How do you ask someone if they need prayer?
If we are wondering whether a fellow brother or sister in Christ needs prayer, what we can do is simply ask them. That is the only definite way for us to know if they need prayers and what the things are that we can pray for them. There are many different scenarios and ways for you to ask your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ what they need.
You can message them and ask them if there is anything you can include in your prayers for them. If you are having a conversation, whether in church or when having fellowship somewhere else, you can ask them if there is anything you can pray for them. You can also ask them what you can pray for them about what you have talked about. For example, if he or she mentioned applying for a job, you can ask the person what they need as far as prayers for their job application. If there is a brother or sister in Christ you haven’t talked to for a while, you can message the person and ask how he or she is doing.
You can also set a time to have coffee and catch up. As you ask how the person is doing, you can also ask what things or areas in life he or she needs prayers for. The keyword here is “ask.” You won’t know what they want you to pray for unless you ask, although you can still pray for them on your own with whatever general intercession you want to pray for them. Still, asking the person what you can pray for him or her not only shows that you are praying for them, but also that you care about them.
Remember that as Christians we are to love one another as brothers and sisters of Christ, united in one body for which Christ is the head. We ask them how they are doing and pray for them because we seek their well-being. If it turns out that they have problems for which they need us to pray with them, we let them know that we are with them as a church community, taking their burdens with us and praying with them as if it is our burden as well.