Prayers of Intercession

“Prayers of Intercession”

Genesis 18:25-33

Ninth in a Series on Prayer—Oswald Chambers

            Abraham and God are in dialogue about saving righteous people in Sodom because had planned to destroy this city filled with wicked people. Abraham wants to save those who live by God and makes a deal with him. Abraham would find 10 righteous people in Sodom and God would save the city. Abraham is speaking to God and interceding on behalf of Sodom’s righteous people. He is praying to God because he is in dialogue with him.

            Have you ever been in a situation where you hoped people were praying for you, that is interceding on your behalf before God? Maybe it was when you were ill, taking treatments, grieving the death of a loved one, feeling alone and wondering what was to become of you. When you ask others to pray for you, you are asking them to speak to God and bring about a change in your health. But the question is what should we ask for as Christians?

            Chambers writes, “We are all Pharisees until we are willing to learn to intercede. We must go into heaven backward.” We must grow into doing some definite thing by praying not by seeing.” It is a Christian’s duty to pray not to himself or to others, but to Christ.

            Prayer must be thought of as essential work in order for us to grow and understand our daily living. When we pray intercessional prayers we are to let God decide what will happen all we can do is pray on behalf of the other person. If a person has sinned greatly- we can pray for his/her forgiveness  but it is up to God. When a person is very ill we can pray for healing but it is up to God to bring about change and we must be aware that is God’s will that decides. Healing we must also remember includes death unto new life.

            We might say that God knows the things you have need of before you ask. But the purpose of prayer is to get to know God- truly know him and it is in this that we struggle through until we see that He is love and justice. We are to pray and not only for our needs but for the needs of others. And through our praying we will come closer to God.

Quotes from  Oswald Chambers “If You Will Ask: ch 10 Intercession

BLOG QUESTION:

Have you experienced others praying for you? Have you prayed for others and told them that you did? It does make a difference in our lives when we pray because we focus on others needs instead of our own. Praying for others moves us from our needs to those of others but we must always remember that we need to let God answer in his time.

Consider praying for someone you know who is in need right now. Pray and then tell them you will continue to pray for them. Not only will they be lifted up to God you will be too. This is the power of prayer.