LET US PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER
"He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him." - Isaiah 59:16
If Christians are no longer moved to pray for one another, the onslaught of the enemy against the church will only continue. When we can only learn lesson and not take time out to pray for that backsliding brother, our sheepfold will never be complete.
We are members of the same body so that we can help each other out, we must stand in the gap and mention our brethren in our prayers. I'm not talking about 'God bless my friends and family' kind of general prayer here. We must take the need of people's frailties, lack, disappointments and agony to God.
If we don't pray for the brethren, our faith will not be secured, there will be blasphemy against God's name when there is ill toward a fellow brother. That man who is going through hard time is our brother, that woman is your sister, they need us to pray for them lest they be weary.
The ministry of intercession has been neglected in the church, we would rather preach about it than pray for the situation, we think we are in an assembly where it is all man for himself, no! It is a race of all man for ourselves. We must not break the rank. We must seek the welfare of our brethren by taking their case to God.
GOD FORBID THAT I DON'T PRAY
"Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way." - 1Sam 12:23
If we won't pray then we should stop complaining, Samuel regarded it as a sin if he should stop praying for Saul, who was almost a failure before he even ascended the throne. Until we realise that injury to one is injury to all, our Christianity will continue to be selfish.
Brethren, the ills of this world concerns you and I, the immorality and perversion evading the world today should be our concern. It is children from our churches that are committing this atrocities, don't fold your hands, don't think it wont get to you. Knee and pray for the brethren.
There is no one beyond redemption, there is no situation beyond repair. The Lord can fix anyone if only men would take up the burden and pray. Intercessors like Ezra and Nehemiah prayed and a whole nation repented. Who says your prayers can't do anything. The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord.
"Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar; let them say, 'Spare your people, O LORD, and do not give Your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is your God?'" - Joel 2:17
The ministers aren't weeping anymore, we are not concerned about what happens to the church, we are concerned about prosperity, we are concerned about numbers, we are no longer praying for divine healing - but we can build hospitals - why should the peoples say 'where is our God'.
Prayer eases the burden of a person, the prayer of faith will assure a brother or sister that they're not in it alone. Sometimes the only love we can show is that we mention people in prayer and tell the Lord to intervene.
Those in hospitals are too down to pray for themselves, your prayers will bring hope. Those in hardship are too worried to concentrate while praying, your prayers will stand in. Let us not stop praying. Let us not stop bearing the burdens of one another. We all have been called into a ministry of intercession.
BUT I HAVE PRAYED FOR YOU
"And the Lord said, 'Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.'" - Luke 22:31-32
We cannot say we are blind to the different signals of the devil in the life of that teenager, we cannot pretend to be un-discerning to the waywardness of that girl. This is not youthful exuberance and you know it, but have you prayed for him? Have you prayed that such a teenager does not become sifted as wheat.
Even though, there seem to be no change, your prayers will cushion a disaster, it will give hope of a returning, it will keep the door open for a backslider to return, it will help us to forgive, we will move more in love and resist the devil and embrace the one who repents. If our voices are heard over a person, the heavens will help us.
Jesus didn't just pray for Peter alone, the whole of John 17 was for interceding for all. If we don't stand in the gap, the enemy will encroach and take the righteous away. Please your prayers can make a difference. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
"And Abraham came near and said, 'Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?'" - Gen18:23-24
The above text was Abraham interceding for his nephew Lot, he stood in the gap for a brother who had joined a mixed multitude and Abraham took the liberty of grace to see that Lot was preserved. He saw the impending destruction, he prayed for mercy.
Eli was busy and couldn't pray for the his children, we can't afford to turn a blind eye at the impending destruction sin is bringing. The devil is cheating us to become selfish, intercessions are beginning to fade from our church programs, and one is left to wonder - the hope of the hopeless.
Everyone should pray for himself, but not everyone can, some cannot save themselves as that Father decided to seek the face of Jesus on behalf of his son. An epileptic child wouldn't think of a solution in prayer, so he cried to God. Moreover, we all operate at different levels of grace, as Abraham was on a different platform of grace to know the secret before hand, and also took advantage of that grace to pray for Lot.
You too can pray.
BRETHREN PRAY FOR US
"Brethren pray for us." - 1 Thess 5:25
It will come to a point when the intercessor will need some interceding, it was clearly evident that when Moses took Israel's matter as a burden on the mountain, no one was praying for him. Let us not think that our spiritual leaders do not need prayers. The fall of a leader affects the whole flock and it is a disaster to the faith.
It is possible for us to quickly forget that these men are also human, and they need your prayers to sail through some issues. Aaron and Hur had to hold Moses' hands lest there would have been destruction upon the children of Israel. I know you understand the weakness of your pastor, I also understand that there is a judgement for his error, though you may not have the right to confront him - but you have a grace to intercede for him.
The partner of a minister should not cease in praying, the whole world might bring their burdens but you have just one project and that is to pray that the work does not suffer loss.
This ministers risk their lives and yes their lives even with spiritual attacks to them, the least one can do is to pray for them. The temptations, trials and emotional breakdown they face - they need prayers even for a clearer vision and a greater zeal for the work.
I know you have appreciated them with envelopes and have a good report of them- please know that they are the primary target of the enemy to spoil the work.
"Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church." - Acts 12:5
The church needs to pray for the Pope, we need to pray for Pastors, we need to pray for Bishops and all, they may be in chains of traditions, they may have shackles of sin, they could be in bondage - yes it is possible, but we must pray for them.
Peter continued to be a prayer project while he was a disciple and even when he began the leader of the church. Your pastor was once a member before becoming a pastor, therefore you must keep on praying. Pray so they don't become preys to the teeth of the enemy.
UNTIL YOU PRAY
"And the LORD restored Job's loses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." - Job 42:10
Until Job prayed for his friends he didn't get a restoration, I may not fully understand why it is so, but sometimes, until we intercede for our friends we will not unlock our blessings. The Lord will not want to bless you where sorrows may be added, so you have to pray that it is well with your brethren.
There is a blessing attached to obedience, if God expects you to pray for someone and you don't, you will not get the reward of obedience. The Lord blesses our obedience all the time.
CONCLUSION:
Paul said to Timothy:
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." - 1Tim 2:1-2
Jesus is still in the business of interceding for us all, He sits at the right hand of the father interceding for you and I. Let us intercede for one another.
Be your brother's keeper and pray for all.
God bless you and I love you
© Akinsuroju Femi
If Christians are no longer moved to pray for one another, the onslaught of the enemy against the church will only continue. When we can only learn lesson and not take time out to pray for that backsliding brother, our sheepfold will never be complete.
We are members of the same body so that we can help each other out, we must stand in the gap and mention our brethren in our prayers. I'm not talking about 'God bless my friends and family' kind of general prayer here. We must take the need of people's frailties, lack, disappointments and agony to God.
If we don't pray for the brethren, our faith will not be secured, there will be blasphemy against God's name when there is ill toward a fellow brother. That man who is going through hard time is our brother, that woman is your sister, they need us to pray for them lest they be weary.
The ministry of intercession has been neglected in the church, we would rather preach about it than pray for the situation, we think we are in an assembly where it is all man for himself, no! It is a race of all man for ourselves. We must not break the rank. We must seek the welfare of our brethren by taking their case to God.
GOD FORBID THAT I DON'T PRAY
"Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way." - 1Sam 12:23
If we won't pray then we should stop complaining, Samuel regarded it as a sin if he should stop praying for Saul, who was almost a failure before he even ascended the throne. Until we realise that injury to one is injury to all, our Christianity will continue to be selfish.
Brethren, the ills of this world concerns you and I, the immorality and perversion evading the world today should be our concern. It is children from our churches that are committing this atrocities, don't fold your hands, don't think it wont get to you. Knee and pray for the brethren.
There is no one beyond redemption, there is no situation beyond repair. The Lord can fix anyone if only men would take up the burden and pray. Intercessors like Ezra and Nehemiah prayed and a whole nation repented. Who says your prayers can't do anything. The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord.
"Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar; let them say, 'Spare your people, O LORD, and do not give Your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is your God?'" - Joel 2:17
The ministers aren't weeping anymore, we are not concerned about what happens to the church, we are concerned about prosperity, we are concerned about numbers, we are no longer praying for divine healing - but we can build hospitals - why should the peoples say 'where is our God'.
Prayer eases the burden of a person, the prayer of faith will assure a brother or sister that they're not in it alone. Sometimes the only love we can show is that we mention people in prayer and tell the Lord to intervene.
Those in hospitals are too down to pray for themselves, your prayers will bring hope. Those in hardship are too worried to concentrate while praying, your prayers will stand in. Let us not stop praying. Let us not stop bearing the burdens of one another. We all have been called into a ministry of intercession.
BUT I HAVE PRAYED FOR YOU
"And the Lord said, 'Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.'" - Luke 22:31-32
We cannot say we are blind to the different signals of the devil in the life of that teenager, we cannot pretend to be un-discerning to the waywardness of that girl. This is not youthful exuberance and you know it, but have you prayed for him? Have you prayed that such a teenager does not become sifted as wheat.
Even though, there seem to be no change, your prayers will cushion a disaster, it will give hope of a returning, it will keep the door open for a backslider to return, it will help us to forgive, we will move more in love and resist the devil and embrace the one who repents. If our voices are heard over a person, the heavens will help us.
Jesus didn't just pray for Peter alone, the whole of John 17 was for interceding for all. If we don't stand in the gap, the enemy will encroach and take the righteous away. Please your prayers can make a difference. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
"And Abraham came near and said, 'Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?'" - Gen18:23-24
The above text was Abraham interceding for his nephew Lot, he stood in the gap for a brother who had joined a mixed multitude and Abraham took the liberty of grace to see that Lot was preserved. He saw the impending destruction, he prayed for mercy.
Eli was busy and couldn't pray for the his children, we can't afford to turn a blind eye at the impending destruction sin is bringing. The devil is cheating us to become selfish, intercessions are beginning to fade from our church programs, and one is left to wonder - the hope of the hopeless.
Everyone should pray for himself, but not everyone can, some cannot save themselves as that Father decided to seek the face of Jesus on behalf of his son. An epileptic child wouldn't think of a solution in prayer, so he cried to God. Moreover, we all operate at different levels of grace, as Abraham was on a different platform of grace to know the secret before hand, and also took advantage of that grace to pray for Lot.
You too can pray.
BRETHREN PRAY FOR US
"Brethren pray for us." - 1 Thess 5:25
It will come to a point when the intercessor will need some interceding, it was clearly evident that when Moses took Israel's matter as a burden on the mountain, no one was praying for him. Let us not think that our spiritual leaders do not need prayers. The fall of a leader affects the whole flock and it is a disaster to the faith.
It is possible for us to quickly forget that these men are also human, and they need your prayers to sail through some issues. Aaron and Hur had to hold Moses' hands lest there would have been destruction upon the children of Israel. I know you understand the weakness of your pastor, I also understand that there is a judgement for his error, though you may not have the right to confront him - but you have a grace to intercede for him.
The partner of a minister should not cease in praying, the whole world might bring their burdens but you have just one project and that is to pray that the work does not suffer loss.
This ministers risk their lives and yes their lives even with spiritual attacks to them, the least one can do is to pray for them. The temptations, trials and emotional breakdown they face - they need prayers even for a clearer vision and a greater zeal for the work.
I know you have appreciated them with envelopes and have a good report of them- please know that they are the primary target of the enemy to spoil the work.
"Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church." - Acts 12:5
The church needs to pray for the Pope, we need to pray for Pastors, we need to pray for Bishops and all, they may be in chains of traditions, they may have shackles of sin, they could be in bondage - yes it is possible, but we must pray for them.
Peter continued to be a prayer project while he was a disciple and even when he began the leader of the church. Your pastor was once a member before becoming a pastor, therefore you must keep on praying. Pray so they don't become preys to the teeth of the enemy.
UNTIL YOU PRAY
"And the LORD restored Job's loses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." - Job 42:10
Until Job prayed for his friends he didn't get a restoration, I may not fully understand why it is so, but sometimes, until we intercede for our friends we will not unlock our blessings. The Lord will not want to bless you where sorrows may be added, so you have to pray that it is well with your brethren.
There is a blessing attached to obedience, if God expects you to pray for someone and you don't, you will not get the reward of obedience. The Lord blesses our obedience all the time.
CONCLUSION:
Paul said to Timothy:
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." - 1Tim 2:1-2
Jesus is still in the business of interceding for us all, He sits at the right hand of the father interceding for you and I. Let us intercede for one another.
Be your brother's keeper and pray for all.
God bless you and I love you
© Akinsuroju Femi
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