Does God really want us to pray for each other?
Absolutely. One of the best examples is from Our Lord Jesus Himself when He taught the apostles how to pray. Look at Jesus’ own words in the following Scripture verse from the Gospel of Matthew.
HomeBiblical Basis for Intercessory Prayer
Absolutely. One of the best examples is from Our Lord Jesus Himself when He taught the apostles how to pray. Look at Jesus’ own words in the following Scripture verse from the Gospel of Matthew.
Pray in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. For if you do forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:9-14).
Notice Jesus didn’t tell the apostles to say “Give “me” each day “my” daily bread; and forgive “me my” debts”. Nor did He say “rescue“me” from the evil one.” No, He specifically said “us” and “our”. Jesus wants us to pray for one another, which is the very definition of Intercessory prayer. In the “Our” Father, the great prayer that Jesus taught us, we are not just praying for us, we are praying for others as well.
This very prayer itself is called the “Our” Father, not the “My” Father.
St. John Chrysostom (349-407 AD), one of the early and great Church Fathers, gave a homily on this very Gospel verse from Matthew. Here is what he said:
“He teaches us to make our prayer common, on behalf of our brothers and sisters. For He says not, “My Father in heaven”, but “Our Father,” offering up His supplications for the body in common, and nowhere looking to His own but everywhere to His neighbor’s good.
Just as we do in the Our Father prayer, each day all Warriors in Christ members offer prayers for each other – and in a super-charged manner that concentrates thousands upon thousands of prayers offered on behalf of each single member.
Here are more Scriptural examples of Intercessory Prayer.
In the second letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, St. Paul is asking others to pray for himself and Timothy.
“You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us in answer to many prayers.” (2 Corinthians 1:11)
Notice in particular that St. Paul points out that the blessing (prayer request) for himself and Timothy will be granted in answer to “many” prayers. The Confraternity of Warriors in Christ is doing exactly what St. Paul has asked the Christian community in Corinth to do – offer many prayers for the benefit of others.
Not only did Jesus show us how to prayer for others when he taught the Apostles (and us) the Our Father prayer, in the Gospel of Matthew He also promises to grant the prayer requests offered on behalf of others.
“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:19-20)
Each and every single day all members of the Confraternity of Warriors in Christ are praying with one unified voice – for each other and for each other’s intentions!
There are many, many Biblical examples regarding Intercessory Prayer. While not complete, the following is a compilation of relevant Scripture verses.