#4 Pray for Each Other

These are qualities that don’t just make an athlete great, they make a person great.

These are qualities that make people want you to be on their team.

These are qualities that make people respect you and look up to you.

These are all qualities that Jesus Christ perfectly manifested.

I think this thing: praying for each other, is two fold.

I want to read you a verse from James.

After showing us how prayer works. Sins can be forgiven. And injuries can be healed through prayer, James says this:

James 5:16 ESV

16 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 is telling us that we should acknowledge our sins, weaknesses, and failures to one another. and then that those who hear the confession should pray for the person, those things, and whatever else the person may need.

There are amazing things that can happen when you pray for your teammates.

First, I want to tell you things that can happen for the person doing the praying.

You will begin to more deeply know God’s desires for you and your team. This is essentially, you being influenced by God because you are spending more time with him.

If you are praying for someone on your team you don’t get along with, God will begin to change your perspective about that person. God can supernaturally change your heart about a situation or a person when you pray for them in a positive way. Pray for God’s blessing on them. Pray for joy. Pray for success.

Prayer will become second nature for you. God literally changes our nature when we pray. Praying for your teammates will begin to overflow into other areas of your life and you will begin to notice that you desire to pray for other people.

Here are things prayer can do for the person you are praying for.

God can start answering the prayers and that person’s life and eternity can change!

While you may have a small idea about what is happening in other’s lives, you guys don’t know everything. There may be some terrible things happening spiritually to that person. What if your prayers are what change that person’s future?

Especially if they have communicated or confessed needs or you’ve pulled them aside to pray with them, they will begin to see that prayer works and God is real!

Prayer can actually be a great witnessing tool. Both in private and in person. If you pray in private for the person, you can pray that God works on their heart to make them see that God is real and that Jesus is Lord. And, if you ask them right then and there to pray for them, and then do it, it can have a major impact because they see you pray and then imagine if God answers that pray positively and they remember you prayed!

God can do a supernatural work on that person’s heart and mind.

Let’s be honest. There are probably people on the team, or in the school, who are just challenging to love. If you pray for God to soften their heart to the needs of others and transform them, he can do just that.

I believe that the bible tells us that spiritual transformation is impossible apart from his intervention. That is why it is so important for us to pray for others who don’t know Jesus. Who are completely opposed to Him. Or just flat out mean. God can change them. I cant. But God can.

Here are some things you guys can do today regarding this:

Write down each persons name who is on your team and put that list in your bible. So when you do you bible time, hopefully you do that, make sure to pray for them.

or keep your prayer list in your gym locker and pray for your teammates before every game!

Look up the different prayers from the New Testament that Paul prayer and start to pray them for your teammates

If y’all start having issues in the game or in practice with one another, grab each other and pray for each other.

Or if you find out someone not in this room is having issues, BE COURAGEOUS and ask them, right then and there, if you can pray for them, and then do it!