In Paul’s concluding words to the brethren in Thessalonica he wrote: “Brethren, pray for us” (I Thessalonians 5:25).  As Christians, only the Lord knows greater than we what each of us face in our day to day lives for the cause of Christ.  Each day Christians face similar temptations.  Christians face like struggles to exist in a world which we have been transformed from (Romans 12:2).  Christians throughout life’s trials are trying to keep the faith while the devil continues to prey upon us (I Peter 5:8).  Who better, with the exception of the Lord Himself, can serve as someone to go to God on each others behalf than our fellow saints?

     The love and concern that Christians have for one another will cause us to pray for each other.  As Christians suffer and rejoice their brethren join them in those sufferings and rejoicings (I Corinthians 12:26).  As Christians we seek to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).  Christians realize the need to cast all of our anxieties upon the Lord (I Peter 5:7).  Yet, we also know that our brethren are there when we need someone in the flesh to aid us (I John 3:17).  Brethren refresh one another (Romans 15:32).  Christians join with one another to comfort and edify each other (I Thessalonians 5:11).  In times of sin and weakness we go to one another and request the prayers of each other (Acts 8:24).  Christians will pray for one another because of the relationships we share with our brethren whom we love so greatly (John 14:34-35).

     Notice just a few examples that establish the fact that brethren need to pray for one another: “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers” (Romans 1:9).  “Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates” (II Corinthians 13:7).  “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers” (Ephesians 1:15-16).  “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy” (Philippians 1:3-4).  “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers” (I Thessalonians 1:2). “I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day” (II Timothy 1:3).

     When we study the word of God and look for commands and examples to follow, we cannot ignore those which have been shown above.  Paul prayed often for his brethren as we ought to for ours.  We ought to be thankful for one another.  Paul penned the following words: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6).  Do we think often enough about each other that we are on the top of our lists of things to pray for?  If not, the problem is either the lack of relationship or the lack of faith in prayer.

     In our introduction we spoke briefly of the relationship Christians ought to have with one another.  In my studies of the love brethren ought to share I have found many verses that are compelling, but not one that is more influential in my mind than what John penned and I quote: “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (I John 3:16).  Brethren, we ought to love one another so greatly that we would give our lives for one another.  This is a love that many parents in our present world do not even share for the children of their own flesh.  This is however the love that Christ has shown for each of us.  When love is put to the test it is not shown in words, it is shown in action (I John 3:18).  Can we really claim to love our brethren as much as our own lives if we will not spend just mere moments in prayer for them?

     Our relationships matter with the idea of praying for one another by either aiding us or obstructing us from knowing the needs of our brethren.  If we do not spend time with one another we cannot know when the specific needs in prayer arise for one another.  Saints spent much time in the first century in work, worship, and social matters (Acts 2:42-46).  Our lack of communication with one another at times is easily attributed with our lack of relationship with one another.  How can we weep in times of sadness and rejoice in times of joy with one another if we never know when those times arise.  We need to be sure if we are failing in prayer for one another that it is not because we have little to no relationship with one another.

     If the problem is not in our relationship with each other, it must then be in our lack of faith in the power of prayer.  We can do nothing to help each other greater than what we can do in prayer.  The Lord shows us how we ought to have faith in prayer by revealing these words: “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (I John 3:22).  Do we have faith in that whatever we ask we will receive because we are the Lord’s faithful children?

     James wrote: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:5-8).  A prayer that is done in faith is something most certainly separate form a prayer that is done in words alone.

     Is it possible that we at times can become ritualistic in prayer and that words come out of our mouths, but faith in those words does not exist?  Is it possible that we can easily forget that we are approaching the Almighty in prayer and that He who knows and can do greater things than us, is listening?  Prayer is something that does not work if faith is not behind our words.  If we are not praying for our brethren because of a lack of faith, it is time we go to our brethren and ask for their prayers on our behalf.  If our faith is lacking it is time to get our minds right through studying the word of God that brings faith (Romans 10:17).  Prayer is a privilege to the faithful (I Peter 3:12).  Let’s not sit back if our faith is wavering.  Get your relationship with God and brethren back in order (I John 1:7-9).

     We opened this brief study with Paul’s request to the brethren in Thessalonica for prayers.  Such a request is not made often enough of brethren today.  We need to express our need for prayers.  We need to also extend our prayers for one another when requests are not made.  As Christians we face similar problems in this world.  If we unite we would not have to face them alone.  Two are better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9).  Where brethren stand together here on earth the devil has a much more difficult time of breaking through.  Once we accomplish that good relationship with each other we then must make sure that God is the tie that binds us together.  We need to realize His providence in our lives (Romans 8:28) and that with Him strengthening us we will win the fight (Romans 8:31).

     In the seventeenth chapter of the book of John Jesus prayed for His disciples.  He prayed for us.  Part of that prayer reads: “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14-16).  As Jesus shows us through His prayer, we are in a world that is against.  Outside of the Lord we have no allies besides one another.  Jesus knew that He needed to prayer for the saints.  We need to learn from the example that Jesus set forth.  We ought to have a continual practice of prayer (I Thessalonians 5:17).  We ought to have faith in prayer.  Brethren, we ought to pray for one another.