Effective Prayer
When you ask someone to pray for you, you ask that person to join you in a spiritual battle. You are not asking him or her to say some prayers as in wishing you well. Likewise, when someone asks you to pray for them, they are extending you their hand asking for help in a struggle they are involved in. They are asking you to join forces and battle against the enemy forces. The Bible says the battle is the Lord's and it says that we are the body of Christ representing Christ on earth. It is through our testimony that we rule and reign with Christ on earth. But our testimony is not lip service but real, tangible, heavy anointing coming from the glory of God filling the atmosphere, clashing with circumstances, healing the sick, raising the dead, empowering the weak and comforting the broken. Just as the Old Testament prophetically portrays through the smoke and glory filling the temple, Jesus is the temple of God, Jesus is where heaven and earth meet. He is the solution and the fullness of God resides in Him and in His body: the Church. We declare His Kingdom, His rule, His dominion to come through us. And that my friends is real power that we channel from within us to the outside circumstances. He has given us His victory. We can choose to walk in it or discard it.
"The kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21)
I am no expert in intercessory prayer, but I know that there is a lot of mystery in these matters. The thin line between what is up to the Lord to do totally independently from us and what we are to do is a very vague area and can only be kept in the realm of mystery. We are certain of one thing and one thing alone: that the Lord is good and His victory is a done deal.
Many people suffer and many do not get healed. We keep on. Why? Because the Lord is good. We keep on until the Lord tells us to stop. Why? Because He is sovereign. Why do we obey Him? Because He is good! So what defines His goodness is only Him and His revelations to us, which are close and intimate through the cross. God said that He could not keep secrets from Abraham and revealed to him that Lot will be destroyed if he stays in Sodom and Gomorrah. God revealed His plan to a friend. Abraham, however, did not keep quiet. He argued with God and went to save Lot from the destruction which was to fall upon the evil city, he was living in.
"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16)
So the question really is how can we be effective in this thing called intercessory prayer and what are we to expect from people from whom we request prayers.
- Never Give Up: "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." (Luke 18:1)
- Pray in Faith: "The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven" (James 5:15)
- Pray in Christ: "During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." (Hebrews 5:7)
- Pray in the Spirit: "We do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26)
I would like to close by stating that what Jesus did during His earthly ministry, He did for all humanity, and as all humanity. The moment we realize the grace, the treasure and the inheritance that lies in Christ for us, we would not be slow to use it or walk in its fullness. Will all prayers be answered? or will all be healed? Probably not. But we keep on resting in the assurance we have through the Gospel, surrendered to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and battle against the powers of this dark world with the resurrection power that is in us.
The battle is won, the enemy is defeated on the cross, and now is OUR opportunity to step into THAT eternal day of salvation and reap what was sown for our sake: resurrection, healing, deliverance... Heaven on Earth! We live out our union with our High Priest and Intercessor in Heaven and declare the blessings of the Father on earth, through the Holy Spirit.
"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord." (Psalm 27:13-14)
