Many matters require the church’s prayer. The items of prayer listed below are offered as a help to focus and enrich the prayer of the saints and of the churches. They are not meant to be restrictive or exhaustive, nor are they meant to be legally adopted. In the end, it is the Spirit who intercedes for us, in us, and through us according to God and His will. The intercessors’ responsibility is to be one spirit with the Lord and one mind with Christ to discharge the inner burden with Spirit-inspired utterances. In light of the current world situation, let us persevere in prayer with a strong spirit.
Pray that the saints would daily practice two steps in receiving the Lord’s word—first, receiving the Lord’s word from the Bible richly into them, and second, receiving that word explained by the Spirit, obtaining the Lord’s word richly from the Spirit—being inspired and receiving the Lord’s word in the spirit (Col. 3:16; 2 Tim. 3:14-17; cf. Acts 8:29, 35).
Read morePray that the saints would know the coming of the Lord’s word in two stages—first, knowing the words in the Scriptures by letting the Lord’s word in the Scriptures dwell in them richly, and second, knowing the words of the Spirit by letting the Spirit mingle Himself with the words in the Scriptures so that they become words in their spirit (Col. 3:16; John 6:63).
Read morePray that the saints would see that true prayers are God speaking forth His words from within them and through them, and that such prayers issue from His moving within them, from the Holy Spirit coming to them and explaining God’s intention to them (John 15:7; 16:13-14; 6:63; cf. James 5:17 and note 171).
Read morePray that the saints would learn to practice the proper intercession such that their intercession would be God’s speaking in their speaking (Gen. 18:33a).
Read morePray that the saints would learn to pray the intercessory prayers that both express God’s desire and carry out God’s will (Gen. 18:17; 19:27, 29; Matt. 6:9-10).
Read morePray that the saints would learn to intercede for God’s people by challenging God according to His righteous way (Gen. 18:23-25; Psa. 89:14a).
Read morePray that the saints would learn to intercede not merely according to the outward word of God but according to the inward intention of God’s heart (Gen. 18:22; cf. Rom. 8:26-27).
Read morePray that the saints, having received God’s revelation, would learn to intercede for God’s people (Gen. 18:23; 19:29).
Read morePray that the saints would learn to pray prayers of intercession according to God’s revelation (Gen. 18:17, 20-21).
Read morePray that the saints would be deeply impressed with God’s need for an intercessor and take up the burden to intercede with Him for His people (Isa. 59:16; 1 Tim. 2:1, 3-4, and note 12).
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