I remember experiencing intercessory prayer for the first time at a prayer meeting. I felt the pain and emotional turmoil of someone that I never met. After the meeting, I asked someone in the meeting, what I had experienced and she told me that it was ” prayer and intercession.”
What is Intercessory Prayer
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
1 John 2:1
Intercessory prayer is standing in the gap for someone during prayer. The perfect example of this is when Jesus intercedes for us before the Father, making “petitions” as our advocate in Heaven. In heaven, Jesus is speaking up on our behalf and declaring over us our victory and healing through His blood and body.
When you intercede for someone you may experience the following:
- The emotions of another person ( or the supernatural ability to empathize with someone) by external manifestations such as weeping, feeling pain in specific parts of the body, etc.
- Pictures, visions, or insight on what to pray for by the leading of the Holy Spirit
- Overwhelming compassion towards the person you are praying for
How to pray and intercede for someone
Show empathy
I remember the day that my friend wept for me. I told her how my mother projected some of her sexual trauma onto me. When I was younger, my mother made mean remarks about my body. “You’re so fat” she would say while tugging at my sides. With pain laced through her words she continued with projecting her sexual wounds. For a long time, her word curses spoke over me and I struggled with two things: my body figure and my sexual purity. In many ways, I unintentionally lived in the shadows of my mother’s sexual pain for many years until… the day my friend wept.
My best friend intently listened for a few minutes, then suddenly with a burst of tears said to me over the phone, “a mother should never say those things to her daughter, Jen! I’m so sorry you went through that. Let’s pray now about breaking off what she said. ” Shortly after she interceded for me in prayer, I started to see myself from God’s redemptive perspective.
Through my friend, Jesus wept. He reminded me that He was a healer of my heart, will provide comfort, and share the weight of my burden so that His grace can sustain me through deep inner healing. God wants to take on your burdens this morning so that you can fly and soar dear one! He will give you wings to fly so that you can help others fly too!! He wants to set His church body free.
Be a good listener
My best friend had a knack for listening to my deepest concerns. She would plop herself on my couch and curl her feet under the pillows. What came next out of her mouth was— “Heeey best friend!! What’s going on?” After pouring out my heart to her, she would always say something profound like “ maybe this situation is meant to teach you how God is always with you.” She was right, because several years later, I can still hear her voice encouraging me of God’s faithfulness.
Her friendship reminded me of how God is a friend that listens. When we cry out to Him, he delivers us from all of our troubles. I can hear God saying, “ I’m here to listen because I love you so much. I will weep with you when you have a heart cry rising within your soul.”
What a great friend we have in Jesus! All our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
Pray that God’s will be done
Most of my life, I was challenged with seeing my mother struggle with anxiety. I constantly felt like I could only be happy if my mother was happy. I realized later in life that this was a classic description of codependency. As I healed from codependency, I started to intercede from a heart posture of seeking God’s will instead of my own.
When Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, He was challenged with the discomfort of following through with God’s plans. The Father wanted him to make the ultimate sacrifice (sacrificing himself on the cross, his desires, and the fear of death for the salvation of mankind). In the garden, as sweat and blood drenched the face of Jesus, He cried out, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42
When you pray, partner with God’s will for that person’s life. We don’t know everything, thus it is important to partner with God’s wisdom and not our own perceptions of what we think is right. Also, check your heart at the door of Jesus. We are called to share in the suffering of Christ and to rest in the victory of the cross. Are you praying in fear because you feel uncomfortable when someone is in discomfort? God is looking for the fervent prayers of a righteous man. He is looking for the one that says, although I am suffering or feeling uncomfortable about my brother or sister’s situation, I pray Lord that your will be done!
Intercessory prayer For Family
Heavenly Father, thank you for your righteousness that covers a multitude of sins. I pray that you would break off any fear, anxiety, anger or bitterness in my family so that we will be united with you in deep fellowship.
In Jesus name,
Amen!
Intercessory prayer for Friends and relationships
Heavenly Father, transform my relationships and give me the grace to love from a pure heart posture. Help me to be devoted to loving others with tender affection by listening and weeping when someone is experiencing emotional pain. As a fellow believer in your family unit, I want to honor my relationships with true compassion.
Thank you Jesus. In Jesus name, Amen!
Intercessory prayer: Break generational trauma
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me a new set of eyes. I can see that your desire is for all to be free from the bondage of slavery, word curses, and trauma wounds. You have given me the grace to intercede for others as they cry out to you Lord. Thank you for giving me your redemptive perspective on empathy and showing grace to others in pain. Thank you Jesus.
In Jesus name, Amen!
Related post:Trauma Prayers: Overcome Trauma Now and for the Future
