15 Prayers God Commands You to Pray
We must learn to press into the realm of the Spirit and to continue in prayer — robustly, steadfastly, and tenaciously calling out to God for Him to answer us in great and mighty ways (see Jeremiah 33:3).
If we want to see results in prayer, we have to continue in prayer.
Jesus prayed all the time. It was an ongoing way of life for Him — not something He did just before He ate, before He went to bed, or when He attended the synagogue. And He instructed His disciples to continue in prayer. Luke 18:1 says, “He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”
The apostle Paul prayed all the time, and he encouraged believers, both then and now, to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). James, the brother of Jesus, was also a man of prayer. Church history records that James prayed so much that his knees became like those of a camel — calloused from constant kneeling in prayer.[1]
We also must be committed to prayer — especially if we are going to experience the strong presence of God in these last days. If we choose not to pray, we must understand that this is a choice that will leave us with a lack of God’s power. Scottish evangelist and teacher Oswald Chambers said that unless “…you learn to fling the door wide back and let God in, you will work on a wrong level all day; but swing the door wide open and pray to your Father in secret, and every public thing will be stamped with the presence of God.”[2]
Abiding in prayer releases the supernatural power and presence of God in our lives. It stamps us with God’s miraculous presence! If we try to do things without Him, we’ll become merely a human organization fueled by human effort. We have to make the decision to do whatever is necessary to cultivate a passion for prayer. It’s the only way we will continually stay ablaze with the Spirit of God!
15 Things We Are Commanded to Pray About
When it comes to prayer, one particular question is frequently asked: “What are we supposed to pray about when we pray?” If you begin to develop a prayer life, it won’t be long until you’ll be led supernaturally in your praying. But to begin with, I can give you 15 specific things the Bible commands us as believers to pray about:
For God’s will to be done on earth
For physical provision
For us to be delivered from evil
For us to forgive those who have wronged us
For spiritual leaders
For governmental leaders
For all who are in authority
For a peaceable life
For preachers of the Gospel
For open doors for the Gospel
For those who have been saved through our influence or ministry
For believers who are physically sick
For believers who are living in sin
For Israel to be saved
For the peace of Jerusalem
Let’s take a look at each one of these and read the scriptural context in which they are presented.
First, in the passage known to many as the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus commanded us to pray for God’s will to be done on earth. In Mat- thew 6:9 and 10, Jesus instructed us, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
Second, we are to pray for physical provision. Jesus prayed in Matthew 6:11, “Give us this day our daily bread.” This verse confirms that it is right and appropriate to ask God for our basic needs to be met each day. He knows very well that we have need of these things before we even ask (see v. 32), yet He leads us to ask.
Third, we are to pray for deliverance from evil. In verse 13, Jesus prayed, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil….”
Fourth, we are to pray for the ability to forgive those who have wronged us. This prayer is vitally important. In fact, it’s so important that in this passage alone, Jesus included three verses explaining the necessity for forgiveness. In verse 12, He said, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Then to emphasize how critical it is for us to forgive others, Jesus said in verses 14 and 15, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” In order to forgive those who have wronged us, we must pray for God to give us His grace and ability to forgive.
Fifth, we are commanded to pray for our spiritual leaders. In Second Thessalonians 3:1 and 2, the apostle Paul said, “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.” So Paul was saying to the believers in Thessalonica, “Hey, pray for us! We’re your spiritual leaders, and we desperately need your prayers.” Your spiritual leaders would include your pastor(s), elders, deacons, and anyone else in a position of church oversight. All your spiritual leaders need your prayers.
Sixth, seventh, and eighth, we are commanded to pray for all people in authority, for governmental leaders, and to live a peaceful life.
In First Timothy 2:1 and 2, Paul wrote, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”
According to this passage, we are to pray for government officials, such as kings, presidents, senators, congressmen, governors, and so forth, as well as all who are in positions of authority. Please notice Paul didn’t say, “Pray for the leaders you like and the ones you voted for.” He said we are to pray for all leaders. This is not an option, nor is it a suggestion. It is a command.
Why does God want us to pray for all our leaders? One of the greatest reasons is “…that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Timothy 2:2). Another reason of equal importance is found in verse 4 (NLT). Revealing the heart of God, Paul wrote that He “…wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” God loves everyone and doesn’t want anyone to perish (see 2 Peter 3:9). Thus, He wants us to pray for all who are in authority to be saved. Paul then added, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” (v. 3). Heartfelt prayer for people in authority greatly pleases our Heavenly Father.
Ninth, God directs us to pray for people who preach the Gospel. This is also found in Second Thessalonians 3:1,2.
Tenth, we are told in Colossians 4:3 (NIV) to pray for open doors for the Gospel. Writing to the church in Colossae, Paul said in essence, “Don’t forget to pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to preach about His secret plan — that Christ is also for you Gentiles.”
Eleventh, our prayer agenda should include praying for people who have been saved through our ministry. Just before going to the Cross, Jesus lifted a prayer to the Father that is recorded in John’s gospel. In John 17:9, He said, “I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, they are thine.” He then spent the remainder of the chapter praying for those who had been saved through His ministry, as well as those who would be saved through the ministry of His disciples, establishing a clear pattern for us to pray for those who get saved through our efforts.
Twelfth, we are to pray for fellow believers who are physically sick. In James 5:14 and 15, James wrote of this type of prayer: “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up.…”
Thirteenth, the Bible tells us to pray for believers who are living in sin. First John 5:16 (NLT) informs us that “if you see a Christian brother or sister sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life….” We need to remember that none of us is beyond the reach of temptation and sin. We need people to pray for us. Therefore, we need to pray for others.
Fourteenth, in Romans 10:1, the apostle Paul wrote that we need to pray for the salvation of the nation of Israel. This verse reveals Paul’s heart cry: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.” Paul was himself a Jew — “of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews…” (Philippians 3:5). His heart broke for his fellow Israelites so deeply that he was willing to be eternally separated from Christ if they could be saved (see Romans 9:2,3)! God wants you and me to earnestly pray for the salvation of the Jewish people as well.
Fifteenth, we are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. King David said in Psalm 122:6, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” This prayer is unique in that it comes with a promise: Those who love the Lord and His chosen city enough to pray for it will be personally blessed.
These are 15 specific things for which we are commanded to pray in Scripture. If you have ever wondered for what or for whom to pray, now you have a detailed, biblical list that will help you pray what’s on God’s heart. This is not all-inclusive, but these 15 points will give you a good starting place to fill your time when you begin to develop a discipline for prayer. And believe me, when you get started, it won’t be long until you begin to supernaturally pray for many things that are not included in this list, because the Holy Spirit will lead you in your praying!
Notes
Saint Jerome, trans. by Thomas Halton, On Illustrious Men (Washington DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 1999), p. 7.
Patrick Morley, Pastoring Men: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why It Matters Now More Than Ever (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2019), p. 215.
