We all want God's blessings, but sometimes we get sidetracked from our faith by life's challenges. We tend to focus more on self and pray only for our own needs.
One of the interesting thing that God asks us to do is to Pray for others. Usually, we pray for ourselves, our families, and our children. But have you ever thought about how praying for others can also bring you blessings?
James 5:16 (NIV) 'Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. '
Our prayers work best when we're good and avoid wrongdoing. If we're doing something wrong and pray for someone else, God might not hear us. So, when we pray for others, God might show us our own mistakes and make us better by cleansing us to repent for the wrongdoing (”Sin”). Then he will give the burden to pray for others by which he will answer the prayer, when we pray for others.
I encourage you to take a simple challenge and pray for others. You'll quickly witness significant blessings in your life, along with a purification of your own life.
To encourage you more on the challenge to pray for others. Lets learn from Job’s life how he inherited blessings from God after he prayed for his friends..
Job’s Life Example
Job had three friends Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite ( Job 2:11 (NIV) 'When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. ')
Praying for Friends
The blessing for Job started only after he prayed for his friends.
Job 42:10,12-13 'After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. '
Job did not pray for him and ask God to restore what he lost. The word says “After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes “
The later part of blessing Job received was done only after he prayed for his friends “After Job had prayed for his friends” that was the key to unlock Job’s blessing.
One thing to note is, God’s blessing to Job was not only from the Prayer he made for his friends but also , Job didn’t curse God or Sin against God during the suffering, nor did he speak lie about God.
Job 2:9-10 'His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. '
Job 42:7 (NIV) 'After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. '
Job’s righteousness before God
Our lives should be a testimony to God - Here God testifies that Job is Good and they need to be cleansed by his prayer
God testified on Job’s righteousness two times, one prior to the troubles of Job and one after he passed the ordeal
God’s testimony to Satan about Job - Job 1:8 (NIV) 'Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” '
God’s testimony to Eliphaz about Job - Job 42:7 (NIV) 'After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. '
God will testify only if we are righteous, he cannot testify when we are unrighteous before him
Job was humble before God and repented (”Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”) before Him for his laments. this made him qualify to pray for his friends.
Job 42:2-3,6 '“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” '
If we are righteous, we can plead to God to cleanse the unrighteous.
Job here is asked to plead for his 3 friends and cleanse them. “My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly.”
Job 42:8. (NIV) - 'So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” '
How did Job Pray ?
Job’s regular custom of Prayer was to offer a burnt offering to cleanse himself and his family early in the morning
Job 1:4-5. 'His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. '
Job’s Secret of being righteous before God was to cleanse every day morning on the Sins committed not only for him, for his family as well. We should learn this and imitate this in our life. We worship Jesus who sacrificed his life for our Sins. When we repent and ask Forgiveness for the Sins we commit, God’s holy blood will cleanse us and get rid of the sins we have.
When the Lord asks Job to Pray for his friends he prayed exactly like how he would pray for himself, a very important lesson we need to learn here.
When the Lord asks Job to Pray for his friends he prayed as he prayed in regular custom of sacrificial offering to God
Job 42:8(a) (NIV) - 'So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. ….”
Job 42:9. (NIV) 'So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer. '
We read Job 42:9 (b) “the Lord accepted Job’s prayer” , As Job was righteous his prayers were accepted by God, this is explained by James 5:16 (b) - “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
Job’s blessings
Job 42:10-17 (NIV) 'After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years.'
Eternal Blessing - God’s word says he had more (countless) Job 42:12 (a) “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part.” - The eternal blessing he received was more than what he had in his former life.
Worldly Blessing 2X - God’s word says he had twice Job 42:10 (b) “the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before” - This refers to the material blessing which he had received from God
Earlier Blessing - Job 1:2-3 (NIV) 'He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East. '
Later Blessing - Job 42:12 (b) (NIV) “… He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.
Family Blessing
Family united - All the family who distanced in the times of trouble were reunited to come and meet him, each one came along with a silver plate and a gold ring to Job
Job 42:11 (NIV) All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring
God’s oneness in Family is manifested here.
Blessing of Children - In the earlier part he had 7 Sons and 3 Daughters, Later Part God restored the same number of children as they were all dead (Job 1:18)
Job 42:13-15 (NIV) And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.
God blessed him with daughters who were so beautiful that not even one was found in the land with that beauty. “Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters”
Long Life - God blessed Job to live 140 Yrs. to live a life where he saw children of fourth generation and he died as old many after seeing fully..
Job 42:16 (NIV) - After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years.'
Summary
Having known the secrets of praying for other. As you prepare for a challenge to pray for others, Here are some practical tips to pray for other’s.
Pray for others from the heart, with deep feeling and sincerity. Pray to God to have the burden in the heart for someone whom God prompts to pray.
Pray for others regularly. - Jesus taught the same in “Lord’s Prayer” where Jesus told us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread”, We should pray for our needs and the needs of others every day.
Pray for others with faith, knowing that God has all power and loves the people we are praying for. Pray with faith that God can transform the situation of the person you are praying for.
Pray for others with love. Prepare a prayer list, the list that represent people with deep needs, struggles and feelings.
Pray for others fervently—with intensity, zeal and passion. When we pray fervently the prayers are Powerful and effective like how its called in James 5:16 (NIV) - 'Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. '
Pray for others with a desire to help where we can. Many times we may not be able to help physically or financially, but through prayers we can help break thru the struggles they have.
Pray for others occasionally with fasting. When a situation is very serious fast for others and pray.