God has given us the privilege of praying for others. The protection and prosperity of others may rest in the hands of real prayer warriors. Paul requested prayer from others so that his ministry would be effective: “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith” (II Thessalonians 3:1-2).

Churches would come alive if Christians prayed more earnestly for one another and for pastors, church leaders and evangelists. In his book “Prayer — Asking and Receiving,” Dr. John R. Rice wrote: “In many, many cases when I have been used of God in a blessed revival campaign in some locality, one or two saintly Christians have told me, ‘I have been praying for two years that God would bring you here for these meetings,’ or ‘This campaign is the answer to my daily prayer for years.’ Oh, if people would but pray, pray earnestly, pray effectively, pray with a holy abandon, God’s work would not lanquish. The decay in the churches, the cooling of revival fires, the lukewarmness in the churches are the fruit of our prayerlessness.”

But there is another serious side of praying for others that must be considered — the lack of prayer for others is sinful. Prayer is an opportunity, but also a responsibility. It is sinful to neglect prayer for others. And we are accountable to God for this inconsistency in Christian living.

It’s time to dust off the prayer list that has been neglected. Let’s be faithful in prayer — for others!