Intercessory Prayers

Amazon lists over 80,000 books for Christian prayer. Actually, the best book for prayer is the Bible. The Apostle Paul gave us spirit-led prayers throughout his epistles. We can pray those prayers both for ourselves and for others. If you commit to praying these prayers daily in some form or fashion for three months you’ll mature spiritually faster than you ever thought was possible.

Prayer for Harmony Among the Saints

May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5–6)

Prayer for Ministry

I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit to join me in earnest prayer to God on my behalf, that I may be rescued from unbelievers in Judea, and that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. The God of peace be with all of you. Amen. (Romans 15:30–33)

Prayer for Overcoming Obstacles

And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9–11)

Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come, and he has put all things under his feet and had made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:17–23)

Prayer for Strength in the Inner Man

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom the whole family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, that he may grant that you be strengthened in you inner man with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fulness of God. (Ephesians 3:14–21)

Prayer for the Word to Be Made Known

Pray in the Sprit at all times in every [kind of] prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly as I must. (Ephesians 6:18–20)

Prayer for Knowledge of His Will

For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:9–14)

Prayer for Open Doors for the Word

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should. (Colossians 4:2–4)

Prayer for a Passion for People

Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:9–13)

Prayer That the Word of the Lord Spread

Finally, brothers, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you, and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith. (2 Thessalonians 3:1, 2)

Thanksgiving for Faithful Ones

We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers, as it right, because your faith is growing abundantly and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring. . . .

To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. ( 2 Thessalonians 1:3,4, 11–12)

Prayer for Those in Authority

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1–2)