PRAY: Prayer for Those Who Need Strength to Stand
Photo © 2012 Andrew Pieper
Have you ever had a Bible verse come to mind as you were praying for someone? That often happens to me. And sometimes, God reverses the pattern.
Today, I was studying for a Sunday School lesson I’ll teach on Ephesians 6. Part of what we’re studying is a familiar passage on spiritual warfare that ends with, “so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”
Stand firm. As soon as I read these words, I thought of the friend who received a difficult cancer diagnosis last week. She’s already fought a long, painful battle—and now, she faces another. Karen needs strength to stand.
A few moments later, I read of another friend also facing a cancer battle. Her immediate prognosis is worse than doctors thought. As a result, the medical side of her battle will be longer and more complicated. Carrie needs strength to stand.
Lord, You are a good God who gives us good and perfect gifts. We praise and thank You for Your goodness toward us. And we praise You more for Your great love.
We also know that because we live in a fallen world, we will face trials, troubles, and battles. We will come up against the unthinkable. We will grow weary. We will want to give up.
Today, precious Father, we pray for those who are weak. We pray for those who have been hit with unexpected news, unwanted trials, unwelcome situations. We pray for those who want to trust but are fighting fear. We pray for those whose tears come with no warning. And we pray for those whose healing comes at great cost.
We pray for those who need strength to stand.
Lord, be near to each one. Make their every breath a prayer, their every tear a heart-cry to You. Remind us to intercede so consistently, so constantly on their behalf that our prayers cover every moment and every need. We know, Lord Jesus, that You are praying for them. Move our spirits to agree with Your Spirit and Your desires for each one.
We ask You to give them courage when they want to flee, hope when they drown in discouragement, and peace when confusion reigns. Lift their burdens and surround them with a blanket of mercy. Keep them in the fullness and power of Your name, protect them from the evil one, and use them—Lord, use them in Your weakness—to make Your kingdom strong.
We pray this together as one in Your spirit and in Your matchless name—AMEN.
Do you or does someone you know need strength to stand? Feel free to share a prayer request in a comment below or in an email through the “contact” link at the top. Thank you for joining your prayers with mine.
Thank you, Marti. I sent this link to my friend, Allison. I am praying this for her. She’s a beautiful, godly woman who has received some hard knocks the past 18 months. I would appreciate your prayers for her as well.
Thank you, my friend. I’m praying for Allison right now. And also for you!
Please pray for my son who is going through pain due to a rare form of arthritis. He is also suffering from chronic ptsd due
to a childhood trauma, depression and other afflictions of body mind soul and spirit and also financially. They want to take away his disability and medicaid as well.
He is feeling hopeless, does not trust and has no faith left. He needs prayer most desperately as this has been going on for a very long time. Thank you in Jesus name
Gina, I’m sorry that this got lost in my blog files while I was taking care of my son who was in a serious accident in early August (he’s doing much better now). I am and will be praying that God will grant him many reasons to hope and will relieve his pain and anxiety. That sounds like the kind of impossible in which God specializes! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Marti and God bless your son.