“I’ll pray for you.” How often do we say those words to someone but do we actually follow through and lift them up before God’s Throne Room of Grace? I believe our intentions are good but so often we do not do as we promised. Maybe our response to someone who is struggling with an issue is for us nothing more than a way to express concern and we really don’t think of it as a promise. Have you ever had someone come up to you sometime later after you said you would pray for them and thank you for your prayers and you had forgotten you had agreed to pray for them? (I doubt that you would ever acknowledge that you had forgotten to pray for them!)

God has given the gift of intercessory prayer; it is a privilege that God grants His followers to pray on behalf of another. This honor is not limited to a special class of “super-Christians” as some sort of specific ministry but every disciple of Christ is encouraged to uplift others in prayer. As a disciple of Christ, one who has made a conscious decision to accept salvation in Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit indwells you and as the Apostle Paul records for us in Romans 8:26-28 – we can ask the Holy Spirit to intercede in our prayers that we may pray in harmony with God’s own will.  You may not know, or need to know, the specifics of someone else’s difficulties but Paul assures us that the Holy Spirit will intercede on our behalf even when we don’t have the words to express our desire before God. Paul also encouraged the believers in Ephesus to “Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:18)

Samuel, the last and greatest Judge, who also acted as a priest and prophet, stated to the Israelites: “I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you.” (1 Samuel 12:23) God wants His children to understand the value of intercessory prayer.

Today as you consider pausing at noon to Bend-A-Knee in prayer may you take advantage of the opportunity to uplift others in prayer. May you follow through with your promise to intercede on behalf of another. May you become a strong prayer warrior taking the responsibility very seriously spending more than a passing moment but concentrated effort in the presence of Almighty God on behalf of others. What a blessing to know that you have taken advantage of God’s invitation to uplift another in prayer.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Mike