Prayer Versus Intercession

Based on the book Becoming a Prayer Warrior by Elizabeth Alves        

·        Prayer starts with us and what we know to be the obvious facts as we bring those facts before God.  God will then take over and you will pray what is on your heart and mind until you have prayed it through. 

·        Many times prayer will lead to intercession.  During intercession God takes over and you are praying in ways you do not understand or have facts on for individuals. 

·        Intercession differs from prayer in that it starts and ends with God. 

·        Observation: You may be driving along and someone will come to your mind, maybe a sense of urgency about a friend or relative, or even a person you haven’t thought about in years.  This is God speaking to you.  Sometimes you won’t understand why you are praying what you are praying, but as you are obedient to pray what you are sensing, God will is done on earth.  Sometimes God will allow you to know the outcome; other times He won’t.  Our responsibility is to be obedient and intercede.

Power of Prayer

·        Prayer can cause God to relent.

·         (Relent means to become more sympathetic or amenable and do something previously ruled out or allow something previously forbidden.)

·        Many times the fate of the world is not in the hands of governors or presidents, but in the hands of mighty intercessors.

·        Not only does the Lord change Him mind when His people pray, but He also gives revelation knowledge and the mind of God through His Holy Spirit. 

·        As we pray, God will pinpoint a problem area in someone’s  life or in a situation, allowing you to see as He sees.  Read Luke 10:22

·        The role of intercession is a sacred trust between the intercessor and God.

·        The intercessor must carefully guard the secrets God reveals during prayer and be obedient to share only when the Lord directs. 

·        Read Matthew 11:25; Philippians 3:15