Intercessory Prayer
Definition:
a) Working with God in prayer by using our authority in this world to bring about His will for us and for others;
b) standing in the presence of a king or high authority to obtain grace and the provision for the needs of others.
An intercessor is therefore one who takes the place of another before God, doing spiritual warfare for someone else. We must work with the Holy Spirit for this to be done. (Romans 8:26) Intercession is not praying for yourselves.
We need a glimpse of the true picture of intercession from God?s perspective:
1. The power of intercession.
2. The need of intercession.
3. The effect of intercession in situations.
4. The practical application with our responsibility and involvement.
1.The Power of Intercession
The power of intercession is the power of prayer itself. Prayer is the highest form of power that exists, and is the foundation that must be laid before any real, lasting, Christian fruit can come forth in our ministries. (James 5:16 Amplified)
“All things are possible to him that believeth.” ~ Mark 9:23
“Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” ~ Luke 18:1
2. The Need of Intercession
The absence of prayer is the absence of the power and influence of God in this world.
The answers for the problems today are prayer needs.
As we pray, we can birth new Christians into the Kingdom. (Isaiah 66:8-9; Hebrews 12:22-23; Galatians 4:19) “workers together with Him.” ~ II Corinthians 6:1
In the book of Joel, God revealed the need and told His people if they would pray, the need would be met and that restoration would take place.
Everyone has a call to prayer and should be praying for one another. But some have a ministry of intercession in that they are more devoted in this area and are used more often and have a greater anointing in this area.
In II Corinthians 1:11 Paul said the believers could help him by their prayers.
In Ezekiel 36:36-38 God said He would do certain things but not before His people interceded to Him for those things.
So we see the will of God can only happen as we pray to Him for it to happen.
3. The Effect of Intercession
We should never underestimate our enemy that tries to prevent the will of God from coming to pass in this earth.
Intercessors clothed with the armor of God are the only successful weapon and vehicle to stop Satan?s purpose in this earth and bring about God?s will. (Ephesians 6)
Epaphras, fellow servant and a faithful minister, gives us a scriptural example to follow. (Col. 1:7, 4:12)
The effects of intercession on the unseen warfare are seen in Ephesians 6:12, Daniel 10, and Ezekiel 28.
4. The Practical Application
There are two types of prayer in intercession:
1. Mental, which is limited to our knowledge of a situation.
2. Spiritual, which is unlimited in its effect and always a perfect prayer, through the help of the Holy Ghost. (I Cor, 14:14-15)
These two types of prayer can either be need-led prayer or preventive prayer. Praying the prayer of intercession will cause God to get more involved in your life by showing and revealing things to you while you are in prayer.
We start by obeying the Word, by praying the prayer of intercession just because the Bible tells us to. (Ephesians 6:18, I Timothy 2:1-4) (Refer to “Prayer of Intercession” sheets)
In our understanding we can only go so far. By praying in the spirit through the help of the Holy Ghost, our prayers are unlimited in the success they can produce.
Remember, God needs your prayer to work and Satan needs you to stop praying so he can work.
It is your choice.
In our understanding, we can pray certain prayers based on the Word and know, because of the name of Jesus and His Word, that our prayers are answered.
In Romans 8:26-27 we can go beyond our natural ability and understanding and work with the Intercessor, the Holy Ghost, and lay hold of spiritual victories and bring about the will of God.
We are talking about praying in tongues, not speaking in tongues.
When you pray in the spirit, express your desire or situation you wish to pray about, then pray in the spirit and rely upon the name of Jesus, your rights as a believer, the Word of God and the Holy Ghost.
At times, you will feel nothing.
At other times, you may feel what the person you are praying for is feeling.
At other times, you may feel oppressed or burdened in your spirit, or have an urgency within you. Continue to pray until there is a peace or assurance that the answer has come or that you have done what was needed to be done in prayer.
Our intercession must be constant, practical, and then it will develop and grow and produce the effectiveness God desires.
Seven Steps to Prayer that Brings Results (Matt. 21:22; Mk. 11:24)
1. Prayer that brings results must be based on God?s Word. Start with the answer ~ the Word. (Jn. 3:22; 5:14-15) Prove the will of God. (Rom. 12:2)
2. Begin the application of faith. Start your confession before you have it. Believe you receive. Confess the truth. (Jam. 3:11-17; Rom. 3:4) Hold fast to your confession. (Heb. 4:11-16) Act as though it is already done. (Jam. 2:14-24) To be afraid to confess or act before you have it is to doubt God?s Word!
3. Refuse to allow doubts and fears to enter your consciousness. Satan can work in the area of suggestions, dreams, etc., the same as God does. You are the establishing witness. Control your thoughts with the Word, dwelling on the answer instead of the problem. (II Cor. 10:5)
4. See yourself succeed; not fail. (Prov. 4:20-24) Keep the Word in front of your eyes. If the eye is single, the whole body is full of light (Matt. 6:22-23).
5. Testify of what you believe. (Rev. 12:11) Add your testimony to what you have received by the Blood ~ your Redemption.
6. Get involved praying for someone else. (I Tim 2:1-2) Faith works by love. (Gal. 5:6)
7. Get on the giving end. (Lk. 6:38) If you need healing, tell the message of healing to someone else. If you need money, give. It is God?s law ~ you will reap what you sow. C.
Pray for other people:
Interceding in Prayer
General Prayer and the Prayer of Intercession
Preparing to Intercede
A. Purge yourself of uncleanness. (Isa. 43:25-26; II Tim. 2:20-26)
B. Get your Bible. Pray according to the Word. (Jer. 1:12; Eph. 6:17)
C. Realize you are always to pray. (Luke 18:1; I Thes. 5:16-18, 25)
D. Come boldly into the Throne Room. (Luke 11:1-13 [Our Father]; Heb. 4:16)
E. Plan to pray in the name of Jesus. (John 14:14; 16:23)
F. Know that God is hearing you. (Prov. 15:8; I Pet. 3:12)
G. Recognize the power released in prayer. (Isa. 45:11; Jam. 5:16 AMP)
H. Recognize who you are fighting. (Eph. 6:12)
I. Put on your prayer armor. (Eph 6:13-17)
J. Depend on the Holy Ghost in you and learn to trust Him. (I Cor. 14:2, 4-5, 13-18)
A. Pray for the SA Government and all that are in authority.
B. Pray for Spiritual leaders:
1. To open their mouth boldly to speak the Gospel. (Eph. 6:19)
2. That the Word of God be glorified. (II Thes. 3:1-3)
3. To correctly and skillfully teach the Word. (II Tim. 2:15)
4. That the anointing continue to teach him. (I Jn. 2:27)
5. That the gifts of the Spirit operate. (I Cor. 12:8-11)
6. That God's love prevail in them. (Rom. 5:5; I Cor. 13:4-8)
1. Believers:
a. That Christ is formed in them. (Gal. 4:19)
b. That they'll see their inheritance and hope of their calling. (Eph. 1:17-10)
c. That they would be strengthened with all might in the inner man. (Eph. 3:16)
d. That they would be filled with the knowledge of His will. (Col. 1:9-12)
e. That their hearts burn within them as they hear the Word. (Lk. 24:32)
f. That they'll edify themselves by praying in the Spirit. (I Cor. 14:2-4)
g. That they would pray in their understanding, and then pray in the Spirit. (I Cor. 14:15; Rom. 8:26-27)
h. That they would travail in birth for new children to be born in the Kingdom of God. (Isa. 66:8)
2. Unbelievers (including unsaved family members):
a. Jesus came to save the lost. (Lk. 19:10)
b. It's not His will that any perish, but all come to repentance. (II Pet. 3:9)
c. Satan has blinded them from seeing the Gospel. (II Cor. 4:4 )
d. Bind Satan?s activity in their lives. (Matt. 18:18)
e. Pray for them to see and understand the Gospel. (Eph. 1:17-18)
f. Pray for laborers to be sent to them. (Matt. 9:37-38)
g. Pray in the Spirit. (Rom. 8:26-27)
Dr. Tg Badia
