Love and Prayers

Love is an amazing feeling. To be loved or to love someone is probably one of the best feelings in the world. To do something purely out of love is such a fulfilling thing. Especially if you are doing it with no intent of ever being paid back. Purely doing it out of love for someone, or a cause or a calling. Jesus demonstrated the most amazing love, and then He instructed us to do the same toward one another. (John 13:34)
I think one of the most loving thing you can do for someone is to lift them in prayer. Praying is one thing...but praying for others is an entirely different thing. 1 Timothy 2:1 says "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people...". Praying for someone brings the power of God into their life. It fights against the evil that is also at work against them (Ephesians 6:12) and can cover them in God's protection. Prayer can release things in someones life like God's love, strength, power and help. God's word says He will not interfere with a person's free will, but your prayers for them can help them discover God's will for their life. You can pray that a person's heart will be softened. You can pray that their eyes and ears will be opened to the truth and that the truth will set them free from the bondage of sin that they are under.
Prayer is a very very powerful thing. If you do not believe that, then start lifting someone you love up in prayer and watch God move in their life. Praying scripture over someone's life is one of the most effective and powerful prayers you can pray over them as well. Not only are you interceding for that person, but you are using the very God breathed words to do it. Philippians 1:9-11, Ephesians 1:17-20, Ephesians 3:16-19, Acts 26:18 and Ezekiel 36:25-27 are powerful pieces of scripture that you can use to pray for someone to feel the power of God's love and the need for His salvation in their life. When praying this you can insert the person's name right into the scriptures. When Jesus was on His 40 day fast and being tempted by satan it says that He quoted the scriptures to combat satan, so that shows the power of using God's words. Why would you not cover someone you care about or someone that God has put on your heart to pray for with the scriptures if they are that powerful.
Love is selfless....that is what Jesus demonstrated for us the most. And what is more selfless that going into your quiet time with God to batter for someone else's soul or for God to move in their life in times of trouble.
I want to leave you with one piece of scripture that I love to pray over someone when I want them to feel the power of God's love in their life. I believe feeling God's love can overcome so many things. And it can be so hard for someone who is filled with guilt and shame to even realize just how much God truly loves them. But I believe this scripture will release that love in their life.
Again, simply replace "I" and "my" with the person's name as you pray this for them.

Psalm 143:8-12
Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.
Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I run to you to hide me.
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.
For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life.
Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.
In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies and destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.

Let everything you do be driven by love. Let the prayers you lift up for someone be out of love. Let there be no motive and no selfish desires...and God will honor your prayers. I think 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 says how important love is with these words. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing".
God, Thank You for the power of Your Love and our prayers to you. Holy Spirit give us the strength to do as The Word says and pray without ceasing. Because we have faith that our prayers to God will bring change into someone's life. In Jesus name, Amen