THE LORD'S PRAYER - Part 3 - INTERCESSION

WHAT IS INTERCESSORY PRAYER?

When you INTERCEDE you are following CHRIST'S EXAMPLE, to PRAY FOR OTHERS. As an INTERCESSOR you must be sensitive to the HOLY SPIRIT. 

* The Holy Spirit brings to mind the face or name of someone.

* God places a practical need upon your heart.

* You may witness something which prompts you to pray.

INTERCESSION BEGINS AND ENDS WITH GOD! After He gives you something to pray about, continue until He wants you to move on to something else. FOLLOW HIS LEADING!

INTERCESSION is a MINISTRY OF SACRIFICE and a MINISTRY OF AUTHORITY, as you await for God to answer your prayers.

"Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. PRAY IN THE SPIRIT on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests. Be alert and always keep PRAYING FOR ALL THE SAINTS."  Ephesians 6: 18-20

When you become an INTERCESSOR two things automatically happen:

1) Instead of receiving, YOU BECOME A GIVER!
2) Instead of your own injuries, your FOCUS IS ON BRINGING HEALING TO OTHERS!

"Pour out your hearts to Him, for He is our refuge.'  Psalm 62:8

GOD CALLS US TO PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER

1) A Promise to Pray

Obviously, we do WANT TO PRAY for people. Our INTENTIONS are good. So how can we FOLLOW THROUGH on our committment to pray? 

* Pray for the person right then and there!

* Keep the prayer quick, simple and focused!

* Trust in God's comfort, love and healing ways!

"The prayer of a righteous person is POWERFUL IN IT'S EFFECT." James 5:16

This can be a meaningful statement: "I'M PRAYING FOR YOU". But no matter how sincere you are, how often do you follow through. When a person is sharing these words with you, these words may seem insincere.

So why do we offer to PRAY FOR OTHERS? We want them to know that they are CARED FOR AND ENCOURAGED; but most of all, we want them to know that THEY ARE IN THE FATHER'S ARMS.

2) Praying in Agreement

When you need answer to prayer do these two things:

1) Find someone who'll AGREE WITH YOU IN PRAYER.

"If two or three on earth agree about anything YOU ASK FOR. it will be done for you by my Father in Heaven."   Matthew 18:19

2) Find a POINT OF CONTACT. It's literally the point at which your NEED comes in contact with your PROVISION. 

"Is anyone among you sick? Let them call on the elders of the Church to PRAY FOR THEM, to ANOINT THEM WITH OIL in the name of the Lord. And the PRAYER, OFFERED IN FAITH, will make the sick person well and raise them up."  James 5:14&15

"So that even the handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Him were taken to the sick and their illnesses were cured." Acts 19:20

"My INTERCESSOR is my friend."  Job 16:20

Many of us want to live in the spotlight, but God's looking for INTERCESSORS. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning. 

Far from the crowd, but seen by the eyes of God, are precious Christians who hold up their hands - GOD IS LOOKING FOR MORE OF THEM!

Through PRAYER you can ask that each day, those in your CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE will be reassured of God's presence.

3) Make Prayer Your First Response

Prayer is a POWERFUL FORCE we all have at our disposal. We must learn to `hit our knees' first, not as a last resort, when `life gives us punches'. 

King David and his men were valiant and victorious on the battlefield, but one day they returned home from battle to find their entire village burnt to the ground. Their enemy had taken all their wives, children and livestock. They had `break down' moments and began to blame David, who was also grieving. 

David's first response was to PRAY, for knew the problem was much bigger than him, BUT NOT GOD. He asked God for some guidance and GOD ANSWERED WITH A PLAN. 

"David was greatly distressed for the people spoke of stoning him....but David strengthened himself in the Lord, his God......David inquired of the Lord, "Shall I pursue the troop?" 1 Samuel 30:6&7

                GOD'S GREATEST WORKS ARE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH PRAYER!

                                                THERE IS NO GREATER MINISTRY, 

                                                         NO HIGHER CALLING AND 

                                                          NO BETTER INVESTMENT.

PRAYERS FOR HEALING

"If you worship the Lord your God, I will bless your bread and your water, I will take your sickness from you."  Exodus 23:25

God promises us he will take away sickness and pain in our lives, and give us a full and blessed life. If we accept this promise, His plans will begin to be fulfilled.

1. Removing Doubt & Having Faith

We need to ask God to remove from us all DOUBT that He is willing and able to heal.  He will give us the FAITH we need, becase FAITH COMES FROM GOD.

"The prayer of FAITH will save Him who is sick."  James 5:13

Today we claim, in faith, God's promise that He will heal, and we live and proclaim His miracles in our lives and the lives of those we pray for. 

"I will not die, I will live and I will tell what the Lord has done."  Psalm 118:17

2) The Laying On of Hands

Laying on of hands is an ACT OF OBEDIENCE to the command of Christ and a POINT OF CONTACT for our FAITH. When we lay hands on the sick, the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT is released to heal them, and miracles happen.

"They will place their hands on sick people and they will get well." Mark 16:18

With the laying on of hands always remember to be respectful and loving towards the person receiving the POWERFUL PRAYER. Lay hands on them BELIEVING that GOD IS USING YOUR HEALING HANDS and that the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS BEING RELEASED to flow through you to heal them. 

3) Cast Out the Spirit of Infirmity

On several occasions Jesus healed the sick by expelling demonic powers. Even though these spiritual beings are real, there is NO NEED TO FEAR. Jesus has full authority over darkness and He gives all believers power. 

Not all diseases are caused by denomic forces, but when we pray for sick people, we can be aware demonic forces may be part of the problem, and we can `cast out the spirit of infirmity.' We can say, "I command you to leave now.  In Jesus name, COME OUT."

PRAYING FOR UNSAVED LOVED ONES

"The Lord is patient.....not wanting anyone to perish, but EVERYONE TO COME TO REPENTANCE."   2 Peter 3:9

The most important prayer we can pray for others, in accordance to God's will, is for the SALVATION OF OTHERS. 

You care for your loved ones, but God cares for them even more. In the name of Jesus we can pray, binding the powers of darkness that are hindering them from coming to the Lord.  We can pray that their eyes will be shut to the lies the enemy is telling them, and `ALL MEN WILL BE SAVED AND COME TO A KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH."