It is only in the name of Jesus that we have access to God, and it is wonderful that this request acknowledges the power of His name. As a group, let us come together and lift up these petitions to the Lord, seeking His will and intervention in each situation. We are a people of faith who are called to point out sin, correct, and provide encouragement.
Firstly, we are called to pray for protection, overcoming, salvation, and healing for this person, their family, and all people. We stand on the promise in Psalm 91:1-2 WEB: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of Yahweh, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.'" We pray that they, and we, turn our trust to Jesus, not just asking for these things hoping for good things. With this in mind we pray for overcoming in all circumstances, and we know that this may not mean the circumstances are removed from our life but that we are given the tools we need to overcome them. Furthermore, we are reminded of the need for salvation and seeking God's face in 2 Chronicles 7:14 WEB: "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Let us pray for a genuine turning to the Lord, humbling ourselves, and repenting from sin.
We lift up the church, petitioning God for healing within the body of Christ. We pray for ministers and messengers to be raised up and sent out, echoing the words of Jesus in Matthew 9:37-38 WEB: "The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest." We ask the Holy Spirit to guide our leaders with wisdom from above, as described in James 3:17 WEB: "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."
We intercede for those suffering from cancer and other illnesses, asking the Lord to grant them the gift of faith for healing. The Bible tells of Jesus healing people. In Matthew 9:20-22, a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years touched Jesus and was healed. He turned and saw her and said, 'Take heart, daughter,' he said, 'your faith has healed you.' And the woman was healed at that moment. This is what we pray, in Jesus' name.
We pray for those struggling with addiction, that they would find salvation, sobriety, and strength in the Lord, echoing the promise of 1 Corinthians 10:13 WEB: "No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." We also pray for those contemplating suicide, asking God to turn them away from their plans and draw them to Himself, as He is the God of hope. Romans 15:13.
We lift up those with dementia and memory problems, asking God to reveal His unfailing love to them and grant them salvation. We pray for strong, godly marriages, as described in Ephesians 5:25, 28-29, 31, 33 WEB: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it. ...So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. ...'For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh.' ...let each one of you also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband." This is a wonderful picture of marriage between a man and a woman.
We pray for unbelievers, those who are disabled, and members of false belief systems to have encounters with the living God, asking the Father to reveal His glory. We pray for laborers to be sent out, and for receptive hearts to receive the good news. We pray for each other to have the Lord's help, strength, discernment, and patience, remembering the words of Isaiah 40:29, 31 WEB: "He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might. ...but those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not be faint." We ask the Lord to strengthen our faith, our marriages, and our families.
In all these things, we pray for healing, faith, and God's will. We stand on the power of Jesus' name. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6. We acknowledge that it is only by the name of Jesus Christ that we can be saved, and repent and turn to Jesus Christ.