Three characteristics of a trustworthy prayer partner

With group chats trending on WhatsApp these days, almost every person is part of at least one group. As a Christian, whether you meet physically with a bunch of people or virtually over a social media group, you would be sharing requests and praying for each other. 

How effective is your prayer group?
When you post a prayer request in your social media group, how many people in the group do you think are praying for you?  

Let me put it the other way around.
When you receive a prayer request, do you take time to pray for it? 
If you have answered “Yes”, I’m glad you’re a trustworthy prayer partner. 

Being a virtual prayer partner in quite a few groups on WhatsApp, I didn’t ask this question to myself until the time I was desperately in need of prayer … until I reached the point of not being able to pray for myself. Fighting within myself, I fell short of words to pray. At that moment, I turned to all my prayer groups for support and trust me, they worked as life savers.

Consequently, three things popped up in my head, which I consider the essential characteristics of a prayer partner. More than a partner, it’ll make you a life supporter – a life saver to someone in need.

1. Be Timely

For someone who’s tired of fighting their battle and is on the verge of giving up or breaking down, your timely prayer acts as an immediate booster and an unseen support.

Let me explain this with a real example from the Bible –
Remember Moses lifting hands while Joshua fought the battle? Joshua was in the battlefield. That’s when Moses lifted his hands in prayer on his behalf. Whenever he let down his hands, Joshua lost. Exodus 17:8-16

Here’s my challenge for you –
Would you be a Moses to the Joshua in your life who’s fighting a battle?
Your prayer pours strength into someone’s weakness and helps them fight their battles victoriously. 

When you receive a prayer request from someone, taking a moment to immediately pray would make you the driving force to lift them up from defeat and push them to victory.
Postponing has a fair chance of forgetting to pray or hitting the bed all exhausted. Moreover, with the numerous requests received, you might even miss praying for it.

You never know how many battles you can win with just a small prayer. But if you knew that each victory you won earned a reward in heaven, would you trade it for anything else?

2. Be Specific

Instead of praying a generic prayer of blessing over all the members in your group, be specific. Being specific and timely releases the right help at the right time.

If you’re a Christian, I’m sure you know that God is omniscient. He knows the intricate details of everything.
This statement is enough to take a moment and pray for the whole world in general and expect God to work on every tiny detail – from the government and authorities to the homeless and destitute.
But that’s not how it works. You gotta ask!

Ask and it shall be given. Matthew 7:7
Be specific in what you ask. 

3. Claim Promises

All the promises in the Bible are mine, and yours. Claiming them would unfold and manifest His abundant blessings.

In Joshua 14:9-12, Caleb claims the promise that Moses proclaimed over him forty-five years earlier. And he inherits it by claiming his promise, when he was eighty-five years old.

God is faithful and He doesn’t go back on His word.
But for you to recognize His goodness, claim your promises and enjoy the tangible results. The satisfaction you reap from it will know no bounds.

Claiming promises might not speed up your blessing, but it acts as a reminder of the good things to come and keeps the light of hope burning.