12/02/2018
Each morning in your prayers do you pray in intercession for all those around you? Jesus taught us to do this in wonderful fashion as He prayed in the upper room. He prayed first for Himself, then those who were with Him (His disciples), and finally for all believing people. Are you in the habit of praying for others each day? Do you understand the enormity and power of this?
“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”
John 17:24 ESV
If we love others, and I mean truly love them, then we should lift them up in prayer each day. When we do this it is an incredible blessing, and of enormous importance to God. Listen to the three parts of Jesus’ prayer as He prays in the upper room with His disciples...
First, Jesus prays for himself:
“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.”
John 17:1-2 ESV
second, Jesus prays for His disciples:
“For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.”
John 17:8-9 ESV
and finally, Jesus prays for all believing people:
“I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”
John 17:23-24 ESV
Each morning I pray in similar fashion. I begin my prayers by asking that the Father forgive my sins, those I have committed knowingly, unknowingly, and by absentia. I do this for two reasons. The first is a rather personal one to insure that I am made pure so that my faith is unblemished, and the second is so that I am made worthy to stand before God, and lift up my prayers in the name of Jesus.
Then, I lift up each member of my immediate family by name, and pray for them individually. I pray for my wife, all of my children, their spouses (or if unmarried then who they are dating), my grandchildren, my parents, my brothers and sisters and their spouses, and my niece and nephews. Then, because I don’t know many of their names, I pray in mass for all of my grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. I pray for such things as their salvation, health, healing, protection, provision, that they recognize God’s will for them, they hear His calling, have creativity, inspiration... well the list is long and specific.
Then, similar to my family I lift up specific persons that the Lord has placed before me. A few of them I have been asked to pray for each day for the rest of my life... which is an incredible calling that I take very seriously, and as of today these are pastors that I have specifically been asked to pray for in some manner; some for their protection, some for their calling, some for their faith, some that they hear God’s will and not their own, some that their ministry receive inspiration... well this list is long, and very personal as well, and the Lord leads me specifically in how I am to pray for each of them as I call them out by name.
Finally, I pray for the souls of all my friends, enemies, and strangers, who are believers, and even those that may not believe yet, but that I am confident the Lord can call, and whose lives will be changed by faith. Sometimes I pray for these as I drive to work in the morning because it reminds me, as I pass the many many cars and buildings filled with people, just how incredibly vast this number is, and how great our God is that He is working in each and every one of these lives... and millions of others like them. It gives more than substance to my prayer... it allows me to feel the volume and enormity of it... to know that my one prayer emanates from here, but reaches around the world, and across all of creation. This is the power of my prayer, and the name of Jesus by whom I lift it up.
You might think that you are insignificant or occupy a tiny pinpoint in God’s vast creation, and the eternity of heaven, but you are much more than that. God spoke all of creation into existence with a word, and from your perceived pinpoint of existence your word of prayer explodes forth in similar fashion into all of life and faith through the name of Jesus Christ, and the being of God Himself. When we are told that our prayers are heard by God that means that they are at once made eternal and their substance and impact is felt wherever God exists... everywhere. Have you ever considered the enormity of your prayers in such manner? Have you seen yourself in this way, and if who you are in Christ?
“The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
John 17:22-23 ESV
Pray for others today! It will take you a while to remember the names, and hear the Lord as He tells you how to pray for each of those around you... but He will, and you will not only bless, but you will be blessed. Your prayers will begin to burst forth through Jesus in power, and glorify God.
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for prayer, and this way in which I can speak with you. I thank you Holy Father for giving my voice power as I pray to you in the name of Jesus, and at once fill all of creation and beyond with the words we exchange. Help me Lord to pray in your will, and to reach out to you as Jesus did for not only my own self and forgiveness, but for my family, and then all of those around me. Teach me Merciful Father how to pray in intercession and love as Jesus does, and to place my own comfort aside as I seek you through tears, and perhaps even blood, as I reach out to you on the behalf of their souls. Open my eyes Gracious Father to the enormity of who I am, and what I do as I pray. Let the flash of my prayers as they explode forth from my prayer closet, my car, or wherever I find myself, be a beacon to all those who would know you, and come to pray as Jesus did, and as your saints do. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who hears our prayer and folds them into the very fabric of life, both spirit and worldly. Great are you, and as you hear and answer prayer, the recipient of all praise and glory! Hallelujah Father, Hallelujah!
“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Ephesians 6:16-20 ESV
Rich Forbes