Lesson 3 (Prayer Partners): Power Of Two-Pray

Prayer Partners Series

By

Elmer Towns

Lesson 3: The Power of Two-Pray

A. INTRODUCTION

1. Charles Spurgeon, Metropolitan Tabernacle, The Watchers.

2. C. Peter Wagner estimates 20% are intercessors.

3. Evangelism Explosion, Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Florida. Archie Parish overseer of program, but then assigned two not in program to pray in partnership for each outreach group. Results doubled.

B. WHAT HAPPENS TO ME WHEN I AM ASKED TO PRAY FOR OTHERS?

1. I follow the example of Jesus. He told Peter, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not” (Luke 22:32).

2. I follow the example of Paul. “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you” (Col. 1:3).

3. I follow the example of other Christians. “And he (Stephen) kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord lay not this sin to their charge” (Acts 7:60).

4. I obey the scriptural command. “I exhort therefore, that, first of all supplications, prayers, intercession, and giving thanks be made for all men”

(I Tim. 2:1).

Supplications, erotao: To ask God to do something.

Prayers, proseuchomai: To come to God’s presence.

Intercession, alted: To ask God to give you something.

Giving thanks, eucharistia: Thanksgiving.

5. I fulfill my responsibility. “Pray one for another” (James 5:16).

6. I express my love for others. “Which is the first great commandment in the law? Jesus saith unto him, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind . . . and the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self’” (Matt. 22:37-39).

7. I put my faith into action. “Therefore, I (Jesus) say unto you, ‘What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them’” (Mark 11:24).

8. I produce spiritual fruit. “That ye shall go and bring forth fruit, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you” (John 15:16).

9. I bear one another’s burdens. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ . . . but let every man prove his own work, (by prayer), and then he shall have rejoicing” (Gal. 6:2-4).

10. I carry out the Great Commission. “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). “Then they returned unto Jerusalem . . . and they went into an upper room . . . these all continued in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1: 12-14).

11. I delivered others from sin. “The people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned . . . pray unto the Lord that He take away the serpents from us’” (Numbers 21:7).

12. I grow in the same areas that I pray for others. “Give and it shall be given unto you” (Luke 6:32). When I have needs, pray for the same needs in others.

13. I don’t sin against them. Samuel said, “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord, in ceasing to pray for you” (I Sam. 12:23).

C. HOW TO TELL IF I AM AN INTERCESSOR

1. Explore the possibilities. All Christians should pray for others, but some have a gift and ministry far above their other ministries.

a. What is my greatest answer from God regarding others?

b. Do you have a great burden to pray for others?

c. Do you get great satisfaction praying for others?

d. Have others recognized your prayer ministry?

2. Examine your feelings. Is this the ministry that you feel you must do? “It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do His good pleasures” (Phil. 2:13). People with this ministry love to pray. I asked an intercessor how much she spent in prayer each day. She answered, as much time as possible.

3. Experiment with different ways to pray.

Hallowed be Thy name, Worship

Thy kingdom come, Supplication for guidance

Thy will be done, Yield

Give us bread, Ask for answers

Forgive us, Intercession and confession

Lead us, Pray for victory

Deliver us, Request for protection

4. Evaluate your effectiveness. Are you hearing regularly from God?

Are your prayers being answered more than usual?

Do you sense God working in and through your prayers?

5. Expect confirmation from others believers.

A great renowned intercessor for Charles Finney was a man called Father Noah. Another intercessor, Graham Fritzpatrick was also interceding for hours, but was immature. He asked God to confirm his ministry. Sure enough, a man and woman at different times told him, “God wants you to be an intercessor.”

6. Do you enjoy your calling and ministry of prayer?