“It is SO important to spend time praying over people individually”

Most people are somewhat familiar with the story of Job: a man who loved God and had a lot, and then lost everything! He is not consoled by three different friends who spend several chapters, each, in his book, Job, telling him things he didn’t need to hear. (‘Sound familiar? Let’s not be them!)
But, there’s a verse in this provocative book which many people may not know.
Job 42:10 says, “After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes, and gave him twice as much as he had before.”
We usually know he was tested. We know his wife told him to curse God and die, and his response was along the lines of, “Yet though He slay me, I will praise the Lord!”
And we know that eventually everything was restored to him, and then some! But we usually don’t know, or we overlook, the fact that it was exactly after Job prayed for his friends that his fortunes were doubly restored!
Praying for people is important! Praying individually over people is extremely important!
This is one dramatic example of why it’s important.
Aside from God’s gracious, generous, personal blessing, at CCCC we believe that prayer does indeed change things. We believe in the power of prayer because we believe in the power of our Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus, and His Holy Spirit!
Most of us are familiar with the powerful words from James 5:16 “The effective fervent prayer of a righteous person avails much.”
I always like to teach this with adding in whatever role you play… “The effective fervent prayer of a righteous…” … teacher; wife; husband; parent; child; aunt; nephew; niece; uncle; body shop owner; coach; administrator; homemaker; manager; grocery store cashier; restaurant worker; etc. When we pray for those in our circle of family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, church family, extended family, it makes a difference in their lives. Even the people we don’t like. Especially the people we don’t like. When we pray for them, our hearts soften, and we also move forward in exercising forgiveness and grace, which also brings us healing and peace.
There are 3 things Paul suggests we do when we pray for them. I Timothy 2:1 (NLT) tells us this. “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.”
Pray for everyone. Ask God to help them. Lift up their needs, individually. Pray for relationship for them with Christ and His Holy Spirit. And give thanks for them!
As we do this, we move forward the Kingdom of God. Light pushes back darkness.
I’d say more about all of this now, but I’ve gotta go pray…