Someone close to you may have asked you to pray for their emotional or mental well-being. They may have asked you to pray for a blessing in their life like a new job, or maybe they need protection from some unknown calamity. Perhaps, you have a desire to pray for someone who is grieving over a loss.
While most Christians may listen to someone else pray in church or they have memorized a prayer for saying a blessing over a meal, few of them know how to pray specific prayers for a friend in need. However, the Bible is a great guide and model for showing us how to pray for our friends.
Contents
- 1 Brief Prayers of Blessing for a Friend
- 2 Pray these Prayers when Your Friend Needs a Miracle
- 3 A Prayer for Strength for a Friend
- 4 A Prayer for a Friend who is Hurting
- 5 A Prayer for a Friend in Emotional Pain
- 6 Prayers for a Friend Who is Sick and in Need of Healing
- 7 A Prayer for a Friend Who Passed Away
- 8 Prayers for a Friend Who Has Lost a Loved One
- 9 Prayers for a Friend’s Happiness
- 10 A Prayer for a Job for a Friend
- 11 Prayers for Your Friend’s Spiritual Enlightenment
- 12 Conclusion
Brief Prayers of Blessing for a Friend
Express one of these short prayers to God on behalf of your friend and then send it to them in a text, email, or card as a way of encouraging them.
may the Lord make His face shine on you
and be gracious to you.
May the Lord turn His face toward you
and give you peace.
Amen.” Numbers 6:24-26
and earth’s richness.
May those who curse you be cursed
and those who bless you be blessed.
Amen.” Genesis 27:28-29
will multiply you a thousand times more
and bless you as He promised! Amen.” Deuteronomy 1:11
Pray these Prayers when Your Friend Needs a Miracle
If you have a friend who is in desperate need of God’s miraculous power to transform a situation in their life, then consider praying one of these prayers.
Even now, You still demonstrate Your awesome power.
Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?
Summon Your power, God; show us Your strength, our God, as You have done before.
Lord God, I know that You are capable of doing so much more
than I could ever ask for or imagine.
So, I ask that you perform this miracle in the life of my friend. Amen. ” Psalm 77:13-14, Exodus 15:11, Psalm 68:28, and Ephesians 2:20
You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth.
You have made heaven and earth.
Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see.
Perform a miraculous work in the life of my friend.
Lord our God, deliver them from this calamity, so that everyone may know
that you alone, Lord, are God. Amen.” 2 Kings 19:15-19
A Prayer for Strength for a Friend
When you have a friend who is tired and weary, offer this prayer for strength.
“You give strength to the weary and You increase the power of the weak.”
Therefore, I pray that you would strengthen my friend who is struggling.
May You alone be their rock and refuge.
My friend is tired and weary.
They are unable to complete their work.
They do not even have the energy to provide for themselves.
Please strengthen their hands for the tasks that they must complete.
With Your help, O Lord, may they advance against anyone who opposes them.
Help them to scale over any obstacle.
You alone, Lord, can arm them with strength and keep their way secure.
You give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak.
Therefore, renew their strength that they may soar like the eagle,
Renew their strength that they may run and not grow weary,
and renew their strength so they may walk in faith and not faint.
So, I now approach your throne of grace with confidence,
knowing that you will grant them mercy and grace to help them in their time of need.
Amen. ” Isaiah 40:29, 2 Samuel 22:32-34, Nehemiah 6:9, Psalm 18:29-32, Isaiah 40:31, and Hebrews 4:16
A Prayer for a Friend who is Hurting
Offer this prayer for a friend who is afflicted and in pain.
a stronghold in times of trouble.
For you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
You do not ignore the cries of the afflicted.
I know that You will never forget the needy.
You are the hope of the afflicted.
Therefore, be with my friend who is hurting.
Have mercy upon them and lift them up.
Amen.” Adapted from Psalm 9
A Prayer for a Friend in Emotional Pain
Pray this pray for a friend who has a heavy heart.
Please turn your attention towards my friend
and be gracious to them,
for they are lonely and afflicted.
Relieve the troubles of their heart
And free them from their anguish.
Look on their affliction and their distress
And cleanse their heart of all guilt.
Guard their life.
Rescue them from those who seek to do them harm.
Do not let them be put to shame.
Let them take refuge in You.
Protect them because their only hope, Lord, is in You.
Deliver them, O God, from all their troubles!
Amen.” Adapted from Psalm 25:16-22
Prayers for a Friend Who is Sick and in Need of Healing
You can pray one of these prayers of healing for a sick friend.
I pray that my friend may enjoy good health
and that all may go well with them,
even as their soul is getting along well. Amen.” 3 John 1:2
May my friend have a long and happy life.
May they have good health.
May their family rejoice in your healing touch.
Pour out Your blessing upon all that is theirs!
Amen” Adapted from 1 Samuel 25:6
Heal them, Lord, for their body is in agony.
Their soul is in deep anguish.
Lord, deliver them;
save them because of Your unfailing love.
Those who pass from this life cannot proclaim Your name.
No one can praise you from the grave.
So, spare their life that they may praise You.
They are worn out from their groaning.
All night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears as I think about
their illness. My eyes grow weak with sorrow.
Please hear my cry for mercy for my friend
and accept my humble prayer. Amen.” Adapted from Psalm 6
A Prayer for a Friend Who Passed Away
When someone you care about dies, you can pray this prayer in their honor.
I pray for my friend who has now passed from this earthly life.
I am grateful for their friendship and the memories we shared together.
I pray that they knew You as their Lord and Savior.
I pray that You have now welcomed them into Your Heavenly Kingdom.
I pray for their family, that they will be comforted.
I pray that their loved ones will be drawn closer to you
and they will put their hope in You for eternal life.
Amen.” Adapted from Luke 16:19-31
Prayers for a Friend Who Has Lost a Loved One
When a friend is grieving, you can pray one of these prayers for their comfort and peace.
As the Father of Compassion and the God of All Comfort,
May you come alongside my friend to console and comfort them
in the loss of their loved one.
May you fill their heart with peace.
May you surround them with your loving arms.
May you give them the hope of eternal life.
Help me Lord to also come alongside them
to bring them comfort and help
in the same way that You have comforted me. Amen.” Adapted from 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims of this tragedy commit themselves to you,
You are the helper of the orphan and the widow.
You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted.
Encourage them and listen to their cry.
Defend the fatherless and the oppressed.
Amen.” Psalm 10:14 and 17
Prayers for a Friend’s Happiness
If you want to ask God to bless your friend with joy, then consider praying one of these prayers.
consider my lament.
Hear my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
Let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.” Psalm 5:1-2 and 11-12
A Prayer for a Job for a Friend
Pray this prayer for your friend’s success and financial well-being.
the God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
You are exalted as head over all.
Wealth and honor come from You;
You are the ruler of all things.
In Your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
Now, my God, I give You thanks,
and praise Your glorious name.
Lord God, bring success to my friend.
Show them kindness.
Give them the desires of their heart
and make all their plans succeed. Amen.” 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 Genesis 24:12 and Psalm 20:4
Prayers for Your Friend’s Spiritual Enlightenment
If you have a friend who needs spiritual enlightenment, then offer one of these prayers to God on their behalf.
Conclusion
While “good vibes” and “positive thoughts” are nice, only prayers to God are infused with divine power that can truly bless someone. As followers of Christ, Christians are encouraged to offer up prayers for one another.
James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” This verse not only tells us to pray for one another, but it also says that those prayers are powerful and effective, which means that your prayers offered in faith on behalf of your friends have the potential to bring about positive blessings in their life.
The New Century Version translates the last part of James 5:16 as, “When a believing person prays, great things happen!” Therefore, consider offering one or more of these Scripture inspired prayers in genuine faith to God on behalf of your friends. Let these prayers be a starting point for a deeper or extended conversation with God as you implore upon Him for His blessing, help, protection, and guidance for your friends.
