Loving brothers and sisters in Christ part 3
The Spiritual responsibilities of love
Colossians 1:9-10 9 For this reason also, since the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the [a]full knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, [b]to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and [c]multiplying in the [d]full knowledge of God;
Well, we continue today with our series on love. And we have come to loving your brothers and sisters in Christ. Of all the things that characterize Christianity as distinctive, it is love.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
— John 13:34–35
We will not know we are Christians by our wisdom, or our strength, but by our love.
And we have discovered several ways to express our love toward our brothers and sisters; It involves Pursuing Unity and Peace, serving one another sacrificially, Bearing with One Another Patiently, Forgiving One Another, Speaking with Grace and Encouragement, Praying for One Another, Helping Restore and Strengthen One Another Spiritually, Showing Hospitality and Generosity, Honoring and Preferring One Another, and Carry One Another’s Burdens.
Prayer
6. Pray for One Another
What Do We Pray for Fellow Christians? It can feel like the only thing that we are praying for is physical healing. But praying for brothers and sisters in Christ is far deeper than that. I searched Scripture to come up with areas that we are to pray for for our fellow Christians, and I came up with 13 categories. This is a sermon series all on its own. Now I am not going to go into extensive explanation of each of these categories, but I wanted you to at least get a better understanding of the scope of what we should be praying for. So, let’s briefly look at each of these categories.
1. Pray for Physical Healing and Physical Needs
This is probably the kind of prayer we pray most frequently for each other. We pray for Healing from illness, Recovery from injury, Strength during sickness, Provision of daily needs, and Protection from danger.
And there are Biblical examples of those kinds of prayers. James wrote in his epistle,
James 5:14-16 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him,
3 John 2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.
And in Acts chapter 12, we have a very practical example of praying for someone’s physical needs. The chapter tells us,
Acts 12:5 5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.
They were praying for his release from prison, his safety in prison.
And we pray those prayers for each other don’t we? During Sunday School, and church, and in our homes. We pray "Lord, bring healing, strength, and provision to my brother/sister. Sustain them through their trial and display Your mercy and power."
But, despite the fact that these are probably our most frequent prayers for fellow Christians, they are not the most important prayers you can pray for each other. There are other prayers that are more important.
2. Pray for Victory Over Sin and Spiritual Temptation
You know the part of the Lord’s prayer regarding this.
Matthew 6:13 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from [a]the evil one.
It is a prayer for ourselves that we not find ourselves in an area of spiritual temptation that is beyond our ability to withstand.
And we pray that for each other. For example, we might pray,
"Father, strengthen them against temptation and grant victory over every sinful habit and desire."
Remember that Jesus prayed that kind of prayer for Peter regarding His crucifixion and Peter’s denial.
Luke 22:31-32 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has [a]demanded to sift all of you like wheat. 32 But I have prayed earnestly for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, once you have returned, strengthen your brothers.”
And though this verse does not specifically talk about prayer for spiritual strength in temptation, I think it applies to that.
Hebrews 3:12-13 See to it brothers, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart [a]that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
The key words that indicate what you might pray for each other would be, “encourage one another.” I think we can confidently say that we should “pray for one another “ that none of “us” will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
So, all told What we Pray for each other is Deliverance from temptation, Repentance from sin, Growth in holiness, Protection from Satan's attacks, and Purity of heart.
What else do we pray for each other?
3. Pray for Spiritual Wisdom and Knowledge
Here’s what such a prayer might sound like.
Heavenly Father,
I lift up my brother (or sister) to You today. Fill them with the knowledge of Your will through spiritual wisdom and understanding. Give them discernment to know what is true and wisdom to make decisions that honor You.
Help them trust Your guidance and walk faithfully in the path You have prepared for them. Draw them into a deeper knowledge of You, that they may delight in Your Word, grow in their faith, and bear fruit in every good work.
Protect them from deception, establish them firmly in Your truth, and give them the courage to obey all that You reveal. May their life bring honor and glory to Your name.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
And there are many Scripture verses that spell out that kind of prayer specifically. In fact, if you want to know how to pray for brothers and sisters in Christ, just look in your New Testament to the epistles of Paul specifically and see what Paul says that he is praying for the church he is sending the letter to.
Colossians 1:9-10 9 For this reason also, since the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the [a]full knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, [b]to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and [c]multiplying in the [d]full knowledge of God;
Take that passage and pray it for each other. Here’s another good one to pray for each other.
Philippians 1:9-10 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in full knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may [a]approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and without fault [b]until the day of Christ,
There are lots of things that we can pray for each other.
4. Pray for Spiritual Strength and Endurance
Ephesians 3:16 that He would give you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
Now that’s a powerful prayer. Think about what you are asking God to do. You are praying for strength for your brother or sister. But not just strength, but inner strength through the Holy Spirit of God. And not just a little strength, but “according to the riches of God’s glory.” In other words, I want you to give this person strength, not according to man’s measurement, I don’t want them to just be humanly strong, Lord give them strength out of the storehouse of your riches.
You can pray for,
5. Pray for Growth in Love
Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in full knowledge and all discernment,
You can pray for
6. Pray for Faith and Spiritual Maturity
1 Thessalonians 3:10 as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?
There is so much that we can pray for each other,
7. Pray for Fruitfulness in Ministry and Good Works,
8. Pray for Unity Among Believers
9. Pray for Protection from Evil and False Teaching
10. Pray for Boldness in Witnessing
11. Pray for Joy, Peace, and Hope
12. Pray for Their Sanctification
13. Pray for Perseverance Until Christ's Return
1 Thessalonians 5:23–24: "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."
Some of you have had the privilege of having believers pray over you. There is something special that happens when that occurs. I remember times as a pastor, at my ordination, or at other gatherings of pastors, where a group of men gathered around me, and prayed specifically for me.
One pastor described an exercise that powerfully demonstrated the New Testament practice of intercessory prayer. A chair was placed at the front of the church and called the "Mercy Seat." Throughout the service, individuals took turns sitting in the chair while fellow believers gathered around them, laid hands on them, and prayed specifically for their needs.
The pastor noted that something remarkable happened. As people listened to one another's burdens and prayed together, the church became more united, relationships deepened, and those who were struggling realized they were not facing life's battles alone. Instead of merely saying, "I'll pray for you," believers actually stopped and prayed together, just as the early church did.
7. Help Restore and Strengthen One Another Spiritually
As we have established in these messages, it is the responsibility of brothers and sisters in Christ to aid in the spiritual growth of our fellow believers. And that means one on one friendship, encouragement and admonition.
Romans 15:14 14 But I myself am also convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, having been filled with all knowledge and being able also to admonish one another.
But admonish is such an old English word. What does it mean to admonish? One commentator I read described admonishing as “to inform others in things about which they were ignorant, or it reprehend others for things about which they were negligent.”
It is the one-on-one teaching of Christian living. And we are watchful over our brothers and sisters in two areas; their confidence in God, and their sliding into sin. We watch out for each other for evidence first that our confidence in God is faltering.
Hebrews 3:13 12 See to it brothers, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart [b]that falls away from the living God.
14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
An “unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.” He is describing someone in the church who is faltering. They are beginning to turn away in their minds. This passage of Scripture uses the story of the Children of Israel in the wilderness as an example of falling away from the faith.
You remember that story. God led the nation of Israel, 2 million people, out of slavery in Egypt, decimating their slave masters with miraculous signs and wonders. It culminated with the last plague where every firstborn in Egypt died whose household had not put the blood of the lamb on the doorpost. So, they leave Egypt with joy and celebration that everything is going to be peaches and cream from here on out.
But we know that it was not all going to be easy. God miraculously led them out of the slavery of sin, He redeemed them. But they were still going to face opposition, hardship, heat, thirst, hunger, boredom, temptation, and fear.
They were going to face those things and have doubting thoughts about God. That’s what happens to us doesn’t it? Many of us have come to some moment in our lives where we had our eyes opened to the glory of God. We repented of sin; we believed on Jesus. We began reading the Word, and seeing God change our lives.
But then opposition, hardship, heat, thirst, hunger, boredom, temptation, and fear come. Our coming to faith did not put gas in the car or make our children angels. So we, like the children of Israel, begin to mentally and verbally lose our confidence in God.
It began for the Children of Israel at the Red Sea when they saw the Egyptian army pursuing them. It continued when they had no water or food. This same lingering distrust of God continued with them all the way to the Promised land when they saw the people they were supposed to conquer.
Can you identify with them? They were losing their confidence in God.
12 See to it brothers, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart [b]that falls away from the living God.
And we must be aware of it in ourselves, but also in other believers. Spiritual straying begins in the heart. But then it moves into action. We are to restore. Galatians 6:1 is a beautiful description of that restoration process. Let’s read it and break it down.
Galatians 6:1 Brothers, even if [a]anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each of you looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
Galatians 6:1 presents a beautiful picture of biblical restoration rather than punishment. Paul describes a brother who has been "caught" or "overtaken" in a trespass—not merely someone struggling with temptation, but someone discovered in the very act of sin, ensnared by its grip and unable to free himself. Yet the response of the church is not public humiliation or harsh condemnation. Those who are spiritually mature are called to "restore" him, a word that was used for mending torn fishing nets, resetting a broken bone, or repairing something damaged so it can function again. Like a skilled physician carefully setting a fractured limb or a fisherman patiently weaving together a ripped net, believers are to approach the fallen brother with gentleness, humility, and compassion. The goal is not to punish but to heal, not to discard but to make whole again. Such restoration requires careful hands and a tender heart, recognizing that pride can easily turn the restorer into the next casualty. Therefore, each believer must examine his own heart, remembering that apart from God's grace, he too could be overtaken by temptation. True biblical discipline is never driven by superiority or anger but by love that seeks to rescue, repair, and restore a fellow member of Christ's body back to faithful fellowship with God and His people.
James 5:19–20 19 My brothers, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20 let him know that [q]he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”
James closes his letter with a moving picture of a shepherd's heart. He imagines a brother who has not merely stumbled but has wandered from the truth, slowly drifting from the safety of God's path into dangerous territory. The image is that of a traveler who has taken a wrong turn and continues farther from home with every step, unaware of the deadly destination ahead. Yet another believer notices his absence, leaves the comfort of his own concerns, pursues the wanderer, and patiently turns him back toward the narrow road. James describes this work as one of the greatest acts of love a Christian can perform, for it rescues a soul from the deadly consequences of sin and brings the wanderer once again under the covering grace of God's forgiveness. The picture is not of an accuser seeking to expose failures but of a compassionate rescuer determined to reclaim what is being lost. Like a shepherd searching for a sheep that has strayed into rocky ravines or thorn-filled wilderness, the faithful believer lovingly calls the erring brother back before greater destruction occurs. In doing so, he becomes an instrument in God's redemptive work, preserving a fellow believer from sin's destructive course and rejoicing as the restoring mercy of Christ covers a multitude of sins.
All of this together describes the Spiritual responsibilities of love we have toward our brothers and sisters in Christ; prayer for each other, admonition, and restoration.
That is what love looks like in the Church. Of course, it requires a people who are willing to both give and receive this kind of love, to give instruction and to receive instruction, to give correction and to receive correction.
I think a good picture of that has been going on in my life this week. Alex started driver’s education this week. And it will continue for two more weeks. Prior to his going to class, I was taking him out to practice driving. During class, he has to read, listen, and study in order to pass written tests each day, and he has to listen to the driving instructor and correct his driving each day. When we go out to drive, he has to do the same.
This is what it takes for drivers education to be successful. First, you have to have a student who wants to learn. They have to be willing to study the rules, and learn how to apply them on the road. If you don’t have that, the process is pointless. Second, you have to have an instructor who knows the rules and how to apply them, and who is willing to patiently impart them to the student. You can’t be overly harsh as an instructor, but nor can you let mistakes slide without addressing them, because that can endanger lives or get the student in trouble with the authorities. And third, you have to have a two-way relationship between student and teacher. One thing I’ve noticed in the five times that I’ve helped a student learn to drive, is that often the student becomes the teacher. After you teach them, and they ride with you while you drive, they start pointing out where you are breaking the rules.
“You’re speeding Dad.” “You didn’t stop at that stop sign.”
This is much like the way God designed believers to help one another grow in Christ. First, there must be a brother or sister who genuinely wants to grow. No amount of biblical instruction can help someone who refuses to listen or rejects God's Word. Spiritual growth begins with a humble heart that is willing to receive correction, study God's truth, and put it into practice. Second, there must be a spiritually mature believer who knows God's Word and strives to live by it. That person must be willing to patiently teach, encourage, and correct with gentleness. Like a good driving instructor, they cannot ignore mistakes simply to avoid an uncomfortable conversation, because unchecked sin can lead to spiritual harm. At the same time, they must not become harsh, critical, or condemning, remembering Galatians 6:1, which calls those who restore a fallen brother to do so "in a spirit of gentleness." Their goal is not to shame but to help the believer become more like Christ.
Finally, there must be a genuine, two-way relationship. One of the surprising things about teaching someone to drive is that eventually the student starts reminding the instructor of the very rules they were taught. "You're speeding, Dad." "You rolled through that stop sign." In the same way, discipleship in the church is never meant to be a one-way street. While mature believers often instruct younger Christians, every believer is accountable to God's Word, and anyone can lovingly point out where another has drifted from it. The teacher must remain teachable, and the student must eventually become a teacher of others. That kind of mutual encouragement and accountability is exactly what Scripture envisions when it tells believers to "admonish one another" (Romans 15:14), "teach and admonish one another" (Colossians 3:16), "restore" those caught in sin (Galatians 6:1), and lovingly turn back those who wander from the truth (James 5:19-20). When both hearts are humble and both lives are submitted to God's Word, the entire body of Christ grows together in maturity, helping one another stay on the narrow road that leads to life.