“Intercessory Prayer”
2 Corinthians 1:8-11
I was wondering..
How often do we pray for others?
How often do we ask beyond our ability to help for others?
When was the last time, you were burdened to pray and you just stopped what you were doing and prayed for someone?
I believe we are missing great opportunities to intercede for others and may find that we could be the reason others are struggling?
As Paul begins this new letter to the Church in Corinth we see one of many examples of Intercessory Prayer that may help us to pray for others.
I do not wish to memorize prayers and then recite them in an attempt to appease our conscience.
He is explaining to this church that has been praying for Paul and his team that Paul believed that the reason they are still alive is because others were praying for them.
Down through history there are stories of men in battle that realized that the only reason they were still alive is because someone was praying for them.
Here is just one such prayer:
Adapted from “While My Soldier Serves” by Edie Melson (Worthy Press 2015)
“Dear Lord, I’m praying for my loved one’s faith today. I know it’s got to be shaken by what he’s seeing around him. Instead of being shaken, use his circumstances to strengthen his faith. Let him see the situations around him as evidence of Your great love.
We live in an imperfect world. Use that imperfection to show him how great Your power is. Let him see evidence of how You work things together for good, instead of for evil. Use the situations around him to strengthen his faith in ways that will prepare him for the future You have for him.
Lord, I can’t begin to imagine how You can do that in the middle of a war zone, but I’m asking You to show up in a mighty way. I know that in the Bible there are stories of horrible circumstances, yet people could see You at work. They could watch You bring good things out of bad situations.
Let my loved one see how great You are and how You still perform miracles. Give him evidence that You still show up when You are called. Renew his faith and make him stronger.”
Amen.
I would like to use 3 simple words concerning intercessory prayer. Why, When, How
We do not know all the events that caused Paul to write a second letter to Corinth but it appears that things have changed and Paul had received news from Titus, so Paul penned a letter expressing his joy.
God gives us instructions to pray for others in several places in the Bible.
The apostle James tells us in James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
The apostle Paul encourages us to intercede (pray) for Church members and ministers, Ephesians 6:18-20 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Paul urges us in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”
So we are even to pray for government leaders and others who may not know we exist and who haven’t asked us to pray for them.
Jesus even commanded in Matthew 5:44 “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”
Let’s look at our text today and answer 3 simple statements.
I. Why We Pray For Others 2 Corinthians 1:8-10
There are others around us that are under attack and have been in battles that we did not even know about.
Why should we pray if God already has our best interests at heart?
For most of us, praying for others tends to run along these lines: Lord, provide my friend with a job, a car that runs, good health, and safety.
Most of the prayers recorded in the Bible are of another type.
When Jesus was praying for others:
He prayed for their faith (Luke 22:32),
He prayed against temptation in their lives (Luke 22:40),
He prayed for their unity (John 17:11), and
He prayed for their sanctification (John 17:17).
Paul prayed for the salvation of the lost (Romans 10:1);
He prayed that the brothers would stay on the right path (2 Corinthians 13:7);
He prayed that believers would be strengthened by the Spirit, rooted and grounded in love, able to comprehend God’s love, and filled with the fullness of God.
Praying for others is important because it fulfills a New Testament command.
1 Timothy 2:1 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;”
II. When Do We Pray For Others 2 Corinthians 1:11
We have no special ability to see through a looking mirror or crystal ball, so I am prompted to pray when I have a burden that I cannot explain
I pray when I am reading my Bible
I pray when I read my prayer list to be reminded to pray for others.
I trust the direction that the Sweet Holy Spirit who directs when I did not even know the needs of others.
Paul said in vs. 11 that the help he received came from the prayers of others.
III. How Do We Pray For Others
Intercessory prayer requires a person to take on the burden of those who are going through difficult situations or trials.
It is where the intercessor begins to pour out their heart for others.
There are times when we do not know what to pray for, and therefore we need someone to stand in the gap of the situation (intercede).
Intercessory prayer is seeking God’s power in our weakness.
Conclusion:
We cannot save someone through intercessory prayer but we can ask God to touch their hearts and make them aware that they need salvation.
We cannot heal but we can ask the Lord to touch a broken body according to His will and not our desire.
Intercessory prayer is not something we should do to try to earn points with God so we can collect when something bad happens to us.
Our motivation must be that the Lord is directing and others need to know that we are praying for them.
Let’s pray!
