Intercession Tutoring

[TozerBGood]

Do you pray numerous times for the same request?

Luke 18: 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

This example is in regards to asking for justice from God. But God doesn't simply promise anything you ask (regardless of what some interpretations might say), because what you're asking must be within the will of God (IMO),

What I have noticed, is that if God wills something, and you are the one interceding, He will usually lay it on your heart somehow, and it will be a very natural thing to pray for, because your heart has been motivated with the same intent that God has.

However I have also at times...mistakenly started praying for things that I thought were the Lord's will, but were obviously not. I don't like it when that happens very well, but it does happen now and then...I am not perfect.

This is just me...and someone else may feel different, but what I try not to do is this repetitive rambling off of the same prayer every day...like reading off a shopping list to God. But instead, as I go throughout the day, and as I pay attention to God (commune with Him), thoughts and ideas will form, and I will pray about different aspects of a situation, as the thoughts come. Sometimes I will pray the same things, it just depends. What I don't do is get on a guilt trip thinking I'm not praying enough about something. Often I will ask the Lord more than once, and there is nothing in the bible that says this is wrong - however I believe we should avoid "vain repetitions" in prayer..

One thing I learned from my mother is to have a prayer board...a cork board to pin pictures up on, and a location where you see it quite often (like in a family room or something). We have pictures of things or people that help us focus, and remind us. Of course all of our kids pics are on the board, but we change the pics, and it's just a really useful tool, to cause us to think and ponder about the issues, and try to gain God's perspective on a situation.

Hope that helps.

When interceding in prayer, I think this should be kept in mind.

 

[TozerBGood]

Note Job's example

1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

4 His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

It always struck me as strange, that Job's kids were destroyed, in spite of his prayers...which I think has to do with the free will of his kids. 1st Tim 2:4 says God wants all men to be saved, but it is obvious He does not get what He wants in this, because He gave us free will. In the same manner, I can pray for Dan (the guy at work I mentioned before), and nothing may be accomplished. Does that mean I should stop praying? I think not, because who knows what the future holds besides God...Eh? And when we pray...we pray in hope for things not yet seen.

Job is shown to not be wrong for praying and sacrificing for his children in Ch. 42, where God instructs his accusers to get bulls & rams and go to Job to sacrifice and pray for them. This shows that God accepted Job in a role of mediation, even though the priest hood had not been created yet (edit: which is to say that I believe Job was around before the priest hood of Arron's lineage, but after Abraham who is called the Father of those who believe - this opinion is debatable of course).

7 After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. 8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

 

[tturt]

thanks TozerBGood.

posted: "I firmly believe that intercession is prophesy. It's proclaiming God's promises into somebody's life. A very important part of intercession is confessing somebody's sins before the Lord, for they are unable to do it themselves (if you are interceding for an unsaved person)."

I understand proclaiming Yahweh's promises but could you elaborate on confessing someone else's sins before Him?

 

[FlowerGirl18]

Well, according to what I've been learning in my Bible college so far, confessing someone else's sins before the Lord is admitting before God that the person you are lifting up in prayer is a sinner but cannot repent yet for their heart is hardened. It also means that you ask God to soften that person's heart so that they can receive the free gift of salvation and forgiveness that was given to us almost 2000 years ago. That's what I've been taught and that's what I am practicing, when praying for the unsaved. And if I am wrong, I am wrong. I am always open to correction.

 

[mourningdove~]

Nita also says this to the nagging question "Why does God heal some, and not others?"

TozerBGood: Thank you for sharing the Nita Edwards quotes.

I'm wondering if you would share the source from which you are quoting her? (A book of hers maybe?)

 

[TozerBGood]

TozerBGood: Thank you for sharing the Nita Edwards quotes.

I'm wondering if you would share the source from which you are quoting her? (A book of hers maybe?)

Yes of course. I wan't able to post links at first, but now I can. Thanks for asking.

The book covering her early biography is called "Miracle In The Mirror" by Mark Buntain. The book is on Amazon and you can see it by clicking HERE. Since the book is no longer in print, there are plenty of used ones for sale.

ASIA ALIVE website is now called ALIVEGLOBAL... click HERE.

As I mentioned before, they have a ministry of intercession and teaching others how to interceed in prayer (which you don't see too much of these days). But they are also still busy in Asia, and are now in the process of an Internet Radio broadcast for the purposes of evangelism.

As far as links to the quotes I made of her...
Click HERE (regarding intercession)
and Click HERE regarding why God heals some and not others

If you had met her, like I have, it would be so evident to all what a heart for evangelism and intercession and walking close to the Lord she has, and add a sense of humor to that as well (meaning you can joke around with her - she's not a stuffy type).

Hope that helps

 

[mourningdove~]

Yes of course. I wan't able to post links at first, but now I can. Thanks for asking.

The book covering her early biography is called "Miracle In The Mirror" by Mark Buntain. The book is on Amazon and you can see it by clicking HERE. Since the book is no longer in print, there are plenty of used ones for sale.

ASIA ALIVE website is now called ALIVEGLOBAL... click HERE.

As I mentioned before, they have a ministry of intercession and teaching others how to interceed in prayer (which you don't see too much of these days). But they are also still busy in Asia, and are now in the process of an Internet Radio broadcast for the purposes of evangelism.

As far as links to the quotes I made of her...
Click HERE (regarding intercession)
and Click HERE regarding why God heals some and not others

If you had met her, like I have, it would be so evident to all what a heart for evangelism and intercession and walking close to the Lord she has, and add a sense of humor to that as well (meaning you can joke around with her - she's not a stuffy type).

Hope that helps

Thank you very much, TozerBGood. It does.

 

[TozerBGood]

Well, according to what I've been learning in my Bible college so far, confessing someone else's sins before the Lord is admitting before God that the person you are lifting up in prayer is a sinner but cannot repent yet for their heart is hardened. It also means that you ask God to soften that person's heart so that they can receive the free gift of salvation and forgiveness that was given to us almost 2000 years ago. That's what I've been taught and that's what I am practicing, when praying for the unsaved. And if I am wrong, I am wrong. I am always open to correction.

You just keep on doing what you have been taught sister. May the Lord bless you in it. I would like to share this story of a mother who did something similar with her family.

The true (and quite amazing) story is called "Mother's Wonder Working Words" as recorded by her son Hegge Iverson (whom I met a few years ago). Some of it may not fit within certain doctrinal belief's, but God used it nevertheless.

I just love that about the Lord, as He doesn't allow Himself to be defined by our doctrinal belief's, and will not be pinned down by them. He works in the ways he sees fit, and there often seems to be no good doctrinal explanation for it.

This story can be read by clicking HERE.

 

[Red Lacewing]

Just memorize scripture and let the holyspirit take over and he'll pray for you...pll seem to make it alot complicated..sometimes..I thought I had to memorize others prayers and pray them verbatim..but I don't ..thats what my pastor calls a mechanical prayer... but all you gotta do is just get the scriptures in your head and let God use you. Thats it hat's all... so simple

 

[TozerBGood]

Just memorize scripture and let the holyspirit take over and he'll pray for you...pll seem to make it alot complicated..sometimes..I thought I had to memorize others prayers and pray them verbatim..but I don't ..thats what my pastor calls a mechanical prayer... but all you gotta do is just get the scriptures in your head and let God use you. Thats it hat's all... so simple

Yeah..I hate it when I find myself doing "mechanical praying". Been there done that for sure. It seems to come when I make these "well laid out plans" for when I'm going to pray, read the word, etc. It can take the place of true love for...and intimacy with... Jesus (if you're not careful). Our flesh seems to have a tendency towards mechanical routine.

Reading the word mechanically is also a danger I think. I find that I can read the word and absorb it mentally, but without digesting it spiritually. Digesting it spiritually usually seems to involve making a real decision about what you are going to actually do about it when the LORD shows you something.

Jesus said that His sheep know His voice, and that always involves true love I think.

 

[tturt]

Yeah, I understand what you're saying, I don't like it when my prayers are mechanical either but like it when I can recall appropriate Scripture.

I Posted earlier: could you elaborate on confessing someone else's sins before Him?

Thanks for answering. Many pray those type prayers I just didn't know it was considered confessing someone else's sins. Thanks for the explanation/clarification.

 

[TozerBGood]

I Posted earlier: could you elaborate on confessing someone else's sins before Him?

Click HERE to see post_#22 which I believe addresses this.

Job confessed and sacrificed for his children's sins, even ones he didn't know about.

Also Daniel's prayer in Dan Ch 9, he confesses the sins of Israel even though he is not a priest.

 

[tturt]

Thanks!

 

[Walkingchipmunk]

Tozer,
Thanks for all the stories.

I too find ministry at work. Many of the guys wouldn't be caught dead seeing a therapist or counseling professional. Yet they are in need just as much as the 'general population' with the same baggage and hurts.

I'm working on 'living out loud' there. God brought the blessing of another (younger) Christian brother, but he's in a tough spot now, so I'm still on my own forging my own path.

More stories any time brother.

WC

 

[TozerBGood]

OK. Here’s another one. As a family we were in the habit of going on Christian retreats to seek the Lord. I firmly believe that Christians need time away from work and the daily grind, so that they can do this, at least 1, 2, or 3 times a year for refreshing in the Spirit, and seeking direction. We often go and spend a week or weekend at http://christianrenewalcenter.com just outside of Silverton, Oregon.

One year while up there, I was asking the Lord how I may be used by Him, and it popped into my head that I could easily use my guitar, and singing and minister to the elderly in care centers. So with this idea (vision) in my head, I waited on the lord to see if He would bring it about…make it happen. I was willing.
I talked to my wife about it, and she was willing also.

We then talked to a couple of friends about it, and within a few days, they called us back, and said that an owner of a local care center had talked to them in their church, and was looking for someone to come there and hold services at their care center. So it certainly seemed like the Lord was opening the doors, and we all agreed to do this on Sunday afternoons after church.

So the first Sunday was kind of awkward, since we had no large print song books that these old folks could read, and I was wondering how we might acquire some. It turned out, that very week... my wife and I were in the process of refinancing our home (which the Lord had bought for us, but that is a different story altogether). The guy from the bank had come over to our house to sign refinance papers, and he noticed my guitar sitting there and asked about it, and I told him we were using it at a care center, but we didn’t have any good songbooks.

He then says, well this just may be divine providence, because I happen to have 2 boxes of large print song books in the trunk of my car, and I was planning on taking them to the goodwill, but it looks like you could use them more, and they are yours if you want. The songbooks were EXACTLY what we were looking for.

So again, I was at the point, that if the Lord was opening these doors, who was I to not walk through them. We thanked him and prayed together for the ministry the Lord had started.

 

[TozerBGood]

Now the funny thing about the elderly at care centers is they are forgotten people…for the most part. Many people there, have been placed there by their children who just couldn’t take care of them at home. Some were placed there by their spouses who couldn't take care of them. Many of them rarely have visitors.

But they all know how to sing the old hymns.

And so on Sunday afternoons the whole care center could hear us singing in the dining room where we would meet, praising God and the sound could be heard down the halls of the whole place. So many curious people would come and stand in the hall outside the door and listen.

One such woman (Martha) for weeks would stand outside the hall, but would not come in at first. After a few weeks, she would finally come in and stand at the back. After a few weeks more, you would see her in the back sobbing when we would sing.

Finally one of the people with us went and talked to her, and asked her if she would like to receive Christ and she did. After that she would come in and stand in the front, and every time we sang she would start sobbing. The song she liked the best was "When the roll is called up yonder". And at the end of each service she would come up to me and give me a big hug and slobbery kiss on my cheek. She couldn’t talk very well, but it was so obvious the gratitude in her eyes for being saved.

A few weeks later she died and went to the Lord.

Within a week after that, we got a call from her family…a family of atheists. It turned out that Martha had been a staunch atheist all her life, she had never once stepped into a church her whole life. Her kids and her siblings had no idea what to do for a funeral service and so they knew that she had received Christ while at the care center (apparently she had told them about it), and not knowing what else to do they decided that they wanted us to do a funeral service for her, and we agreed to do the service.

I tell you it was so strange, we held this service with them...talking about Martha, and how she had received Christ, and the difference it had made in her, and essentially preaching to a group of atheists who had asked us to do just that! And we sang Martha’s favorite hymn... (just picture in your mind...these nervous atheists... singing "When the roll is called up yonder"). And of course we had quite a serious discussion about Christ with her kin. It was the strangest thing I’d ever experienced, but you know how God moves in mysterious ways.

 

[TozerBGood]

It's not for everyone, but if there are any reading this, and feel that they might be interested in ministering at care centers...it is the most easy pickings in the world for getting people saved. It has been one of the most fruitful endeavors in my whole life doing this. And except for a few cranky people (the ones determined to not be saved)... just about EVERYONE is happy to have you there doing that (especially the staff). We are constantly being thanked by the staff, since it makes a huge difference to the elderly people under their care. they have always gone out of their way to help us.

Care centers are filled with people who are near the end, and the grace of God has given them the time to ponder their lives, and salvation.

If you want to pick some easy fruit, you can do it at your local care center. But be prepared for some pretty strange folk. Some of them are so far gone, they just sit there and yell and curse, and the staff keeps them sedated if needed.

Most of them though are happy to have someone visit them, and it helps if you have a musical talent (piano, or guitars...whatever). They usually love singing old hymns.

 

[Walkingchipmunk]

Tozer,

I was just asking my pastor last week if I could play instrument at the nursing home he pastors on weekdays. Man, you gotta be reading my mail! I would so love to play there now and again. Especially in a nursing home environment, a little music would be powerful to break the usual noise. One of my favorite jobs was working in a retirement community, building relationships with the folks there. And yup, played the piano there.

I'm sitting here just blown away.

WC

 

[TozerBGood]

Tozer,

I was just asking my pastor last week if I could play instrument at the nursing home he pastors on weekdays. Man, you gotta be reading my mail! I would so love to play there now and again. Especially in a nursing home environment, a little music would be powerful to break the usual noise. One of my favorite jobs was working in a retirement community, building relationships with the folks there. And yup, played the piano there.

I'm sitting here just blown away.

WC

Yeah, I had this period of time a few years back, where EVERY SINGLE WEEK, the Lord would be showing me something in my life, and then I'd go to church that Sunday, and there the pastor would be talking about it.

Lord, please guide us and help us to walk in wisdom... with an open ear... and a willing heart. And please bless WC... opening the doors that no one may shut... in Jesus' name.

 

[Walkingchipmunk]

Thanks for the prayer. This may have been the answer: This is a bit-o-revelation from a couple of nights ago. Not sure what I think about it yet, but Dear Wife (DW) and I have decided to try it for a week, just to see. As with any spiritual discipline, the idea is to stay away from legalism, and be moved by the Spirit.

Imagine on the drive to work, you see a jogger. You drop a quick prayer of protection and blessing. To your surprise, the jogger turns, in your direction and flashes a thumbs up! Later you see a harried mother yelling at her child, doesn't seem like she'll stop. You pray for peace and His presence into her day. Suddenly as you watch, her shoulders drop, she leans on her car and the child becomes compliant! You see a young kid on a motorcycle splitting lanes, zipping in and out of traffic. You send an angel to watch over that guy, and soon enough the bike straightens out, slows a bit, and you for sure see a shimmery hand waving at you from the rear seat of the bike.

Shouldn't we be praying as if that were the case? The Bible says that it is. If we ask anything in His name and according to His will, we know we have it (I John 5:14, Matthew 18:19, John 14:14, John 16:23). Even if we don't see the results, the prayers are still answered right?

If we don't pray for the folks around us, who will? What will their day be like because no-one prayed? If we have an obligation to pray, and we neglect that, what does that say about us? Is that tantamount to seeing someone and saying "you're not worth praying for"? Weather or not they do something to attract our attention, isn't EVERYONE who crosses our path, a divine appointment? Shouldn't our every exhale be a breathed prayer for someone?

Blessings,
WC