An Invitation to Intercede

The places Jesus would take His disciples to pray and intercede were very familiar to them – quiet places of solitude, where Jesus and the disciples would not be disturbed or distracted. Jesus’ commitment to meet with the Father in this way surely would have deeply affected the disciples; they would have observed the powerful relationship between Jesus and the Father, one that revealed Jesus’ dependence on His Father. When He would leave those times of prayer He seemed confident, assured in the direction and mission as He led His disciples. Yes, His steps were ordered by the Lord.

The excitement of intercession – being used by God:

Many years ago (while serving in Kenya, East Africa) I discovered a leaflet which had been left in our sitting room following a large gathering of pastors for prayer. It was a very powerful prayer/intercession time. The leaflet was about intercession and was entitled, “The Weapons of our Warfare”. I began to seek the Lord to have a greater understanding of the key verses from 1 Cor. 10, verses 3 -5. My whole life of prayer/intercession changed and it became an adventure. I began to discover some of the many ways He invites us to intercede.

Some of the many ways we are invited to intercede:

Dreams – I was sharply awakened in the night by a dream; it was incredibly real. We were serving in the desert area of Kenya and knew the struggles of “outback” living. This dream was about a pastor who supported our work and the dream concerned a struggle he was experiencing with his daughter; I immediately dropped to my knees and began to pray for them. This went on throughout the day. Finally, I wrote a brief letter to this pastor’s wife and within weeks received an answer. During the very time of my dream, the pastor and his daughter were on a mission trip somewhere in the jungles of South America when the daughter became very ill with an extremely high temperature. They were finding it difficult to get to a hospital. Prayer seemed to open a way for them. How exciting to be used by God in such a way.

Visions – For a very long time during my prayer times I would have a vision of a lady, very humble in dress and appearance. This went on for years with no answer as to why I was seeing this until Steve and I were in Mexico. I was speaking at a women’s meeting and gave an invitation for salvation. As I went from person to person praying over them, I noticed a short lady next in line. I lifted her head to speak with her and discovered “the lady in the visions I was having.” The pastor’s wife, who translated for me, informed me that she was from a tribe in the mountains that they had been praying about and desiring to reach. How glorious!

Burdens – The Lord will often share with us things that are very important to Him. To us they become burdens that require our entering into intercession with the Holy Spirit. They are never meant to weigh us down, but for us to have the glorious opportunity to join with His Holy Spirit and experience the beauty of victory through prayer/intercession.

I’m sure these are just a few of the many ways God invites us to intercede. These are adventures; there is purpose and mission in this call to intercede. Let us not hesitate to accept His invitation.

Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”