The Power of Intercessory Prayer
For this week’s spiritual blog, I want to talk about the power of intercessory prayer. Over the past two months, a couple of families in our church faced situations where loved ones were/are in life-or-death situations and they reached out to their church family requesting prayer.
If you’ve ever had a loved one teetering on the brink of death, then you know how desperate those prayers can become. Family members often feel helpless because they think they are powerless to remove the suffering from the ones they have cared for all their lives.
But the feeling of powerlessness is an illusion. It is something the Enemy wants us to believe so that we will not unleash one of the most powerful weapons in our armory…the power of prayer.
Over my lifetime, I have seen so many examples of believers with their backs up against the wall and nowhere else to turn but upward to an ALL-POWERFUL Heavenly Father who deeply cares for them. I have seen God work miracle after miracle on behalf of His children…because they asked Him to.
“When men work they work, when men pray, God Works .” (Angus Buchan)
During these desperate times, social media becomes a SHOFAR to call all believers to pray for those who know them or the people they are related to. With every update, you can feel the corporate power of intercessory prayer.
An Intercessor is “one who intervenes on behalf of another.” Intercessory prayer is praying on behalf of someone. It is advocating and petitioning God on behalf of someone else in prayer.
The Benefits of Intercessory Prayer
Support. The act of praying with and for someone lets them know that they are not alone in their time of struggle and that there is a whole community who is with them in their struggle.
Burden Halved. Have you ever heard the saying, “A burden shared is a burden halved”? When we share our burdens with others who intercede on our behalf to God, it lightens the load.
Focus. Interceding on behalf of others brings a strong focus to our prayers. We start praying passionately…emotionally…intentionally for the needs of others.
Community. Intercessory prayer expands our community. We may be in different countries, states, locations, churches, or families, but when we come together to pray for one another, we become part of that family and community.
The Power of God. This one seems the most obvious to me. When we pray together on behalf of others, our voices come before God in the beautiful sound of a choir who are singing off the same sheet of music. We are not praying to the Universe, hoping that it will somehow hear us…we are praying to an ALL-POWERFUL God who made the Universe and has the power to heal.
A Message to all Prayer Warriors
Keep praying. “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Your prayers matter. “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13–14)
Don’t lose heart. “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18:1)
Watch God work. “And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today…The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:13–14)
I am with you, my friends…seeking the healing power of the God of the Universe.
