Persistent intercessory prayer is a gift from the Lord that can change lives. It allows us to plead another person’s case before Him. The primary purpose of intercession is to convey to God what the Holy Spirit inspires within us, thereby releasing His power.
Prayer doesn’t stop at making requests for ourselves; it extends to include others. That is why, with great intensity, Paul urged his co-worker to intercede. 1 Timothy 2:1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.[1] When we find ourselves in need of prayer, having others intercede on our behalf before God’s throne can be a profoundly powerful experience.
Abraham Interceded for Sodom
As the Lord visited Abraham, He told him about the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis 18:21 I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.” 22 The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham. 23 Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked?[2]
Abraham knew that his nephew Lot and his family lived in Sodom and were in great danger. With great urgency, he pleaded with God to spare the city if even fifty, forty, thirty, twenty, or ten righteous people were there. God, in His grace, promised to spare the city for the sake of those few righteous souls.
This Scripture passage illustrates the profound impact of intercessory prayer. It feels as if the intercessor is reaching one hand toward a needy, broken world while the other hand extends to the Lord. Intercession truly offers us a precious opportunity to partner with God in fulfilling His work. One of the gifts of intercession is that we draw closer to God as we pray, seeing those for whom we pray in a different light.
What Can We Learn from Abraham’s Intercessory Prayer?
Interceding before God on behalf of others begins with a relationship with our Savior. When we connect with God, He stirs our hearts to show compassion for others and guides us on what to pray for. Additionally, Abraham illustrates that we can approach the Lord boldly while also showing respect. Genesis 18:27Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes.12
Abraham’s intercession also highlights persistence, as he approaches God six times for the sake of Sodom and Gomorrah. As we reflect on the prayers of Abraham, we realize that the Holy Spirit calls every believer to persistent intercessory prayer. At times, you may feel weary in this duty, struggle to find time to pray, sense God’s absence, question the effectiveness of your prayers, or simply feel exhausted. This week, I hope you feel encouraged as you read about Abraham’s intercession.
To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/interceding-like-abraham
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (1 Ti 2:1). Tyndale House Publishers.
[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ge 18:21–23). Tyndale House Publishers.