What Is Intercessory Prayer
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Many have asked the questions of, what is intercessory prayer, and how do certain types of prayer differ. Intercessory prayer in the simplest terms, is prayer on the behalf of others. The very word comes from a derivation of intercede. When one intercedes for another person they are putting themselves between that person and the situation, much like a mediator. A mediator is one who makes an effort to help two or more people or groups, who are in disagreement, come to terms with each other in the hopes of reconciling differences. Petitioning for someone who is in trouble, or going through a time of difficulty are the chief topics of intervening prayers. Christ can be looked at as a prime example since Jesus is the mediator between God and man.
As one prays they are essentially speaking with or coming to God with the belief that the Lord is listening. When most people think of praying the thought perceived is that the action is one of coming to Christ with personal wants and desires. This can leave people wondering, what is intercessory prayer? While there is nothing wrong with the afore mentioned viewpoint, the fact remains that the Lord encourages those who have accepted Him into their lives, to pray without ceasing; meaning to make mention of the Lord often and on a daily basis. However, coming to the Lord with praise and personal petitions are not the only point to prayer, on the contrary, words are to be sent to Heaven above for others as well. Those who come to God in intercessory prayer care not how one might or might not benefit from whatever the outcome may be. Instead people should pray that God's will be done, and that the purpose be accomplished however Christ sees fit. Christians should live by the example He set and take time to pray for others.
All Christians are to take part in prayer, and pray for all men. Those who have the Holy Spirit residing in them must offer prayers for not only those in need but fellow believers, enemies, neighbors, ministry workers, all must at some point be taken to the Throne of Grace by way of even just a few words. Intercessory prayer training can be important and there are many examples in the Bible of people who acted as intercessors on the account of others: Abraham, Moses, David and Daniel, just to name a few. An excellent example of intercessory prayer can in fact be found in the ninth chapter in the book of Daniel. The prophet was heavily burdened due to the sins of God's chosen people. He came to the Lord with a broken heart and prayed with a fervent passion that God would make those who had turned from Him to repent of the evil they had done. Daniel comes to the Throne of Grace with a humble spirit, and does not boast of himself and demand that the Lord answers him, but rather that God's will be done.
Examples for intercessory prayer training can be found by looking at petitions brought to the Lord found throughout the Scriptures. When Peter, one of Christ's disciples, was put in prison, those of the church prayed without ceasing on his behalf. As the account goes, the Lord sent an angel to the prison where Peter was held captive, and set him free. Peter, then rejoicing came to the people who prayed for his release and they all marveled at what the Lord had done. When Jesus was on the earth He prayed to the Father frequently for those He had been sent to reach. Peter and others encouraged those around them to pray on the behalf of fellow believers during times of struggles and hardships, reiterating the lessons Jesus taught His disciples in how to pray.
For those who still ask the question of what is intercessory prayer, must simply look at the life of Jesus Christ. When Jesus was on the earth He was continually coming to the Father beseeching Him to forgive those who sinned against Him. Ultimately, this was made possible after Jesus was crucified, and willingly gave up earthly life making possible the forgiveness of sins, therefore making possible eternal life with God above. By willingly giving up His life Jesus became the ultimate intercessor, dying so that others might go free by way of being forgiven. He became the mediator between God and man. Taking the place of yearly animal sacrifices by priests, Christ did away with the 'middle man' and provided people with a direct line to the Lord. Now people need only to remember, "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name" (Hebrews 13:15).
Intercessory prayer training can be applicable to all. Anyone who prays on a regular basis can easily be trained to become an intercessor. For starters, those who desire to do so can begin by praying for a willing mind and heart. The most effective intercessors are those who have natural empathy and are sensitive to the wants and needs of others. Training enables people to strengthen personal relationships with Christ and become better at listening for God's guidance. Training programs teach people skills such as praying the Scriptures, leading group prayers, and how to listen for the guidance that comes from the Holy Spirit.
An important fact to keep in mind throughout intercessory prayer training is that no one can at any point know the purpose of God or what is on the Lord's mind to do. Those who pray should not expect to be answered, as the Lord works in His own time and occasionally answers prayers in unexpected ways. People must pray without doubt, fully believing and trusting that they might not always receive an answer, but also patient enough to realize that not only might the eagerly anticipated answer be delayed but when finally coming to fruition might prove to be something unexpected. The answer to the question of what is intercessory prayer can easily be answered by reading through the Scriptures.
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