But I Have Prayed For You
When someone says to you, “I am praying for you.” What are some of the unspoken thoughts that come to mind:
Comfort Care Concern Value Helper
Encouragement Strength Companion Advocate
It can depend on your situation or who says these words, as to what it says to you. Maybe all of these things run through your mind.
These words reflect a current, active engagement on our behalf. When they are spoken to us or from us, they have power in them...if they are spoken with integrity (words and actions match). That is a matter of the character of the one who says this. Most people wouldn’t say these words if they weren’t going to do it. When they are spoken from a trustworthy source it is such an encouragement for us to keep moving forward and that we are not alone in whatever the struggle of challenge may be!
It also opens the door to build a relationship and share other things around that issue. We are able to ask questions about their desire to actively pray for us. There may be a relatability based on a past experience in their own life and they can impart some wisdom from the place of hindsight now living on this side of the issue, and having survived the struggle.
One of the most amazing things about a relationship with Jesus and knowing that He is seated at the right hand (the place of honor and authority) of our Father in Heaven interceding (praying) for us! He is unseen and unheard to us in the natural, but definitely not unnoticed in the spiritual!
We see a glimpse of this in Luke 22. In verse thirty-one, Jesus and His disciples are reclining at the table of the Last Supper, the Passover Meal, in Jerusalem in the upper room. Jesus is now being betrayed by Judas and will soon be on His way to the Garden of Gethsemane where He met, greeted and kissed by His betrayer, arrested and taken into custody. He will endure the mocking, conspiracies, lying, contempt, abuse, false accusations, rejection, abandonment, injustice, and ultimately, His crucifixion. Yet knowing all of this, He turns to Simon Peter and says:
Vs. 31: “Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded permission (obtained by asking) to sift you like wheat.”
Jesus was the witness to this conversation between Father God and Satan. So how did Jesus respond to this? He prayed!
Vs. 32: “..but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Jesus, the Savior of the world, revealed what had already taken place regarding Simon Peter and He had already acted on behalf of him in prayer! This is not a passive response-it is a powerful one! It isn’t just that Jesus prayed for Simon Peter, before Simon Peter even knew there was a need! It was what He prayed,
“...that your faith may not fail…”
What value Jesus and the Father place on faith! It is many things and more precious than we can comprehend! It is a gift of God’s amazing grace to be used and practiced in our daily lives! It is what I am praying with Jesus for you this year my friend… that your faith may not fail. No matter what comes your way, that your faith may not fail!
I want to encourage you, especially in these times, that you would search and study the word FAITH in your Bible and let our Father’s words take up residence in your heart as the Holy Spirit teaches you valuable things!
Put them to work and trust in the character of the author of your faith, Jesus Christ!