“Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner” Hebrews 13:18-19
“Intercession is the priestly ministry of a go-between, someone who stands between heaven and a need on earth and petitions the Father for breakthrough.
“Intercession accelerates God’s purposes in the earth…When evil is looming we can postpone its coming with our prayers; and when good is delayed, we can accelerate its coming with our prayers. There are many things God has purposed for this planet, and they will most certainly happen; the only question is, will they happen in and with and through us? Will we participate? If we don’t pray, God’s purposes will happen, but they will not happen sooner. They will be delayed…
“(God) can wrap this whole thing up whenever He wants to, but He’s looking for a generation that refuses to be bypassed—a generation that’s so desperate to be included that they’re giving themselves to incessant, violent prayer.
“In intercession, you are investing yourself in another person’s life. It’s one of the secrets of the secret place. Our intercessory prayers thus become ‘cords of affection’ which bind the hearts of believers to one another, joining the body of Christ together in the greatest of all virtues—love…Therefore, after loving someone enough to intercede for them, why not find a way to assure them of your prayers? When they know you’ve been praying for them, they will feel and know your love for them.
“Pain is absolutely necessary for the body to be able to repair itself and heal itself. Thus, pain is a gift. It is crucial that we feel the pain of suffering members in the body so that we can rise to repair and heal as needed. Intercession is a response to pain. We cry because we’re in pain. Cries of intercession are the vehement cries of believers beseeching heaven on behalf of one another.
“One of the fantastic mysteries of prayer is how God joins together the international house of affection (the church) through the impassioned support of one another in prayer. Prayer is God’s gift which empowers the body to edify itself in love.
“Do our patterns of prayer indicate that we’re feeling the pain? May the Lord put a holy alarm in our spirits over the powerlessness of the church, and drive us to our knees in an impassioned pursuit of the overcoming authority Christ died to give us!”—Bob Sorge
My Prayer
“I love that quote: ‘Intercession is a response to pain.’ I want more pain, Lord. I need to feel it. Make me feel the pain in Your Body, Lord. Make me feel the pain that Your people feel. We are called ‘the Body of Christ.’ We are Your body, and the pains in the Church are Your pains. How can I say I love You and ignore the sufferings in Your Church. Woe to me if I continue life as normal when Your people suffer so much plundering and disaster. Your people are under intense attack Oh Lord, and I will give myself no rest until relief comes to Your people. Fill me and burden me with what burdens Your heart. May I cry with those who cry. May I weep with the Persecuted Church Oh Lord. Don’t permit my eyes to stay dry for too long. I join my heart with the weeping prophets of old who lamented for Your people. I wail for Your Church. Arise and deliver us, Oh Lord. Deliver Your people from these marauders who ravage Your body. Use me as an intercessor who stands on the wall of Jerusalem. I shall give myself no rest until Zion enters her rest. I know how deceptive my heart can be; so I ask You to fill my heart with Your pain, Lord. Let Your pain make me uneasy until I release it in the place of intercession. Thank You Father for hearing my heart cry today. In Jesus name. Amen.”—Bob Sorge
The Challenge
Decide to enter into the struggles of the Persecuted Church. Don’t stand aloof. If you cannot advocate for them, make a conscious decision to daily pray for the wellbeing of the Church of God. Invite others into the labor of interceding for the Church. As you pray for yourself and your loved ones, deliberately add the needs of the Suffering Church in your prayer time. And the Lord will bless you specially as you so do.
[Read. Pray. Reflect. Comment online: restlesspilgrim.org]
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