Intercessory prayer is quite simply, prayer for the needs of others.  Effective intercessory prayer is more than that.  It is first to be heartfelt, that is, to be burdened with the needs of another and to plead their case before God.  How often do we say to someone that we will remember him or her in our prayers or that we will pray for them? Then if we even remember at a later time, we mention something quickly to God that is more to avoid guilt than it is to plead the cause of the person.  We must be careful in our sincerity up front if we are to be effective when following through.  Intercession is to stand in the place of someone at the throne of God and make a case on his or her behalf.  More than an inquiry or request, the prayer is to be expectant and hopeful of a response that will comfort or encourage the person, or effect change in the circumstances.

"We are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. The Lord is able to give peace to the troubled conscience, and to calm the raging passions of the soul. These blessings are given by him, as the Father of his redeemed family. It is our Saviour who says, Let not your heart be troubled. All comforts come from God, and our sweetest comforts are in him. He speaks peace to souls by granting the free remission of sins; and he comforts them by the enlivening influences of the Holy Spirit, and by the rich mercies of his grace. He is able to bind up the broken-hearted, to heal the most painful wounds, and also to give hope and joy under the heaviest sorrows. The favours God bestows on us, are not only to make us cheerful, but also that we may be useful to others. He sends comforts enough to support such as simply trust in and serve him. If we should be brought so low as to despair even of life, yet we may then trust God, who can bring back even from death. Their hope and trust were not in vain; nor shall any be ashamed who trust in the Lord. Past experiences encourage faith and hope, and lay us under obligation to trust in God for time to come. And it is our duty, not only to help one another with prayer, but in praise and thanksgiving, and thereby to make suitable returns for benefits received. Thus both trials and mercies will end in good to ourselves and others."
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible (2 Cor 1:12-14)

In 2 Corinthians 1:11, Paul acknowledges the prayers of others for the work he is doing.  He wrote, "you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many."  And again in Philippians 1:19, "for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ".  So evidently Paul did not have an issue with others praying for him.  In fact Paul regularly interceded for the young, growing church.  We see in the first chapter of the letter to the Colossians that Paul claims to do so.  Beginning in verses 3 and 4 he wrote, "We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints".  He goes on about how they had heard the gospel and how they now have love in the Spirit.  He again speaks of praying for them in verses 9 through 12.  "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light."  These are not the prayers themselves; rather, Paul is speaking of the prayers.

The greatest intercessor, however, is our Lord, Jesus Christ.  We see this in the following passages of Scripture.  Romans 8:34, "who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us."  First He interceded for us on the cross by taking our place in paying the penalty for our sins.  Now He prays for us as He is seated at the right hand of the Father. Hebrews 7:25 states, "Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."  And again in Hebrews 9:24, For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us".  Stephen testifies to this in Acts 7:56, "and he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.'"  But the most definitive statement may be 1 Timothy 2:5-6, "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time."  To be a mediator is to intercede in the situation.  Jesus Christ is our advocate who pleads our case to the Father for our justification.  This statement is in the midst of the first 8 verses, which is a call to prayer.  "First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.  For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.  Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension."  Paul calls for prayer on behalf of all men and for those in authority.

The Holy Spirit also intercedes for us as we see in Romans 8:27, "and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."  In verse 26 we see that "the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words".  We join with the Holy Spirit as we pray as we see in Jude 19-21, "These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.  But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life."  We see this again in Ephesians 6:18 after we are instructed to take on the full armor of God, "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit".

Paul gives an example of someone who is active in intercessory prayer.  In Colossians 4:12 Paul wrote, "Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God."  What do we suppose the Lord will have to say about the prayers of Epaphras?  What do we suppose the Lord will have to say about our prayers?  Praise and recognition from another person, be it Paul or our pastor, is nice.  How much better it will be when the Lord reveals the results of effective and fervent intercessory prayer that we took part in during this lifetime.

Paul requests intercessory prayer from those to whom he wrote.  In Romans 15:30 he wrote, "Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me".  And again in Ephesians 6:18-20, "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible says that we are to value the prayers of others. "Let us learn to value the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous. How careful should we be, lest we forfeit our interest in the love and prayers of God's praying people! If we have experienced the Spirit's love, let us not be wanting in this office of kindness for others. Those that would prevail in prayer, must strive in prayer. Those who beg the prayers of others, must not neglect to pray for themselves. And though Christ knows our state and wants perfectly, he will know them from us. As God must be sought, for restraining the ill-will of our enemies, so also for preserving and increasing the good-will of our friends. All our joy depends upon the will of God. Let us be earnest in prayer with and for each other, that for Christ's sake, and by the love of the Holy Spirit, great blessings may come upon the souls of Christians, and the labours of ministers."

We must be prepared for this work of intercession in order to be effective.  To be an effective intercessor is to engage in spiritual warfare.  We are instructed to clothe ourselves with the full armor of God.  To truly do so, we must fully trust in Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 6:10-17, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.  Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Once we have taken on the full armor of God, we must engage in the battle.  We can do so with confidence because we are leaning on God as our security, not on ourselves.  We see the banner flying high, Christ on the cross for our salvation, and the power of Christ in the resurrection.  Christ shed His blood to pay for our sin so that we could be restored to fellowship with God.  In His resurrection, He displayed His power and we can be confident in Him to hold us and to keep us until the day He has appointed for us to leave this life and spend eternity with Him.

James writes, chapter 5:13-16,  "Is anyone among you suffering?  Then he must pray.  Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.  Is anyone among you sick?  Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.  The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."

Are we willing to do the work of intercessory prayer?  The first step is to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  This step is essential to gaining access to the throne of God and to know that our prayers are being received and heard.  We then need to commit time in sincere, heartfelt prayer.  We are to plead the case of others as though it was from our own anguish that we are petitioning God.  Are we willing to sacrifice the time, in fact our very lives, to answer the call when the Holy Spirit inspires us to pray for someone?  It takes an act of our will to put our lives on hold and use the time on behalf of someone else.  We need to consider what it is to refuse or to fail to do so.  Is it disobedience to God?  There is no direct commandment to pray immediately at the direction of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is God, one Person of the Trinity.  To disobey or resist the Holy Spirit is to disobey or resist God.  The reward for obedience to the call to pray can not be compared to whatever the prayer time is taking the place of.

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