminded me of the dire need to pray for others.

When We Pray for Others, the Walls Begin to Fall Down

Attending and speaking at the 2018 Epicenter Prayer Summit in Jerusalem on July 11 and 12 also reminded me of the powerful need for and the experience of praying for others.

As I listened to and prayed with and for leaders who are Palestinian Christians and Messianic Jews, I heard and witnessed powerful stories of how prayer has torn the walls down between their people and their desire to make a difference in Israel, the Middle East, and beyond. When we pray for the needs of others, including the needs of their churches, the walls of division come down.

This kind of praying takes us beyond ourselves and onto the needs of others. Therefore friend, pray for the needs of others.

Pastors, Church Leaders, and Laypeople, Move Your Church to Pray for the Needs of Others More Effectively

This is something each of us can do better. Not only personally, but in our own church. I have great interest in how my own church can learn to do this more effectively.

Therefore, I am taking this challenge. I am asking my staff team to take this challenge. I am asking our church leaders to take this challenge. I am asking you to take this challenge. Let's develop intentional and effective ways to pray for the needs of others.

The sole purpose of the Church Prayer Leaders Network, a new ministry of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, is to help churches pray more effectively and help disciple and motivate their people to pray. Check it out at prayerleader.com.

This is what Jesus would do. Let's be like Jesus today.

Originally posted at ronniefloyd.com

Ronnie Floyd is the senior pastor of Cross Church and president of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, which each year mobilizes millions of Americans to unified public prayer for the United States of America. Follow him on Twitter (@ronniefloyd), Instagram (@ronniefloyd) and Facebook.