And He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor [no one to intervene on behalf of truth and right]; therefore, His own arm brought Him victory, and His own righteousness [having the Spirit without measure] sustained Him.
—ISAIAH 59:16, AMPC
PROPHETS ARE OFTEN hidden from view. They do most of their work in secret. Prophets don’t need platforms, though God may give them one. Prophets don’t have to be seen, though God may highlight them.
Prophets hate the hype and sensationalism they see on many ministry platforms. Prophets pray, weep, study, and minister to the Lord in secret. What God shows them in secret they speak to the world. Prophets love the solitary place. The Bible tells us that Jesus prayed in secret: “In the morning, rising up a great while before sunrise, He went out and departed to a solitary place. And there He prayed” (Mark 1:35).
The prophetess Anna is a picture of an intercessory prophet. She served the Lord by fasting and praying night and day, never departing from the temple (Luke 2:36–38).
All types and methods of prayer—intercession; supplication; asking; seeking; knocking; pleading; requesting; calling on; crying out; standing in the gap, in the closet, in the secret place, in the spirit; watching; lifting up; persevering; prevailing; wrestling; weeping; laboring; travailing; birthing; groaning—make up the prayer life of a prophet. And most of this will be done in secret.
This is what Jesus taught us to do:
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
—MATTHEW 6:6, NKJV
Prophets understand the importance of developing intimacy with God. They know how to withdraw and get with God. Building intimacy with God is one of the prophet’s strengths.
Intimacy is about developing a close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with another person or group. By fasting, praying, and ministering to the Lord, prophets draw near to God and cultivate the ability to hear His voice. Prophets love being alone with God. They love ministering to the Lord through worship.
My beloved speaks and says to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
—SONG OF SONGS 2:10
Prophets devote themselves to prayer and studying the Word so they can know the mind of the Lord. When we know what God is doing and wants to do, we can pray more effectively. As blogger Ron McKenzie wrote, “The prophet watches over the word of the Lord and prays it into being. He must not rest until God has fulfilled His word.”1
Prophets are tenacious in prayer. Once prophets get a burden, they will pray it through, no matter how long it takes. They will hold on to a prayer assignment for years if they have to. When prophets get a burden, they cannot shake it. They carry that burden. That burden is their assignment from the Lord. They try sometimes to shake it, but it will not leave them. You might as well deal with the burden, because it is not going anywhere. A burden is a weight, something the prophet carries. It can be a message, a ministry, or an assignment.
The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
—HABAKKUK 1:1, KJV
Prayer is also one of the ways we release the will of God upon the earth. We must study the Word of God in order to know the will of God. This is why prayer and the Word must be combined. Daniel was able to pray effectively because he knew the Word of God concerning His people (Dan. 9:2–3). We should pray with understanding (1 Cor. 14:15). Understanding the will of God will help us pray correctly. The Word of God is the will of God. We are not to be unwise; we are to understand what the will of the Lord is (Eph. 5:17). Prayer also helps us walk perfectly and completely in all the will of God (Col. 4:12).
The Lord’s ears are open unto the prayers of the righteous (1 Pet. 3:12). The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (Jas. 5:16). We are told to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17).
We serve a God who hears and answers prayer. All flesh should come to Him in prayer (Ps. 65:2). All believers have similar challenges, and all believers can overcome these challenges through prayer. God is no respecter of persons—He is near to all who call upon Him (Ps. 145:18). The Lord will hear your supplication and will receive your prayers (Ps. 6:9).
Calling upon the Lord will bring salvation and deliverance from your enemies (Ps. 18:3). This has always been a key to deliverance. You can pray yourself out of any adverse situation. The Lord is your helper. God will not turn away your prayers (Ps. 66:20). God will not despise your prayers (Ps. 102:17). The prayers of the upright are God’s delight (Prov. 15:8).
I love the Lord because he hears my prayers and answers them. Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I breathe!
—PSALM 116:1–2, TLB
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I call upon You for You have promised to show me great and mighty things (Jer. 33:3). Lord, I know that because of the covenant I have with You through Jesus, You take delight in answering my prayers. Even before I call, You have promised to answer (Isa. 65:24). Therefore, I take great delight in yielding to You, the great intercessor, that You might release all manner of effectual prayer through me.