Pray to "BLESS" Others!
Praying Together 2021
September 1, 2021
Tim Senn
One easy-to-remember method for praying for our loved ones, friends, fellow church members, neighbors, and co-workers is to employ the acrostic: BLESS. Here is how it works!
B – Body and Physical Needs. Many of our prayers relate to the physical health and bodily needs of others. We pray for those who are sick, for those with various diseases and health issues, and for those who are undergoing surgery or recovering from surgery. It is always appropriate to pray for one another’s physical health and well-being, as the Apostle John did in 3 John 2: “I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” However, since God’s will for our lives sometimes involves physical sickness and suffering, we should also pray that others would see their health trials and difficulties as an opportunity to trust God more deeply and to experience the sufficiency of His grace in their time of suffering. We might pray that our loved ones would persevere through health crises and even use their pain as a platform to live out their hope in the Gospel before
others. In praying for one another’s bodies and physical needs, we can also pray for moral and sexual purity, and that we would glorify God with our bodies (1 Cor. 6:20).
L – Labor, Employment, and School. In this category, we pray for all things related to our vocations and jobs. For those who are unemployed or underemployed, we ask God to provide opportunities to work. For those working either inside or outside of the home, raising children or in the workplace, we pray that we might “do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men” (Col. 3:23). We pray that we might be diligent in our tasks and provide excellent products and services that enhance and promote the well-being of our fellow men. We pray for those in the workplace and on the campus to shine the light of the Gospel through their lives and through their evangelistic efforts!
E – Emotions. We pray for the emotional well-being of our friends and family and fellow church members. We pray that they might be joyful in the Lord and overflowing with gratitude and thanksgiving. We pray that God might guard their hearts and minds against fear and anxiety, and that they would be able to rest in the power and goodness of God. We pray that God would be the God of all comfort to those who are grieving. We pray that the Holy Spirit might increase our love and affection for one another; produce self-control in our lives so that we might resist such sins as anger and bitterness.
S – Soul. We pray for the health and flourishing of one another’s spiritual lives. We pray that those who know Christ might be completely satisfied in Him, tasting and seeing that the Lord is good and experiencing the fact that God’s love is indeed better than life itself (Psalm 63:3). We pray for spiritual growth and for growth in know-
ledge of God and devotion to Christ. We pray that our saved loved ones might bear much spiritual fruit for the glory of God. And for those who are unsaved, we pray that God might cause them to be born again to a new and living hope. We pray that God would make them miserable in sin, and overwhelm them with the glory and majesty and beauty of Christ. We pray that they would come to properly fear and reverence the One Who can kill both body and soul in hell.
S – Social Lives. We pray for the myriad of relationships that our loved ones have. We pray for the strengthening of marriages, for wisdom and grace to parent our children, and for sweet fellowship among believers. We pray that our young people would exercise discernment in the selection of their friends. We pray that we would seek to live out the “one anothers” of the Bible in such a way as to create and sustain meaningful friendships in the Lord.
Of course, there are numerous other ways in which to pray for those who populate our prayer list, but if you will commit to “blessing” others through your prayers for their physical needs; work and employment; emotional well-being; spiritual needs; and social relationships – then you will be able to pray for others in a holistic fashion!
September 1, 2021
Tim Senn
One easy-to-remember method for praying for our loved ones, friends, fellow church members, neighbors, and co-workers is to employ the acrostic: BLESS. Here is how it works!
B – Body and Physical Needs. Many of our prayers relate to the physical health and bodily needs of others. We pray for those who are sick, for those with various diseases and health issues, and for those who are undergoing surgery or recovering from surgery. It is always appropriate to pray for one another’s physical health and well-being, as the Apostle John did in 3 John 2: “I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” However, since God’s will for our lives sometimes involves physical sickness and suffering, we should also pray that others would see their health trials and difficulties as an opportunity to trust God more deeply and to experience the sufficiency of His grace in their time of suffering. We might pray that our loved ones would persevere through health crises and even use their pain as a platform to live out their hope in the Gospel before
others. In praying for one another’s bodies and physical needs, we can also pray for moral and sexual purity, and that we would glorify God with our bodies (1 Cor. 6:20).
L – Labor, Employment, and School. In this category, we pray for all things related to our vocations and jobs. For those who are unemployed or underemployed, we ask God to provide opportunities to work. For those working either inside or outside of the home, raising children or in the workplace, we pray that we might “do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men” (Col. 3:23). We pray that we might be diligent in our tasks and provide excellent products and services that enhance and promote the well-being of our fellow men. We pray for those in the workplace and on the campus to shine the light of the Gospel through their lives and through their evangelistic efforts!
E – Emotions. We pray for the emotional well-being of our friends and family and fellow church members. We pray that they might be joyful in the Lord and overflowing with gratitude and thanksgiving. We pray that God might guard their hearts and minds against fear and anxiety, and that they would be able to rest in the power and goodness of God. We pray that God would be the God of all comfort to those who are grieving. We pray that the Holy Spirit might increase our love and affection for one another; produce self-control in our lives so that we might resist such sins as anger and bitterness.
S – Soul. We pray for the health and flourishing of one another’s spiritual lives. We pray that those who know Christ might be completely satisfied in Him, tasting and seeing that the Lord is good and experiencing the fact that God’s love is indeed better than life itself (Psalm 63:3). We pray for spiritual growth and for growth in know-
ledge of God and devotion to Christ. We pray that our saved loved ones might bear much spiritual fruit for the glory of God. And for those who are unsaved, we pray that God might cause them to be born again to a new and living hope. We pray that God would make them miserable in sin, and overwhelm them with the glory and majesty and beauty of Christ. We pray that they would come to properly fear and reverence the One Who can kill both body and soul in hell.
S – Social Lives. We pray for the myriad of relationships that our loved ones have. We pray for the strengthening of marriages, for wisdom and grace to parent our children, and for sweet fellowship among believers. We pray that our young people would exercise discernment in the selection of their friends. We pray that we would seek to live out the “one anothers” of the Bible in such a way as to create and sustain meaningful friendships in the Lord.
Of course, there are numerous other ways in which to pray for those who populate our prayer list, but if you will commit to “blessing” others through your prayers for their physical needs; work and employment; emotional well-being; spiritual needs; and social relationships – then you will be able to pray for others in a holistic fashion!
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