The Commitment To Pray For And To Disciple Others

1 Samuel 12:23 “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.”

1 Samuel 12 is best described as Samuel’s “Family Talk” with Israel. As the “family talk” begins to conclude, Samuel makes two commitments to the people of God: he will #1, PRAY FOR THEM, and #2. CONTINUE TO TEACH THEM WHAT IS GOOD AND RIGHT!  

Can you picture this great prophet standing before the people as he says, “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.” Can you imagine what it did for their hearts to hear these two commitments?

I, personally, find these to be two of the best commitments a person can make to another person. Because they are so valuable, let’s look a little deeper at these two commitments.

First, he said he was going to PRAY FOR THEM. Without doubt, one of the greatest things you can do for others is to pray for them.  I highly recommend using one of Apostle Paul’s prayers as a guide.  I use Colossians 1:9-11.  (Some of you knew that it was coming.) It says, “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (pray a person knows God’s Will) 10  that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, (pray they walk worthy/pleasing the Lord) being fruitful in every good work (pray their work for God is productive) and increasing in the knowledge of God; (praying they grow in wisdom/understanding knowledge of God) 11  strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; (pray they withstand trials and temptations by His power!)
***This guide for prayer is on both our Date the Word website and on our APP.

Secondly, he commits to TEACH them. We could use the word DISCIPLE them. Discipleship is pouring God’s truth into another person so that they can learn and live out the Scriptures.  Discipleship is helping another believer BECOME like Christ. Jesus commissions each of us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” Matt. 28:19-20.  BTW, part of discipleship is that as one is discipled, they start discipling. You are to be a 2 Timothy 2:2 disciple and discipler. In case you don’t remember it says, “The things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”  As someone disciples you, you start discipling someone who will then start discipling someone.  I take the view that you have not completely discipled a person until they start discipling a person. 

Samuel commits to PRAY FOR and to DISCIPLE God’s people.  I challenge you to look at 1 Samuel 12:23 as a guide for making your 2026 commitments.  Commit to praying for a group of people.  Commit to discipling a group of people. 

Make the COMMITMENT of I WILL PRAY and I WILL DISCIPLE!

Continue Strong as a prayer warrior and a disciple that disciples!
And remember to DATE THE WORD