Pray for my Neighbour
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ..."
Colossians 4:2-3a
Praying for our neighbours is a wonderful way to love them.
The Bible reminds us that prayer changes things. When we pray we invite God into a situation. And when we pray for others we not only build our relationship with God, but our empathy for the people we're praying for increases.
So this winter, let's start a new habit, or continue an old one, and pray for our older neighbours.
Where to start
If you know your neighbour's name, pray for them by name. If you don't yet know it, perhaps ask God to give you an opportunity and the courage to find out. Otherwise, don't worry, God knows their name, He'll know who you mean!
Thankfulness and Praise
Start by thanking God for your neighbours - dig deep for ways in which you're grateful for them, or simply the fact that they are an example of God's glorious creation.
Invite God
Invite God's surpassing goodness into your neighbour's life. If they don't yet know him ask him to bless them and help them come to know Him. If they're Christians, ask God to bless them and help them walk more closely with Him.
Pray Specifically
You may know something of your neighbour's needs. What have they told you? What have you noticed? Invite God's loving power into their particular situation.
Trust
Trust that God has heard your prayers.
Pray - Trust - Repeat
Pray for your neighbour daily or regularly.
Praying with my neighbour?
Many of us would love to move from praying for our neighbours to one day praying with them. That may or may not come to pass, according to God's will and timing.
In the meantime you can perhaps:
- Let them know you're praying for them - some people really appreciate this
- Ask if they'd like you to pray about a situation they've mentioned to you
You'll need to be wise about these approaches depending on your neighbours and your relationship with them.
The main thing is that you love your older neighbour by praying for them.
Ideas & Resources
Pray for 5
Praying for others to know Jesus is one of the most powerful things we can do. Persistent prayer for others brings transformation to their lives. Imagine what God might do if you committed to consistently praying for 5 of your older neighbours!
The team at Thy Kingdom Come have some brilliant ideas to help us build a habit of prayer for our neighbours, friends, and family. Find out more at Thy Kingdom Come.
Join the Network
Join other Christians around the UK in taking spiritual responsibility for the street you live on.
Praying each Day, Caring each Week, and Sharing our faith each Month.
Find out more and be inspired and resourced to pray for your neighbours as a household or as a whole church at Neighbourhood Prayer Network.
Walk, Pray, Talk
From the Evangelical Alliance this is a free five-part series that will help you to explore the connection between the place you inhabit in the everyday, your Christian faith and your God-given purpose as you follow Jesus into His world.
An ideal homegroup resource for those looking for further Biblical reflection and conversation as they pray for and love their neighbours this winter. Find out more.
