When you feel led by God to pray for someone, your approach must be respectful and humble. Many people in the world don’t love God as much as you do, and unless they’re in a dire situation that only a miracle can save them from, telling them God laid in your heart to pray for them can trigger a reaction. In this blog post, I shared some tips on how to ask someone if you can pray for them:
Answer: How to ask someone if you can pray for them
The last thing you want to do with your genuine intentions of praying for someone is to make them feel uncomfortable or that you’re forcing them. When you want to pray for someone, the first thing you must do is walk up to them.
- Walk up to them boldly with a smile and tell them why you approached them.
- If they say no, thank them and let them be. If they say yes, proceed to pray for them.
- Ask them if you can hold their hands to pray for them. Some will object to your touch, especially strangers.
Check out our devotional guide for young men.
Should you ask someone if you can pray for them?
I heard a story not too long ago about a young man (let’s call him Dave) who went grocery shopping. When Dave was done shopping and headed to where he parked his car, he passed two other men. Dave felt led by the Holy Spirit to pray for one of those men he passed because one of them had serious back pain.
They didn’t look friendly, but you know looks can be deceiving. So Dave got to his car, placed the items in his trunk, and walked to where the two men were. He greeted them warmly, introduced himself, and asked if any of them had back pain. The one with back pain said yes, so Dave asked if he could pray for him.
The man said yes; however, Dave shouldn’t touch him. Dave prayed earnestly for him and walked back to his car.
I’m terrible at telling stories… OMG.
So, should you ask someone if you can pray for them? Yes, although it’s not a must. But if they’re strangers, you should ask them first.
Can you pray for someone without telling them?
Yes, you can pray for someone without telling them. From the story above, Dave could have prayed for the man without telling him. There’s no written rule that you must tell someone you want to pray for them.
If someone is going through a lot and you can’t approach them to tell them you want to pray for them, will you skip praying for them? Of course not.
What if they don’t want you to pray for them?
When you approach people to pray for them, expect a no from them. If they say no, thank them and walk away. You can say the prayer for them out of their sight.
In my undergraduate days, I had a friend that was having several challenges.
Worries were written all over her face, so I felt led to pray for her when I saw her. Considering how she’ll waste my time telling me it’s all right when it’s obvious things weren’t all right, I didn’t even bother asking her if she wanted me to pray for her.
Straight away, I began to pray for her from where I was seated, and a few moments after I was done praying, she smiled such a heart-warming smile at someone’s joke, and by the time we closed for the day, she was happier. God heard that prayer and answered immediately.
Is it okay to touch people when praying for them?
Generally, it’s recommended to ask them if you can touch them or hold their hands if you want to pray for them. This shouldn’t be a stumbling block to the prayers.
Can I use materials like aprons or anointing oils to pray for people?
Again, seeking their approval before using any of these is important, whether they’re your friends or strangers. You should also follow the instructions of the Holy Spirit to pray for people.
Final words
If you’re led to pray for someone, examine the situation of things and determine if it’s feasible to pray for them without telling them. But whatever you do, pray for them – there are billions of people in the world who have nobody praying for them.
