"Pray for One Another!”

“I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,” (Romans 15:30 ESV)

Chapter 15 is very interesting and instructive for the New Covenant believer. Paul starts this chapter with, “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.” Of course, the strength he is talking about is our confidence in living a life of faith to please God. This thought goes back to Chapter 14, where he talks about those who are weak in faith, thinking they can eat only vegetables if they are to please God. But Paul provides an overriding principle for mature believers: we are “not just to please ourselves”.

Paul mentions that the Roman Christians were to care for one another in verse 1 “bear the weakness of those without strength”, verse 5 “be of the same mine with one another”, verse 6 “with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”, verse 7 “accept one another just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God”, verse 13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” These first 13 verses tell us, over and over again, that God desires that we not look out for our own interests but care for our brothers and sisters in Christ. However, many times we forget how we can do this, verse 13: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that lives in each of us that we can reach out to our brothers and sisters in love.

Verses 30-31 teaches us an important lesson on prayer, he says, “Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints;”.  Paul is asking the believers in Rome to join him in praying for him and his ministry in Jerusalem.

When Paul wrote this letter, he was ending his 2^nd missionary Journey and was on his way back to Jerusalem with a “love gift” from the churches in northern Greece. For the churches in Jerusalem, but he knew trouble awaited him when he reached Jerusalem. The Jews were waiting for him and had plans to kill him (See Acts 20:17-25). So, Paul knew there was trouble ahead, Paul knew his God would deliver him from the hands of the enemies of the gospel of grace, but he asked these believers to join him in prayer. Paul knew that God listens to the prayers of believers, and he wanted to give these believers the privilege of participating in God’s blessings.

We don’t pray enough for each other, and we miss the privilege of participating in God’s blessings to our brothers and sisters. When God answers a prayer of healing for a friend or loved one, they are not the only ones who receive that blessing. Their faith isn’t the only one that is strengthened. When we see God answering prayers, it’s just a confirmation of what we already know. That our God is a merciful, loving, generous, patient, and a faithful God, and what He has done for our brothers and sisters, He will do for us as well.

Paul wanted to share the blessing that he received from the Lord with these Roman Christians, so he encouraged them to pray for him. Sharing our prayer request with our brothers and sisters in Christ allows them to share in the blessings as well. So, pray for one another.

Something that helps me is to create a prayer list and refer to it every day when I pray to God for the needs of the saints. When I hear of an answered prayer, I can rejoice in God’s goodness, receive a blessing, have my faith strengthened, and renew my appreciation for what God has done and is doing for me.

Whether you make a physical list and keep it updated or not, pray for the needs of the Saints, it will be a blessing as you see God answer our prayers.

Chapter 15 tells us at least two things: first, we need to “bear the weakness” of our brothers and sisters and not look out for our own interests. Secondly, we need to pray for one another.

Let’s try to allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives this week as we remember both exhortations and see God at work.

"Living in Grace is not about what I can do, but about what Jesus has already done!"