# Pray for One Another

Key Passage: James 5:16
Date: June 7, 2024

Pray for Brother Chip, our new deacon, after church on Sunday night. But somebody—I don’t know who in the world—just got carried away in the message and forgot all about it. Who in the world would do something like that? And honestly, I was back in the back, and somebody—I don’t know, Patrick or somebody—came in. I thought they had something going on and whatnot. And they said, “Remember Brother Josh?” And he said, he said, “Brother Chip.” I said, “Oh, I forgot.” I did not realize it until after some people already left, whatnot. So we’re going to do that after tonight, just pray over Brother Chip and for God to bless him for the next three years as deacon.

And so I just felt like the Lord kind of wants to change a little bit tonight. And just for a brief bit, we want to talk about praying for others. Just briefly tonight, if we can, praying for others. And it kind of goes in line with praying for Brother Chip here just a minute. But it’s vital. In a good church, there’s much praying for one another that goes on. And let’s just look at that subject a little bit tonight. We’re going to start James 5. The verses before what we’re reading talk about anointing with oil. And that is, of course, a biblical thing we do that from time to time. We just did it for my mom not too long ago, by the way, and continue to pray for her if you would. She’s looking at possibly more surgeries, so pray for her. That’s a biblical thing. But I want you to notice in verse number 15 it ends with a period. And I understand, I wouldn’t say that the punctuation is inspired by God, but I think those were just spirit-filled men that God used to put that in there. But I wouldn’t say it’s the gospel, if you will, but I think it is very influential, we’ll just put it that way.

So we’re going to start in verse number 16 right there, James 5, verse number 16. Would you stand, please, as we read God’s word together, James 5 and verse number 16. And good to see everybody. I know some of you—somebody said, “I just got off work, hadn’t had time to change,” and you’re here. Hard fans slipped in. They have our time of work getting here, you know, on time. And a lot of you just, you’re doing what you can to get in here on the Wednesday night. I appreciate that. That’s awesome. Glad you’re here. Amen. And thrilled to see it. Brother Chip wasn’t here. I thought, “My goodness, we didn’t pray on Sunday night.” Praise the Lord, he slipped in. He’s here. That’s a good thing. Amen. You know, we didn’t want to have to remotely pray over Brother Chip, you know. Praise the Lord, he came in. I know everybody’s got work, you know, and I can get that, but praise the Lord, you made the extra effort to be here. That’s just awesome. I’m glad you’re here.

James chapter 5, look at verse number 16, would you please there? The Bible there says, “Confess your faults one to another.” Can we pause for just a moment there? I would say be very wise in that. Be careful about that. Take your time in that. Can I say this? It does not say “confess others’ faults.” You understand that? It’s not in there. If you’re going to confess faults, make sure they’re yours. Okay. But that is a good thing. Confession is good to the soul, good for the soul. I believe there’s a lot of truth to that. Be wise about when and where you do that. Of course, forgiveness—one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. We understand that. We’re not going to confess to get our sins forgiven. Christ does that, and through Christ. But it is good, and there’s a very healthy amount of that. And of course the Bible says it, so of course we know it’s good. “Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another.”

That you may be healed. The context here is about healing. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Some truth is just truth that is going to work anywhere. But the context here, we don’t often apply that. What it is talking about, this effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much—it’s true, it’ll work anywhere—but specifically, the context is praying for one another. When is the last time we got really fervent, effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man available to punch? You’re talking about praying for someone else. Sometimes the only fervent prayer we do is for us. And really the context here is prayer for one another, prayer for their healing.

Verse number 17, Elias, or if you will, just Elijah. It translates sometimes by spelling, if you were, or a letter. “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are.” In other words, he had flaws just like all of us. And he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. Can I say a word about that? That really wasn’t for Elijah. Elijah seemed like he was living for the Lord. It was for Israel—Israel’s backsliding. And so it kind of goes in context there. He’s praying for God to do this so Israel would see who Jehovah is, see who the true God is, and see who the false prophets are.

Verse number 18, “And you prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him.” By the way, let me just stop for a moment. “One convert him.” That’s not necessarily meaning you go and you preach at them often; that turns them off. What’s the saying? And I haven’t prepared to say it, so I might not get it right, but unasked-for advice is usually unwanted advice, seldom followed advice, and often resented advice. The way he’s talking about us converting them is praying for them. That’s what it’s talking about. The context is praying. I’m not saying you ought not to ever go to someone and say, “Hey,” but you do that only where the Lord clearly leads. Anyway, enough said there. “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins.” Probably the best way we can convert anyone—someone who has just veered off and gotten away from the truth—is a prayer life. It’s vital.

I pray like praying for others. For just a bit, would you pray that God would really just give us a vision of praying for one another? Would you pray the same as I pray that? “Lord, would you make it real?” And, Lord, you’ve increased my faith even today about this matter of praying for one another. Help us to increase our faith in it. Help us to be busy about it. Lord, we’re excited to see you hear and answer prayers because of your people praying for one another. Remember the lost, the backsliders, the sick. Lord, thank you. You hear prayers? Thank you to answer. Lord, use this tonight to get us praying more for one another and you answering more because of the prayers. And Father, we thank you for what you do. Thank you for your goodness to us, Lord. You’re just so much better than I deserve. Thank you for your grace, your mercy. Bless tonight in your spirit, and we’ll brag on you for it, Lord. We ask for this in the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.

Two weeks ago, they had the tent revival down in Murfreesboro, down a little bit off of Joe B. Jackson, and Randy Crossland is the man that really got that going. He did a great job. And Friday night, he preached and he gave his testimony. And I’ll just briefly share a bit of it, not much, because it’s his to give and his right to say some of the things. But he said this before I really got into it. He said, “I’m going to tell you up front.” He said, “I love my mom and my dad. I’m not trying to put them down.” In fact, they both got to speak before the pastor. But he said, my dad—just, he said, “I grew up. My dad drinking all the time.” He said, “My dad would be gone for days and days.” You know, when Dad got back, that’s just what it was. Mom would try to raise us, and he was gone.

And he said, “I remember my dad coming home one time, and him and his brother—his brother was with him—and they got to fighting so bad.” Back in the day, you know, they had the old wood heating stoves or heaters, you know, didn’t describe it a whole lot. And he said, they got in such a bad fight, and they had fire in it. They knocked the thing over in the house, about to burn the house down, you know. And his sister coming in on LSD back in the day and time, and it took her, his dad, and another man just to hold her down just to get her to the hospital. He said, “It’s just the way I grew up.” And so when I grew up, I grew up the same way. He said, “On my wedding night, we got married, and I went out and got drunk. Didn’t hold it about 3 a.m. I want a new wife.” It’s like, “Where in the world is she?” He said, “That’s the way I grew up.” And he told a lot more. I’m not going to tell it all because it’s his to tell. He did a good job of not glorifying sin, showing the shame and the hurt of sin, but the reality of it a little bit. And very good. It did a great, great job. And praise the Lord, eventually, he got saved. They talked about just now, boy, even when he’s at his lowest, there was hope because of Christ. That’s the name of the Tent Revival: There’s Hope Tent Revival.

But he said this, and this is where I’m trying to get at: He said, “I got saved,” and he said, “I really believe, at one point,” he said, “I believe that was,” and I think it was his grandmother. He said, “Because my grandmother had been praying for him.” And I think it was his grandmother, a relative, but he said, “They had prayed for me all those years.” And I really believe—I think I got saved—and God, of course, he’s a preacher, he’s pastored before, all these things—he said, “I think that was because so-and-so was praying for me.” My dad, before I was born, was a functioning alcoholic. He’d go to work every day, held a job down, but he had to have a drink every day. That would be classified as a functioning alcoholic. But of course, my dad got saved. He didn’t hear me tell the story many times. Praise the Lord for that. But my dad credits much of that, too. I think it’s his grandmother or great-grandmother. He said, “I really believe he got saved, and many of his family has gotten saved because so-and-so prayed for us.” How many—maybe you got to lead some to the Lord? I think of a man who got to lead the Lord, and he said, “I can’t wait to tell my grandma, because she’ll be so happy because she’s been praying for me to get saved for so many years.”

How many of you, before you got saved or in your life, say, “You know, I credit a lot of what God’s done in my life to someone praying for me”? How many are like that? Me too. I’m thankful for times. I remember walking in on my mom praying. And I don’t know if she was praying for me, but she was praying. But God really just moves because someone so often is praying for someone else. And James 5 is talking about this: “Hey, pray one for another.”

God, I think maybe here’s where our prayers are more effective than any other time: when we’re not praying for us, we’re praying for someone else. Look over in Acts chapter number 12, if you would please. Acts chapter 12 is an interesting chapter here, and a thought I want to share with you very quickly. Acts 12, look at verse number one if you would, please. Acts 12, verse number one of God’s word. Acts chapter number 12, verse number one. When you’re there, would you say amen? All right, we’re still waiting. We didn’t get anybody in on that. Somebody else is there? Was that Brother Bird? Sound like that was—I thought I heard. If you’re there, would you say amen? Good deal, good deal.

Verse number one, here we go. “Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church, and he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.” And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. It would lead you to think he was planning on killing him. Then were the days of unleavened bread. And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him, intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

“Peter therefore was kept in prison: but”—I like that “but” right here—“but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.” And let me just tell you the rest of the story. They’re just praying without ceasing. And Peter is in the very core of the jail, if you will, and he’s—by the way, Peter was sleeping. I don’t know if Peter was worn out from what all had happened. I don’t know if he was just scheduled so busy. But can I just note: he was sleeping? He wasn’t praying. When he was sleeping, I don’t think he was a great man of faith; he was sleeping. Nothing wrong with that, amen. It wasn’t church time when he was sleeping. Okay, all right. It wasn’t Wednesday night. He’s sleeping now, you know. But he’s sleeping, but these other people were praying for him.

And the angel of the Lord had to go down and make that sleeping Baptist prayer: “Wake up,” you know. And finally he woke up, and his shackles fell off, and he goes out. He really comes to the outside gate, and it was the first automatic doors, amen, way before Walmart or anybody else had them. I mean, the door just opened. He walked out, and then he kind of goes, “Whoa, this is not a dream. I’m out of prison,” you know. And he’s like, “What should I do?” And he thought, “Well, I just think that some of the people are having a prayer meeting over Mary’s house, the mother of John, John Mark.” And so he goes—they said, “Let me go check. See if he’s over there at the prayer meeting.” And sure enough, they’re having a meeting. And there’s a gate. He knocks at the gate. There’s a teenage girl. They’re having a prayer meeting inside there, you know. A teenage girl named Rhoda, Rhoda comes out. And Peter says, “Hey, somebody let me in.” And she says, “That’s Peter’s voice.” And she ran back and said, “Hey, Peter’s out there.” “No, that’s not Peter.” She said, “That’s Peter. I can tell his voice. That’s Peter. I heard him preach for three hours long. I know his voice,” you know, the Baptist preacher, you know, that’s him. And I’m like, “Ah, that’s not him.” So Peter—I mean, Rhoda runs back out there. And sure enough, it’s Peter. “Hey, it’s Peter!” And Peter finally comes in there, and they’re like, “Whoa!” They just couldn’t believe it. Aren’t we like that when God answers our prayers, you know? We’re all there. Praise the Lord, Peter was delivered because someone prayed for him.

Now let me just put a little fault in here. We don’t know what would happen, but I wonder what would have happened if they would have prayed for James that way. James got killed. Maybe they didn’t have time to pray for James. Maybe they didn’t know about it. I don’t know. But the Bible never lists anyone praying for James, and James was killed. The Bible lists—well, they just, without ceasing, they’re praying for Peter. Maybe after they saw how bad it was for James, they realized it was serious and so, “All right, we need to pray.” But what about if they had prayed earlier? What about if they had just been adamant about praying for James? Maybe James wouldn’t have died by the sword. I take it he had his head chopped off, I don’t know. But maybe he wouldn’t have been killed if they had prayed. Now here’s what I’m getting at, friend: There might be somebody that’s not going to make it if we don’t pray for them. They’re not going to overcome that addiction. They’re not going to make it to church. They’re not going to overcome their backsliding. They’re not going to overcome their temper if somebody doesn’t pray for them. Wouldn’t it be wonderful for somebody to end up being a Peter instead of James? But these people, over Peter, man, they just would not cease. They said, “Hey, we’re going to pray, we’re going to pray.” I mean, the Bible says without ceasing they prayed for him. That’s pretty amazing. I wonder if maybe for our neighbor, the difference in them making it or not—or maybe we see so-and-so, “Well, they haven’t been in church in forever. What’s wrong with him?” Well, they may be back in church if somebody prays for them.

Prayer—praying for one another—is so crucial, so very, very crucial. Just praying for them. My wife is good at it. I watch it over the years; she’ll—someone’s heard of an admission, she’ll pray for them. And pray, Lord, so often, man, they’re back to church. I’m like, “Hey, pray that and I won’t get that winning lottery ticket back,” you know. No, I’m joking about that. I don’t get that. I don’t do that. Oh, don’t take me too seriously. It’s so important. You know, it may be the greatest thing you can give anyone. It’s just having—since you’re saying, “I’ve been”—I went to the funeral today, and I mentioned it Sunday, but Steve Goforth buried his granddaughter about eight months ago, his sister two weeks ago, and his daughter today. And I really believe he’s strengthened right now by prayer—people praying for him. But I wonder a couple weeks down the road, how much will we bring? Or the wife—excuse me, the husband of the lady who just buried his daughter eight months ago and now his wife today—and boy, he seems strengthened by prayer right now, but I wonder in the days to come just how important it is that we’re praying.

God is so pleased when God’s people pray for one another. You know the story of old Job. I mean, you talk about a severe trial. Wow, I don’t know if I know anybody who went through what Job went through. Those are some tough things that were just mentioned, but can you imagine all 10 of your kids killed in one day? That’s just amazing, one day. I mentioned Sunday morning about Spafford that lost his four-year-old son in the Chicago Fire, and then his four daughters. Can you imagine ten kids in one day? All of us kids at the time. And his finances just belly up, and then his health, and his wife—praise the Lord, probably a sweet, wonderful lady—but she just got maybe overcome with grief, and she said, “Hey, curse God, you know, and die.” She wasn’t there to support him. And can you imagine all that? Well, what was it? What was it? We know the whole book, most of you, and what all God did is an amazing thing. It may be in a year, a year and a half—we don’t know exactly how long—but over there in chapter 42, the Bible is real clear about God turning the captivity. It’s very interesting. Would you look over there, Job 42, please? Job 42, the last chapter of the book of Job. Many of you will know it, but I want you just to notice what it was. Just something, boom. God said, “All right, now.” The Lord had come down and spoken to Job, and in fact, spoken to his three “quote unquote” friends and said, “You need to get Job. I’ll listen to Job’s prayer.” I don’t know about your prayers right now, yeah, you know. But I want you to notice how clearly God makes this in Job 42, verse number 10. Job 42, verse number 10.

And the Bible there says, “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he…” What? What’s the next four words? “When he prayed for his friends.” Boy, I wish God would get me out of this problem I am in. Well, God got Job out of it when he prayed for his friends, not when Job prayed for himself. God met with Job and spoke to him and changed his heart. I think it got a lot of self-righteousness out of it. But the Bible says God turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends. That’s pretty clear. Boy, I like for God to bless me. How much do I sincerely pray for my friends? As when God—by the way, the rest of the verse—“also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”

You know James 4, we talked about it recently here. And, you know, you’re fighting all this stuff, but “you have not because you ask not.” In that next verse, “You ask and receive not why? Because you ask amiss, that you may consume it on your own life.” If I’m praying for others, I don’t have to worry about that. I mean, it just kind of takes that out of there. There’s a man—I think he does—I don’t know how many. I’ve talked to other preachers that he does it for them. I don’t know. But every Sunday morning, I’ll get a text from him. He’s not a pastor anymore. He works at the Bible College and preaches some. But every Sunday morning, I’ll get a text, and it’ll be, “I’m praying for you to have wisdom. I’ll pray for this.” You know, every Sunday morning. And I think he sends it probably to hundreds of preachers. Sunday morning, he may be the most prayed-for preacher I know because typically if somebody’s praying for you, you pray back with them. You reap what you sow. Well, I like for somebody to pray for me. All right, we reap what we sow. Pray for people, and not just so you can get somebody praying back for you, but honestly, that’s the system. Giving it’s happy giving it. And God blessed Job when he prayed for his friends. That’s when God blessed him.

Look over in 2 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians chapter number one. It’s amazing how the men of God—some of the men of God in the Bible—how they valued people praying for them. They wanted that. And let’s just look at this over here, 2 Corinthians chapter number one. Of course, this is Paul that God used to pen this. And would you look at verse number 8? 2 Corinthians 1 and verse number eight of God’s word. And it says, “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble, which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life.” Well, this isn’t just a little mighty detail; they didn’t know if they would live or die in this thing. “But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.” He said, “You helped in this thing. We almost—it was almost—we were going to die. God delivered us out of this thing, and part of it was your praying for us.” Friend, you don’t know. You don’t know. God keeps those prayers. I mean, it’s stored up. He just doesn’t—well, it’s all done. He stores them up. It’s incense to him, and Revelation makes that clear. And these prayers you pray for someone, it may be you’re saving their life sometimes. We’re praying for it: praying for your neighbor, praying for a wayward child, praying for a wayward grandson, praying for a churchman who’s out of church, praying for someone that’s just—they’re maybe out there a little bit right now. Instead of us just talking or criticizing, we pray for them.

God blesses people, God’s people. He hears the prayers when we’re praying for someone else. This is amazing. Well, and I’ll just read it for you. Paul, over in Ephesians 6, and he’s writing through the inspiration of God and the leadership of God, about the weapons and the armor of a Christian. Let me read for you, Ephesians 6:18: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me,” Paul started, “Hey, pray for me too,” you know, he’s slipping in there. “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.” Paul is getting in, “Hey, I need your prayer so I can keep boldly, with all this persecution, I can keep boldly giving the gospel out.” I’m just saying these people in the Bible, they understood how important it was to have somebody praying for them. What about Jesus? God in flesh. He’s talking to Peter over there. “Peter, you’re about to go through it. You’re going to get attacked.” You know, something like, “You’re going to get attacked. You better be careful.” Jesus didn’t necessarily do that. You know what he did? Jesus said, “Hey, Satan desires to sift you as wheat.” Remember that? What did Jesus say? “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.” And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brother. That’s what it is. And just the prayers—so very, very important, so vital.

Look over in Exodus 32, Exodus 32. This is an amazing one here. Moses had been up on the Mount, getting the Ten Commandments and whatnot. The people got so sinful. And at one point Moses got fed up with it, remember he broke the tablets, you know. And then another time, if you go back, God’s kind of just fed up with him. He’s about to say, “No more you, I’m sick of you,” you know, type thing. And I’m being a little facetious, but it’s really true if you read the chapter, we won’t do it and read the prior verses. And so Moses prays. They said, “Lord, what about your testimony? Everybody knows you delivered them out of Egypt. They know what you’re studying on Wednesday night. It’s the whole world.” And Moses, “Oh, Lord, no, no, Lord.” This is amazing. Look at verse number 14. Exodus 32, verse number 14. Exodus 32:14. “And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.”

One man praying. I don’t know—you know, there’s a great—some will maybe go as low as a million. I think that’s a very low estimate. Some will go up to three million. We don’t know exactly how many Israelites there were. We know there are soldiers in the listing of that from here and there, but in the millions. And here’s my point: One man prayed for two million people, and God said, “All right, I’ll change what happened to two million people because of one man’s prayer.” Wow. Well, God believes in us praying for whatever. I mean, if he heard this man’s prayer for two million people and he changed their destiny because of one man’s prayer, you realize the power you have when you pray for someone? There’s power. I think Brother Juan in men’s prayer meeting was mentioning some of his coworkers and some issues there, and so we can pray in the men’s prayer meeting. Those men, the best hope they have is Brother Juan in prayer meetings, everybody praying for them. It’s so—that’s power. “Our weapons are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” Prayer, prayer is so vital. Us praying for one another is just—just amazing.

You know the verse over there, Ezekiel 22:30: “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” You know the reference. It’s from the nation of Israel. And God said, “If I can just find a man that would stand in the gap.” They say, of course, in Bible times, you know, their cities typically had a huge wall around them, you know, and that was their fortification. And sometimes a portion of it would get knocked down or just not—there would be a gap—and they would get a mighty warrior to stay in that gap and guard that because that was their weakness. And God said, “If I can find somebody standing in the gap before me for the land.” That’s what it’s telling us. I wonder who it is in America—the prayer warriors that are praying for America, standing in the gap—that God says, “Hey, I’ll protect America a little bit longer because I’ve got prayer warriors standing in the gap before me for the land.” There’s the value of us praying for one another, praying for our country. Last Wednesday praying for our politicians in our country. All those things are vital where power is, and God does something because His people pray. Now, oh, don’t do this—Satan laughs at that—but when we get on our knees and get God involved, he trembles at that. Prayer. Praying for one another is so very, very important. God hears the prayers and often gives mercy on others when we pray for them.

It’s just vital. God is so pleased when we pray for others. I thought about the—remember the centurion? Wasn’t he a Jewish man? He wasn’t even a Jewish man. But he left his home saying, “I’m going to go see Jesus because I think Jesus can do something for my servant.” We don’t know what kind of servant. The centurion, of course, had 100 men under him and whatnot, a very powerful man. And he said, “You’re going to go?” “Yeah, I’m going to go myself because I care about my servant.” And it may be slavery and things like that happened that day and time, but he cared about it. He said, “I’m going to go see Jesus for my servant. I care about it.” You know what Jesus said? He said, “I have not seen so great faith, no, not in Israel.” You’re coming, you’re praying for your servant. You’re coming to Jesus, God in flesh. And when you heal him, you’re praying for your servant. And Jesus said, “I’m going to heal that.” He went home and found out the guy that’s healed. When was that? The same time Jesus said he’ll be healed. The prayers we pray for other people are so vital. I wonder how much of an impact we can make in the kingdom of God if we would just pray more for one another.

You know, when you’re born again, Revelation 1:6 tells us when we’re saved through Christ, we’re made kings and priests. And we talked recently about that king and the ruling—we will rule and reign with Christ in the millennium reign. It’s just awesome to study all that. But just for a second, let’s focus on a priest. A prophet, we say this every once in a while, you know, a prophet goes to the people for God, but a priest goes to God for the people. Jesus is our great High Priest, and He ever liveth to make intercession for us. You know, one of our jobs as a priest before God is to go to God for others. That’s one of our priestly jobs. Jesus is our perfect example as a High Priest, but we’re priests. And by the veil is rent from top to bottom, and you and I have access in there. What priests go in there, they go in there for the people. How much time do I spend—how much time do we spend just really going before God as a priest for our co-worker, for our uncle, for our cousin, for our co-worker?

What an amazing story, 40 years ago, trying to win souls. I don’t know how that preacher in Bowling Green knows Brother Patterson in the church. I don’t know. I just got the text last night, just sent it over to him. But somebody’s praying and witnessing, but I guarantee you, he said even tonight, he said, “I told the Lord, I’ll give up my lunchtime to win souls if somebody gets saved, if you use me there.” Prayer. Oh, friend, I’m just saying God’s people, we have so much power in prayer when we’re praying for one another. Sometimes I have lost so much—I have not prayed—that’s all on praying for one another. There’s so much power. I mean, God hears a prayer specifically, I think maybe more than ever, when we’re praying for one another.

Just a couple points, and we’re going to stop, and we’re not going to forget this tonight. We’re going to pray for Brother Chip here just a second. But let me say this: Make it a way of life. Make it a way of life. I don’t do it all the time. I try, and it’s just a little bit of a thing that I do, but just get your little system to make it a way of life. If I hear an ambulance or fire truck, I try to pray, “Bless where they’re going.” That’s an individual. Let’s get saved with mine. If you cross somebody’s path, you know that’s not a coincidence? Pray for them. A lady in Lowe’s, and she’s been saying she’s going to come to church here forever. And I talk to her. She’s a sweet lady. We’ve got a good relationship. But I try—I probably don’t do as much as you—but I try. “Lord, help you get to church.” Last time I saw her, she was going to church with a grandchild somewhere out a little bit, and she was going to spend the weekend with her, but she was in church. I’m just saying, make it a way of life. Somebody tells you a problem, pray for it. I mean, just that’s your day. You may be the thing that determines if there is going to be a James or there will be a Peter. Make it a way of life. Pray. I mean, just throughout the day, pray without ceasing, the Bible says anyway, and just praying for—you see someone, “Hey, pray for them.” I mean, just make it a way of life. Just, you see somebody broke down inside there, say a prayer for them. You’re praying for people. That’s part of your right as a morning Christian. You’re a priest through Christ, spending your life praying for others. God might have brought them across your path because they need somebody to pray for them. And God said, “I can bring them by their faith to pray for people.” Make it a way of life.

Here’s another point. It might help us not to talk and be critical about it. “They’re messing up there.” Just pray for them. Sincerely praying for others sometimes is going to keep us from—so often—the way to not worry. Philippians 4:6: “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer…” And sometimes the best way not to worry and think about how somebody is—best, whatever—just pray. Number three, we’re going to be done. Is there someone maybe that God’s putting on your mind even tonight that you need to pray for? I make it a way of prayer, a way of life, prayer, praying for people, but sometimes there’s someone specific God puts on your heart in your mind. I’m not as sensitive as I ought to be, but I know some of our people, they say, “You know, God woke me up in the middle of the night. I was just burdened about so-and-so and started praying for it.” Can God do that? Through us? Pray. It is a great, great ministry. It is the church of God that travels the farthest and the fastest on their knees, specifically when they’re praying for someone unselfishly. Pray for one another. God takes note of that.

But maybe there’s one. You say, “Lord, I’m not going to—I’m not going to let them go.” I know they have an addiction. I know they’ve got an issue. I know something. And I know they’ve been backslidden for years, and they’re not one [saved/right], but I’m just going to hang on to them in prayer. I think if someone—a good person, loved them to death—but they’ve battled an issue for, I don’t know, most of their adult life, and I just feel like this just needs someone just to undergird them with prayer, and I’m going to work with that. All the prayers—praying for one another—how vital to God. Would you bow your head and close your eyes? Our heads are bowed, eyes are closed. Maybe tonight you said, “Preacher, I want to make it a way of life more. I’m just praying—I’m just praying for others. I want to be a way of life for me. I want to take my priestly duty very seriously. I want to value it. I want to take it very seriously. I want to be a way of life.” God spoke to my heart. “I’m going to work with that. I’m going to work with that. I’m going to work with that. I’m going to work with that.” Me too. Me too. That’s wonderful. That’s wonderful. I think there’s so much, so much power there. So much power.

Maybe here tonight, you say, “Preacher, there’s a specific person, a specific battle, a specific issue, a specific situation, and I’m burdened about that person.” And I’m going to pray until God either says yes and grants it, or it says, “Hey, it’s over.” But I’m going to undergird them through prayer. I’m going to pray. There’s like that church prayed for Peter. I’m going to do my best to be like that in this person’s situation. I’m just not going to let it go. Keep bringing it up to God in faith and asking. There’s a specific person or situation God has spoken to my heart and mind. That’s you. You’re not just looking at a preacher; that’s a specific person or situation. God bless you. God bless you. You’re probably their greatest friend, their greatest hope—your prayers. Oh, there’s power. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” And the context is praying for one another. Would you stand tonight? We’re going to have just a—I’ll pray quickly. Let’s just come pray for one another. And at the end of it, we’ll have a time praying for the deacon. Let’s just come pray.

“Lord, help me, help us to catch the vision of being priests praying for each other. Help us to do so, Lord. Guide us in it. I know you will. Help us pray in faith. We’ll thank you for what you do.” Jesus, then we pray. Amen. Would you come as we pray? Good night to start. Just praying for one another. Grow me in this thing of prayer, that certain person, situation, be prayed for. Real, real good chance you’re the best hope they have in your prayer life. I’m going to take just a few minutes, and I thank you so much for prayer. I’ve been convicted. I want to work at that.

We want to take some time and just pray for Brother Chip, of course, Ms. Tammy also. Brother Chip, I’m going to ask in just a minute here—I don’t know how good your knees are—if you want to just sit on the step before we get a chair. Okay, okay. Brother Chip says his knees are good enough. I have a little more sense than I used to have about that issue there, you know. So we’ll do that, and the ordained men—so our deacons, of course. And by the way, Brother Chip has been ordained, or else we’d have ordination services. He’s already been ordained, been ordained before. That’s why we’re not doing that again. We don’t want to take some time to pray for them. But the ordained, whether it be ordained as a preacher—Brother Dumper, any others—or ordained as a deacon, I want you to come if you would pray over them out loud, and let’s, as a church—you’d be seated. You’d be seated. You’d be seated. As a church family, let’s just not listen to them pray for Brother Chip; let’s join in. And we used to say it a lot. I guess I’ve just dropped off. It wasn’t intentionally, but sometimes, you know, we just listen to someone lead in prayer. Let’s pray with it. As I pray something, it’s kind of like, you know, they’re going, “Yes, Lord, would you do that?” My dad was so good at that. I remember someone else praying, and Dad would affirm, “Yes, Lord,” and he’s genuine, “Lord, you hear that,” and whatnot. That’s when someone’s leading us in prayer. So we’ll get those men that are ordained. If you’re ordained, just come on up—those ordained men in our church—and we’ll get them praying for Brother Chip. And then this is the church family; let’s join in with it. Then, men, if you’ll pray out loud, that way our church can join in with you and praise the Lord for someone that’s willing to get involved. And what they say is, “New levels, new devils.” You take on a position there are battles there for the husband and life and family. Let’s lift them up in prayer. Let’s just take some time to do that. Well, John, look like you’re about to start off. Would you—would you join them in prayers as they pray for them?

Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar - Pray for one another - Wednesday PM 05102023