We don't have to be face - to - face to minister to a friend in prayer.  As we minister over the telephone to those who are close to us, our prayer draws them closer to relying upon the Lord, instead of relying upon themselves or us.

Praying accomplishes several things.  It releases our friend to God and reminds us that we are not the ones who are the final resource for him.

The core of helping others is prayer.  But too little is said about prayer in counseling and too little is written about its use during the session and between sessions.  The author wants to address the use of prayer as a means of healing in the process of counseling.

When we pray, we do so with confession, praise, and thanksgiving.

One of the important priniciples of prayer is to rely upon the promises of God.

As you pray, be sure to rely upon the Holy Spirit for instruction in how to pray.  Allow HIM to bring to mind through your imagination the direction needed in prayer.

Dr. Gordon MacDonald suggested at a trauma conference in New York on how to pray for those in difficulty.

5 (Five) Kinds of Prayer

a.  Prayer of encouragement

b.  Prayer of restoration

c.  Prayer of affirmation

d.  Prayer of blessing

e.  Prayer of intercession

Be simple in your prayers.  Be short.  Be sincere.  Let your friend know that you've been praying.

H.Norman Wright, author of Helping Those Who Hurt (Compassionate and Practical Ways to Offer Comfort)