Intercessory Prayer – 6 Steps To Praying for Someone

Samuel Chadwick once said, “The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, or prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.” 

This post will walk you through intercessory prayer by creating a prayer strategy to guide you in praying for someone. Grab a notebook or this guided prayer journal with prayer strategy pages, and let’s get started on our knees, asking the Lord of heaven and earth to intervene. 

What Is Intercessory Prayer?

Before we define intercessory prayer, let’s start by discussing what it isn’t. Intercession is not a “name it, claim it” approach to achieving our agenda for someone. It is not just for church leaders, prayer teams, or “special” prayer warriors. Often called “standing in the gap,” intercessory prayer is the biblical principle of praying for someone according to scripture, in agreement with God’s will, through the One Mediator—Jesus Christ—and ultimately for God’s glory. 

While there are biblical requirements for pastors, elders, and teachers, there are no requirements for intercessors other than trusting in Jesus (Savior) for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. 

Now, you might be asking yourself…

What Is The Difference Between Prayer and Intercession? 

Several commonalities exist between prayer and intercession—praise, worship, thanksgiving, surrender, and sealed through Jesus’ name. The only difference is who the petition is for. 

• If it is for yourself—needs, closeness, forgiveness, wisdom, restoration, strength, etc.—it is prayer.
• If it is for someone else, a ministry, leadership, country, etc, it is intercessory prayer.

Both forms of prayer are a Christian necessity. We’re commanded to love God and love others. Personal prayers draw you closer to God, building closeness and intimacy with Him, while intercession seeks to love others by presenting their needs to the Father. 

Now that we’ve tackled the topic of what intercessory prayer is, what does the Bible say about praying for others?

RELATED: If you struggle to understand why we should pray, what prayer requires, how to pray, and the results of praying, these 80 Bible verses will help you understand its significance. 

What Does the Bible Say About Praying For Others?

The foundation of intercessory prayer springs to life in the book of Genesis, when Abraham prayed for others, notably pleading with God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if righteous individuals could be found. It wasn’t merely an act of compassion. This underscores that intercessory prayer isn’t a modern or extrabiblical concept but a precedent woven into the very fabric of scripture. 

In Job 42:10, which, if reading the Bible in chronological order, would come right after Genesis 12, we find God telling Job’s three friends (more like accusers) that Job would pray for their forgiveness. 

In Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, we find countless occasions of Moses pleading on behalf of the Israelites, Pharoah, his sister, and Aaron, his brother.

Figures like Samuel, David, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Hezekiah exemplified the power of intercessory prayer. Samuel, the prophet, stood as a mediator between God and the people during times of national crisis. King David’s psalms often reflect his deep pleas for mercy on behalf of Israel. The prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah lifted the nation during its most tumultuous periods. In his wisdom, Hezekiah sought God’s intervention for his people, showing the necessity of praying for others in moments of desperate need. 

While these Old Testament accounts support praying for others, there are a plethora of New Testament Scriptures on praying for others.

Bible Verses About Praying For Each Other 

When you and I choose to intercede for others, we are, in a sense, acting as the four friends who carried their paralytic companion to Jesus for healing. We carry their burdens and needs to the One for whom everything is possible. 

Perhaps one of the most profound stories in the New Testament is found in Acts 12. Herod had just killed James, the disciple, and thrown Peter into prison. As Peter was shackled and guarded, we read in verse 5 that the believers gathered, praying for him with sincere hearts, petitioning God for him.

This account shows the early church’s demonstration of intercessory prayer, the impact of unwavering faith, and the significance of praying for others. They partnered with God in prayer for Peter and witnessed a miraculous deliverance. 

Let’s examine some intercessory prayer scriptures to understand the significance of praying for others better. 

Prayers for lost souls

God’s heart for the lost is reflected in Jesus Christ’s life. He came to seek and save lost souls. Second Peter 3:9 reemphasizes this, saying that God does not want anyone to perish but all to have eternal life. 

Now, that does not mean that there is a “universal salvation,” as some falsely teach; scripture is clear that there is a choice for every person to make. And if you have never placed your faith in Jesus or you have questions about salvation, please read this post on “What Happens When I Die” for a deeper understanding of what Jesus did for you on the Cross. 

For additional prayers for lost souls, check out this post on Praying for Lost Loved Ones, where I share great examples of prayer of intercession. 

Intercessory prayers for the nation and world

In writing to Timothy, Paul emphasizes the importance of praying for all people, including those in high positions. Daniel 2:21 and Romans 13:1 remind us that God establishes these authorities. So, our prayers for governmental and world leaders are a means of fostering peace and godliness within society, recognizing that a community’s stability and moral direction often rests in its leaders’ hands.

• First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 1 Timothy 2:1–2

Praying for enemies

During His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave counterintuitive instructions: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Rather than seeing through the fleshly lens of bitterness, hurt, and anger, Jesus asks His followers to surrender their feelings at the foot of the throne. Praying for our enemies is how we are released from the bondage of resentment and unforgiveness. 

• But I say to you, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44

Intercessory Prayers for healing

While this verse underscores the healing prayer of confessing sins, praying for others to be healed could include healing after surgery, emotional healing after divorce or loss, healing of a disease, healing the mind after abuse, or anything other physical, emotional, or spiritual “disease.” 

• Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16

Praying for someone who is stuck in sin

It’s hard to watch as someone who knows the truth walks into the arms of sin. In First John, the disciple tells us if we see this happening, we should pray for that person. Ask God to help them recognize the sin, be grieved by it, and be filled with repentance. Pray that God places godly people filled with wisdom and courage in their lives. 

• If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. 1 John 5:16

Praying for others to be filled with knowledge of His will, wisdom, and understanding

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul earnestly prays that they are filled with the knowledge of God’s will and enriched with all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Paul’s prayer is not merely for intellectual insight but a transformative comprehension that guides their actions and decisions. Through intercessory prayer, Paul seeks to empower the Colossians to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him.

• And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Colossians 1:9

Intercessory pray for pastors and leaders in the church

In 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2, Paul emphasizes the necessity of intercessory prayer, urging the faithful to pray for leaders, particularly pastors. He implores believers to pray that the Word of God may spread rapidly and be honored. Additionally, Paul seeks protection from wicked people, recognizing the spiritual battles pastors face. This appeal for safeguarding reminds us of the vital role of intercessory prayer in empowering pastors to boldly proclaim the Gospel while shielding them from the nefarious schemes that threaten their mission and integrity.

• Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2

Pray for the persecuted and underground church

Though Paul was not in prison at this point, on many occasions, he found himself shipwrecked, under house arrest, or in prison, beaten, and once stoned and left for dead. He was no stranger to suffering for the sake of Christ. There are many nations hostile to the Gospel. The believers in these countries suffer severely in the name of Jesus Christ. Pray for their unwavering faith to not only increase but boldly share with others the hope we have. Ask for God’s all-surpassing peace as they face hardships. Intercede on behalf of their protection, asking that God provide a shield around them, enabling the message to spread rapidly. 

• 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, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. Romans 15:30-32

Pray that the love of others will abound

Paul’s prayer for the Philippians was that they would abound in love, grow in knowledge and discernment, flourish in the ability to approve what is excellent and bloom in the fruit of righteousness that comes from Jesus. By doing so, they would bring glory and praise to God, being pure and blameless on the day Jesus returns. This is an excellent prayer for ourselves and others.

• And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11

Pray for the church to keep alert and for pastors to speak boldly

There is a spiritual war at work within our world, churches, and individual lives, and all the more as we draw close to Christ’s return. In Matthew 24, Jesus warns His followers of the coming deception, many of which will be within the church. In Paul’s prison letter to the Ephesians, he reminded them of this truth: keep alert with all perseverance. As we pray for the church, ask God to remind believers of the daily need for the whole armor of God, to remain alert to the devil’s schemes at work, and to persevere in the work of the Lord. Ask God to give pastors—watchmen on the wall, shepherds of His flock, teachers of His word—a boldness not to back down from preaching the truth despite cultural wars. Pray that God fills their Spirit with boldness, mouths with scriptural truth, and sermons with the whole Gospel, now a watered-down message.

• In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:15-20

Other intercessory prayer scriptures

• I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. Philemon 4
• Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. Colossians 4:12
• To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:11

How To Pray For Someone

Psalm 20:7-8 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we arise and stand firm.” 

If we trust in other things, like our strength or abilities, for victory, we will end up on our knees. So why not start there… in prayer? 

To know how to pray for someone, we must first identify their prayer needs. Here’s a video that walks you through the steps below.

Step 1 | Identify Personal Prayer Needs

The first step to any solution is identifying the problem. The more we can define the prayer need upfront, the more specific and intentional we can pray. This is where we will start learning how to create a prayer strategy by answering the following questions:

• What are their primary struggles? 
  • Let’s say Aunt Polly wants to start praying for her husband, Paul. He’s always stressed, always striving for something more, irritable, and lashes out with some mighty harsh words. So those are his primary struggles from an outside perspective.
• Why do you think they struggle in this area? 
  • Aunt Polly knows that Paul could never have measured up to his dad’s demands in his childhood. He was always pushed for more, yet always lacking in some way. Paul has said he continues to hear his dad’s demeaning voice when he misses the mark.

As you think about praying for others, a few other questions you might want to answer are

• Does this struggle leave ripples in other areas?
• Is anyone else involved?
• And what are the results in their life?

Okay, that was step one: identify personal problems. Step 2 to intercessory prayer is…

Step 2 | Seek Him First

Just as the sunrise brings light to a new day, seeking God’s guidance in prayer brings clarity and direction. We will seek God’s direction and heart for this individual during this step. So some things to ask are:

• Where do they need God’s direction? Do they need God’s physical, spiritual, and/or emotional protection? Be as specific as possible. 
  • Returning to our example, ultimately, Paul needs peace, rest, and a sense of his identity in Christ. He needs to recognize his human limits—to know what needs to be done vs. what is beyond his ability. Paul doesn’t see that his value will never come from work or the options of others but rather from God.
• Now, it’s time to think about your role. How can you seek God’s kingdom for their lives? 
  • This is going to look different for everyone, but returning to Aunt Polly, it might look like her praying over these areas, looking for opportunities to speak God’s truth and love over Paul, encouraging him to seek God’s wisdom over his workload, or suggesting that he get involved with a mentor.

Remember, intercessory prayer is all about seeking and surrendering to God’s will for their life. While we may think we know what this person needs, ultimately, God knows the heart, mind, and soul and has the final say. 

Step 3 | Search For Promises

Once you’ve assessed the need and aligned your heart with His will for this individual, you will spend time searching for promises to stand on. Promises are the guarantee that things will be done because of the Promisor’s trustworthiness. 

When searching for these verses, first remember to keep them within context, meaning they can’t mean for us what they didn’t mean for the original people. 

During this time, remember to look for verses that discuss that particular characteristic of God(e.g., shield, protector, etc.).

In our example, God is a tender Shepherd who sees us and is faithful in all things, even when we are faithless. If you have trouble thinking of some characteristics, I have a free printable in the Chosen Library, so be sure to sign up.

Here are some great resources to help you with your search:

• Blue Letter Bible  This is a wonderful tool that allows you to look up a specific word using different translations. The best part of this tool is the ability to look up the original Hebrew and Greek words used in scripture, part of grammar, commentaries, and so much more.
• Logos Bible Software I’ve used the paid version of this software for years, but there’s also a fantastic free version in addition to an app. Like Blue Letter Bible, you can look up words, phrases, and more.
• Openbible.info With a topical Bible search, you can quickly locate 100 verses on many topics. While not every verse within its context applies to the topic, it’s a great tool to get you started.
• Youversion is the best Bible app available for devices. While you can’t do the word studies with the original language (unless I’ve missed it), you can use the “Discover” search and find verses based on your keyword.

So, tether these verses to your prayers, which leads to step 4.

Step 4 | Soak In Scripture

While praying for specific requests and needs is essential, we ultimately want to align our prayers with God’s will. What better way to pray for you and/or your loved ones than to infuse the power of God’s word? Standing on the truth of God’s Word is the only solid foundation we have as Christians. 

Typically, I choose a handful of specific and applicable verses for each area of need (fear, influence, addiction, etc.). Using these verses, I pray over their name and circumstances. So, Aunt Polly’s scripture for Paul might look like using:

• Colossians 3:15 and Galatians 5:22 ask for peace, asking that Christ’s peace rule in Paul’s heart and mind so that he can walk in the peaceful fruit of the Holy Spirit. 
• Or, she might use Matthew 11:28 and Psalm 23 to seek rest in God’s presence, asking God to remind him that He is a Good Shepherd who refreshes weary souls and leads us to green pastures. She may pray that Paul comes to the Lord when he is burdened and heavy-laden to find rest.

In this way, we pray God’s word according to His will. These aren’t mere words; they’re anchors of hope.

If you still need guidance on praying scripture, this post, “Praying the Scriptures: A Beginner’s Guide on How to Pray to God using Bible Verses,” will help.

Step 5 | Strategize An Intercessory Prayer Plan

Structure breeds habit. Fitting prayer into our days isn’t about finding time; it’s about making it. The idea is to consistently surrender these prayers for others before God.

I would first suggest setting up a specific time and place. This helps to eliminate excuses and make prayer a non-negotiable part of your routine. Whether it’s first thing in the morning, during your lunch break, or before you go to bed, find a time that works best for you and stick to it.

Okay, here are two ways to get you started on the exact plan. I’m sure there are plenty of other ways, but these two have worked for me.

• The first one is Days of the Week. This format leads you through praying over a specific area on specific days for specific people. This method is a great way to keep you on course because even if you miss a day, you know exactly where to pick up. Using this method, your plan would look something like this:
  • Monday: Paul – peace; Sandra – provision; Tommy – salvation
  • Tuesday: Paul – grasp your love; Sandra – trust you; Tommy – pride
• Areas of need. If you prefer to focus on a daily area of need, your prayers for the day would include everyone in that area, looking similar to this:
  • Monday: salvation and provision (this would include Sandra and Tommy)
  • Tuesday: peace and pride (this would include Paul and Tommy)

Step 6 | Surrender Daily

However you plan your strategy on praying for someone, consistent prayer is the ultimate key to unlocking God’s answer. Throughout Jesus’ ministry, we watch He demonstrate His need for prayer right up to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He prayed the same prayer three times. From the boldness of the neighbor in the parable of the midnight visit (Luke 11:5-8) to the persistence of the widow in the parable of the persuaded judge (Luke 18:1-8), Jesus taught on the topic of consistent prayer. 

So may I encourage you, in the same manner, He encouraged: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Luke 11:5–10

Plan your strategy, practice daily surrender, and watch God produce the results. I hope these six steps to creating an intercessory prayer strategy feed your desire to pray with purpose and passion.

If you’re looking for a great way to be more intentional about praying for others, the Chosen & Cherished Prayer Journals might be a great fit. With topical scripture plans, prayer strategy pages, verses to memorize, and sore, this prayer journal was designed to draw you closer to God while helping you be more intentional about praying for others. Check out the great selection of journals today!

Be sure to sign up for free access to prayer prompts, Scripture writing plans, and Bible studies.