Why Is Intercessory Prayer So Important?

Dear Friends, it has been established that an intercessory prayer is a prayer made for the needs, requests and soul of another, putting aside your own problems and requests.

As Christians the place of intercession should be one of the most frequented place as it is a character of Christ and consequently, should be a character of ours too. We are expected to share as brothers and sisters in Christ, the burdens and joys of others. 

Sadly, most Christians do not see any need to worry themselves with the challenges of others, some misinterpreting the scripture say “everyone should work out their own salvation”. Some others believe that the place of intercession is specially designed for some specifically graced individuals, and one by one, the place of intercession is abandoned by the body of Christ.

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These are all wrong notions, and heavily contradicts the will of God for his people here on earth. Christ constantly seeks Christians who will share with him the burden for souls, who like Job, will always be there to stand in the gap for their friends, when they can’t pray for themselves. When that friend is in need of prayer, can God count on you and lay that burden in your heart to stand in the gap and pray for that friend of yours?

Can he count on you to be like Moses and always be there to intervene in the place of prayer for the body of Christ?

Brethren, you might feel that praying for another, is wasting the time you would have used in praying for and attending to your own problems, but we forget that our God is a rewarder of those who do his will. When you are attending to the burden he has placed in your heart for someone, he is lifting your own burdens. When you are building in the body of Christ, he is building in your own life. Let us look at some of the importance of intercessory prayers;

In the quest for souls, Intercessory prayers prepare an easy path, both for the conviction of that soul, and also for penetration and sowing of the Word and Light of God into the heart of such individuals. Intercessory prayer increases the rate at which a soul is won to Christ. It prepares the way for the salvation of souls.

Intercessory prayers save lives. It saves one from impending challenges, fortifies one for incoming trials, and protects one from dangers and traps ahead, these things, he or she might not even be aware of, but your prayer has saved that person, from what could have been his or her end.

Intercessory prayers also brings freedom to those in captivity and those suffering injustices. It brings liberation to the person in need of deliverance.

To the intercessor;

Intercessory prayer helps the spiritual growth of the intercessor and with his faithfulness in these things, he will be qualified to be entrusted with more by the Lord, it is a beautiful thing for God to be able to reveal and trust you with greater things.

In the place of intercession, we learn to love as Jesus loved, and there we portray our oneness in Christ, as we imbibe and express his character and love in our prayers for the souls of others and for his body. In this way, we bear fruits worthy of our calling and repentance.

In the place of intercession, we lay the foundation and also accomplish the fulfillment of the will of God.

When we pray for the needs of others, God takes care of our needs. When we labor for others, God rewards us with the fruits of our labor, when we pray for the souls of others, God preserves our own souls. When we pray for others, God answers our own prayers. One who labors in the house of the Lord can never go unrewarded.

Beloved, God in his Word has placed upon us the mantle of priesthood, and the Bible makes us understand at several times that a priest stands in the gap and offers prayers and sacrifices for the needs and requests of others. Let us not ignore this mantle, let us not be found guilty of burying that which God has placed on us. At the same time, let our love for one another and for the body of Christ be expressed as we offer our heartfelt prayers to God on their behalf.