“Out of a very intimate acquaintance with D. L. Moody, I wish to testify that he was a far greater prayer than he was preacher. Time and time again, he was confronted by obstacles that seemed insurmountable, but he always knew the way to overcome all difficulties. He knew the way to bring to pass anything that needed to be brought to pass. He knew and believed in the deepest depths of his soul that nothing was too hard for the Lord, and that prayer could do anything that God could do.” R. A. Torrey
Interceding for Others
I wonder if you are like me. There have been a few times in my life where I felt completely incapacitated and I was unable to pray. I didn’t have any idea how or what to pray. Life swirled out of control and I was lost and without words. God felt far away.
While in this pit, the prayers of other believers sustained me and led to my eventual freedom. Praying for others, interceding for them, are prayers of particular power. These prayers are usually offered out of an unselfish heart. They are prayers seeking the Lord’s intervention into a life that is unable or unwilling to ask.
Interceding prayer empowers God to move in a person’s life. Remember we covered this in an earlier post (click here).
What I find fascinating, as my relationship and prayer life have grown, I am awakened in the night with a prompting to pray. Usually God will give me one name and I bring this person, by name, before the throne. I often pray for protection or intervention. Prayers for others are critical to God’s purposes on this planet.
I want to share a true story about how this works:
My friend Val was awakened in the middle of the night. On her mind was a young woman who is married to one of the pastors of our church. Val was immediately compelled to pray for her. She held this young woman up before the throne of our King, asking for intervention, and safety. Val does not remember how long she prayed but recalls praying fervently because the Holy Spirit obligated her.
Several days later Val and her friend had a chance meeting. Val began to tell her friend about how she was awakened to pray for her in the night. Her friend asked, “What night and what time did you begin to pray?”
Val told her the approximate time. Her friend’s face drained of all color and she stood motionless. She looked at Val and told her that was the precise hour she began to experience the beginning of a miscarriage.
Val said that since that night, she is convicted to pray anytime the Master asks. She will always respond, even in the middle of the night because someone needs God’s involvement.
It is not always clear why we need to pray for others or what our prayers avail. What I do know is that believing prayer is powerful. God often calls his servants to pray at night. Perhaps that is the only time we are truly quiet enough to hear His voice. I know that one day I will see the result of the quiet prayers, uttered in the darkness.
Assignment: Obedience is the greatest gift we can give to our King. Out of love we obey. The assignment is to become obedient when the Lord calls you to pray.
Questions:
Has God awakened you to pray in the middle of the night?
Tell me what God asked of you.
Be blessed this day, Lynn
Leave a Reply