Model your prayers after those you find in Scripture.
Here’s an example based on Colossians 1:9-10. “Fill my friend with the knowledge of your will. Give spiritual wisdom and understanding. Help him to walk worthy of you, please you, bear fruit in every good work and know you more every day.”
Use Scripture to guide your prayers for the specific needs of your friends.
For example, for someone struggling with emotional pain, you can pray like this:
You are the God of all comfort! Comfort my friend in her affliction, so she can comfort others (from 2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
The blessings of relationship, success, provision, and health are common themes of my prayers. So when I read this, I paused to think. “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered (Psalm 32:1).”
If forgiveness were our only blessing, that would be enough.
God’s Word, like the sun, gives clear-shining bright light for my path (from Psalm 119:105).
Reading the Bible shows us what to pray.
When we pray Scripture, our prayers have deeper meaning than we can understand.
When we pray, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:17a)” we’re asking the Lord to pervade and govern our actions, behaviors and thoughts.
Thanks be to God for His Gift, [precious] beyond telling — His indescribable, inexpressible, free Gift (2 Corinthians 9:15 AMP).
The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).
We pray with thanks because . . .
The Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations (Psalm 100:5).
