7 Prayers for Your Friends

Is there a sweeter gift for your friends than praying the Scriptures over them?

After all, there are few things on earth more precious than friendship.

To have people in your life you can be real with. With no pretenses. No masks. No filters.

No fear of offense because they’re quick to give you the benefit of the doubt.

The ones who will tell you what you need to hear…

even if it’s not always what you want to hear.

The ones who have your back…

but at the same time don’t hesitate to hold your feet to the fire.

I’m blessed to have several people in my life who fit this description. Dearly loved friends, treasured family members who are also friends, and a cherished husband who was first (and remains to this day) my friend.

I must confess that while I pray frequently for specific needs in the lives of my friends, I have room to grow in the realm of praying the Scriptures for them.

Let’s fix that, shall we?

Prayers for Your Friends

Pray that according to the riches of God’s glory, He may grant your friend to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in her inner being, so that Christ may dwell in her heart through faith—that she, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength 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, that she may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16-19).

Ask that the Lord would bless your friend as he trusts in the Lord. Pray that he would be like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots strong and deep by the stream, and has no need to fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit (Jeremiah 17:7-8). Pray that God would make your friend strong, fruitful, and flourishing for His glory.

Pray that the Lord bless your friend and keep her; that He would make his face to shine upon her and be gracious to her; that the Lord would lift up His countenance upon her and give her peace (Numbers 6:24-26).

Implore the Lord not to allow steadfast love and faithfulness to forsake your friend, but that he would bind them around his neck and write them on the tablet of his heart. Remind God of His Word, which teaches that doing this will bring your friend favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Pray that he would trust in the Lord with all his heart, and not lean on his own understanding. Ask that in all his ways he would acknowledge God, and God will make straight your friend’s paths. Entreat the Lord to help your friend not be wise in his own eyes, but to fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. Claim God’s promise that this will result in healing to your friend’s flesh and refreshment to his bones (Proverbs 3:3-8).

Ask that when your friend walks in the midst of trouble, God would preserve her life. Claim His promise to stretch out His hand against the wrath of your friend’s enemies, to deliver her with His right hand. Remind God of His commitment to fulfill His purpose for your friend, and of His steadfast and endless love for her. Ask Him not to forsake her, the work of His hands (Psalm 138:7-8).

Beg theLord Jesus Christ Himself, and God your Father, who loved you and gave you eternal comfort and good hope through grace, to comfort your friend’s heart and establish it in every good work and word (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

Pray that the God of endurance and encouragement would grant you and your friend to live in harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 15:5-6).

Dear Heavenly Father, You are our Friend who sticks closer than a brother. You are our example of true friendship – One who laid down His life for His friends. Thank you for the gift of human friendship, which is a tangible representation of Your love and care for us. I pray that You would make me one who encourages my friends to press on in this race called life, and to press in towards You. It’s in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, that I pray. Amen.