Whether you are praying for specific needs of your own or others, it is always helpful to be specific with your prayer requests. One of the benefits of being specific is that you will know when God has answered your prayer. For example, if you just say a general prayer that your city will come to know Jesus, it would be hard to measure how or if God has answered it. However, if you pray specifically, like for the Gospel to be spread in government offices, then you would see how God is moving when you hear news of government officials coming to Christ and small groups gathering in governmental offices. Then again, this is not to say that general prayers are bad.

Heavenly Father, I thank You because when we pray, it is not like we are informing You of things You don’t already know. You are all-knowing, and you even know what I am about to pray before I ask for it. This gives me the confidence that you understand me when I pray. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

How To Know What Specific Needs To Pray For?

If you are praying for your needs, then you already know what they are, so you can try to be specific with them. For example, if you are believing God for a job, what kind of job are you believing God for? What industry? What would be the compensation? This will also help you clarify your thoughts as you pray.

However, it is a different thing when we are praying for the specific needs of others. As Christians, we are called to love one another as Christ commanded us in (A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:34-35). One of the ways we put that love into action is by praying for those people. That is why we are to make prayers and supplications not just for believers but also for unbelievers (I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 1 Timothy 2:1). As we love our fellow brothers and sisters in faith, we do so by praying for them and with them, carrying their burdens as if they are our own.

 

But how can we know their specific needs? That is important because we can’t pray for them unless we know what to pray for, but a very simple way for us to know is to simply ask. You can ask them intentionally by messaging, telling them that You are remembering them in your prayers, and asking if there is anything you can pray for them. You can also ask your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ whenever you meet in church, have fellowship, or normal conversations. In fact, sometimes you don’t need to ask them because in your conversations, you will already learn about the things going on in their lives and what their specific needs are that you can pray for.

Also, there are times when the Holy Spirit impresses on us certain things about certain individual/s that we can pray for. We can also get impressions or knowledge from the Holy Spirit, who obviously knows everyone’s needs and asks us to pray for that person or a particular group of people regarding a specific need. There are stories of people waking up in the middle of the night because the Holy Spirit impresses upon them the need to pray for certain people. Sometimes, out of nowhere, while commuting, cooking, eating, or working, the Holy Spirit can also suggest certain prayers to be prayed for others.

Whenever you get such impressions, do not be afraid that they are coming from the enemy. The enemy will never tell you to pray for others. Regardless of whether it is just your own premonitions or an impression from the Holy Spirit, it never hurts to pray for the well-being of others.

How Can We Pray For Those Needs?

As you get to know the specific needs that you can pray about for others, you can pray for them by lifting them to God. In (Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7), it is written that we are to present our prayer requests to Him, where His peace that transcends all understanding shall guard our hearts and minds. Achieving this is as simple as coming to God in His throne of grace and telling Him of those prayers.

When you pray, you pray on behalf of them, as if their needs or burdens are also yours. That is why in (Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2) it is written that we are to carry one another’s burdens, allowing us to fulfill the law of Christ, which is to love one another.

Below is an example of a prayer for the specific needs of others:

Father in heaven, I pray for my brother in Christ who is currently going through emotional and mental struggles. Give him peace as he navigates this difficult season of his life. I also pray for grace to come upon him to trust You in this season and the strength to persevere through his daily life at work. Give him comfort and open his eyes to Your glory and beauty. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

While praying specifically does have its benefits, we have to understand that prayer is still our best form of communication with God and is done out of our relationship with Him. It is where we commune with Him. Prayer is not some kind of ritual where one of the prerequisites is to be specific so that it will be heard or answered. In the end, it is about us coming before God, communing with Him, and humbling ourselves before Him in worship and praise.