Intercessory Prayer

3/6/2022

1 Timothy 2:1 "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayer, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people."

Intercessory prayers are ones that we lift up for other people. God's Word speaks of this kind of prayer often. Jesus interceded for others in prayer. He also charges us to even pray for our enemies. This is a lot easier said than done, but it is what we are called to do. 

John 17:15 " I do not ask that you take them out of this world, but that you keep them from the evil one."

Luke 23:34 ""And Jesus said, ' Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'"

Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, Love you enemies and pray for those who persecute you. "

Paul often started his letters with gratitude and prayer for those he was writing to, and encouraged others to lift each other up as well. He both offered intercessory prayer for others, and asked for it as well. 

Philemon 4-6 "I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ."

Colossians 4:2-3 "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mysteries of Christ, on account of which I am in prison-"

Philippians 1:9-11 "And this is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and more discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

1 Thessalonians 5:25 "Brothers, pray for us."

I find intercessory prayer very comfortable, because the focus is on lifting others up to God for their needs. Currently, my intercessory prayer list is very long, because there is truly so much suffering right now in our world. We have all been living through a global pandemic, there is political unrest, and war; there is much to lift up to our Savior. We need to pray for one another in all the trials, storms, and sorrows of life with full faith and trust in our Savior. We need to pray, most importantly however, for others to yield to the saving power Jesus' death on the cross and glorious resurrection. This is the single most crucial intercessory prayer of all.