As I sat down to write this blog, a friend texted me that he was going to the emergency room. We live in different states, why would he text me? He knew the power of intercessory prayer. I quickly replied that I was praying for him. Other friends were also praying for him.
The wonderful thing about prayer is that you don’t have to be right next to a person to lift them up to God’s throne of grace for healing. When the doctor saw my friend and examined the problem it was not as severe as it could have been. God did answer prayer and my friend was still able to go to work that day. Wow, the Lord is amazing!
Praise the Lord that He hears and answers our prayers. James 5:16 The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.[1]
Samuel’s Intercessory Prayer for the Israelites Made a Difference
The Israelites had fallen into sin, but in God’s mercy He sent the prophet Samuel to call them back to Him, and to prayerfully intercede for them.
1 Samuel 7:3 Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord.
5 Then Samuel told them, “Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6 So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord.[2]
The Lord Answers Our Prayers
Do you have a sense that the Lord is leading you to intercede for someone? We can be thankful the Lord answers our prayers. Psalm 17:6 I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray. [3]
Jesus makes a stunning, sweeping, glorious promise to us about the power of prayers. John 16:23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. 24 You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. [4]
The Process of Intercessory Prayer
In other words, when we ask God to give us a love for our neighbors, He does. When we ask for patience, He begins to tend to our hearts, uprooting areas of impatience and then provides opportunity to practice patience. When we ask Him to be near to us, His presence sweeps in and surrounds us like a cozy blanketed embrace filled with His peace and strength.
Sometimes learning to trust God with our prayers is like being a toddler. We wobble, waver and fall. But He doesn’t reprimand us. Instead, He encourages us to get back up and try again with his hands held out.
Matthew 17: 20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” [5]
To hear more about the power of intercessory prayer, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/faith-makes-a-difference-samuel
[1-5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.