How to Pray, Part III:
Intercession
Today’s Verse—James 5:16
Pray for one another so that you might be healed. The prayer
of a godly person is powerful. It makes things happen.
Rhoda was so shocked, she shut the door in the man’s face. And it wasn’t just any man. It was the preacher.
Oops . . . In Acts 12, Peter was put into prison for preaching about Jesus. The members of his church gathered in a house and prayed all night for him. At the same time they were praying, an earthquake hit the prison. The chains around Peter’s wrists broke off. He was free!
The first place Peter went after he got out of prison was the house where his friends were praying. He knocked on the door, and a servant girl named Rhoda answered it. Rhoda was so surprised that she shut the door right in his face without even inviting him in! Instead, she ran to tell the others. They didn’t believe her at first. They couldn’t believe the man they were praying for was at their door. They wondered, How did he get out of prison?
When Rhoda finally convinced the others that Peter was there, they said, “Well, for goodness’ sake, open the door!” They shouldn’t have been so surprised. God answers prayer all the time.
Intercession is another part of prayer. It means praying for others. Intercession is important for many reasons. First, it helps us remember those who are struggling. Galatians 6:2 tells us that we need to “carry each other’s heavy loads.”
But the main reason we should pray, or intercede, for others is that prayer works. James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a godly person is powerful. It makes things happen.”
Connie’s Corner
When I first came to Odyssey, I wasn’t a Christian. I met Whit, and he gave me a job at Whit’s End. From day one he started praying for me. I did n’t know it at the time, but every morning before he saw me, he prayed that I would make Jesus my Savior. I didn’t stand a chance! I became a Christian, and I’m pretty sure it had a lot to do with all that praying Whit did.
Why does prayer make things happen? How does it make things happen? We don’t know, but many of us can tell about how prayer has worked in our own lives and in the lives of people we know. A relative is miraculously healed after doctors said there was no hope—because his family prayed for him. A family that is struggling financially suddenly receives money from a surprising source—because their church prayed for them. A college student who has rejected God all her life suddenly makes a decision for Jesus—because her parents prayed for her every day. All of these things can and do happen. And all because of intercession. What a powerful tool God has given us!
Daily Challenge
Begin a prayer notebook or a prayer calendar. Mark down people to pray for each day, and intercede for them. Then, in a few months, look back on your prayer requests and note how things worked out.
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Prayer Theme Memory Verse—1 Thessalonians 5:17
Never stop praying.