2022_08_01 Insight Post- Kim Feld

Intercession (praying for others) has become a big part of my prayer life, but that wasn’t always the case. My prayers for others often lacked consistency, although I prayed for my own issues with regularity. In recent years, I’ve noticed that God has a way of changing my outlook when I intentionally spend focused prayer time on others. I once heard Beth Moore say that intercession guards us against self-obsession, and I firmly believe those are words you can bank on. There’s nothing sweeter than seeing God answer a prayer you’ve been lifting to Him!

Paul’s prayers for the young churches, their leaders, and members have always been challenging and convicting to me. His words remind me of the power of prayer and the privilege we have in bringing others to the throne of God. In Romans 9, Paul shares his heart for his fellow Israelites who have not recognized Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah. He makes a shocking statement in Romans 9:1-3 (NLT):

“With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. ² My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief ³ for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ! —if that would save them.” 

I keep a list of family members and friends who have not accepted Jesus’ gift of salvation, and I pray for them daily as part of my intercession time. The depth of grief that Paul feels over his Jewish brothers and sisters who are far from Christ encourages me to examine how I pray for salvation for others. It can be hard to maintain the fervor of prayer when time, in some cases years, passes with seemingly no results. I have found 24-7 Prayer (2022) to be a great resource and encouragement in developing my prayer life. Here are four things they suggest in praying for others:

1. Be confident: We have a God who loves us and loves to hear what’s on our hearts. We can be assured that He will listen because our prayers are important to Him.
2. Be specific: Let God know what you want Him to do in the situation or for the person.
3. Be expectant: God loves those we pray for even more than we do! He is the giver of all good gifts.
4. Be persistent: Sometimes, we need to keep asking. Look at what Jesus said in Matthew 7:7 (NLT): “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

Paul models all these things in his prayers for others and is an excellent example for us to follow. May God break our hearts for those far from Him, just as He did Paul’s.

Kim Feld
Executive Director of Education and Outreach

Reference: 24-7 Prayer. (2022). Petitioning God for others. https://www.24-7prayer.com/prayer_guide/petitioning-god-for-others/