“I’m praying for you.”
How often have you heard these words? How often have you said them yourself and wondered if they make any difference?
We want you to know that your prayers matter a great deal. That’s something Dr. Stanley made clear in the thoughtful way he approached prayer throughout his life.
This is evident in the encouraging words we’re sharing this month.
Have you ever prayed for someone and watched their life blossom? Or known that a friend was interceding for you, and believed the strength you were experiencing was thanks to their prayers?
I know many people have prayed for me over time. Several in particular have spent years lifting me up to the Father.
One is my mother, Rebecca Stanley. She used to cry out my name to God as we knelt beside the bed when I was a child, asking Him to guide and protect me.
Another is a very dear man who I know rises before the sun each day and prays for me at length. What an incredible gift of love! My gratitude for these praying saints is inexpressible. I doubt I could serve God’s church in the same way without their support.
Of course, we’ve all prayed for someone and seen no obvious effect. But that’s not necessarily a reason to stop praying. God has chosen to work through the prayers of His people.
Scripture confirms we’re to pray for “all men” (1 Tim. 2:1), which includes each other (Eph. 6:18), pastors (v. 19), people who haven’t yet answered God’s call to serve (Matt. 9:38), for unbelievers (Rom. 10:1), for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-2), and for our enemies (Matt. 5:44).
Intercessory prayer is the believer’s way of life. How, then, do we pray effectively for those around us, so that our words are not just spoken out of duty, but have God’s attention and bring about real change and blessing?
Here are some principles for effective intercession:
First, pray from a heart of love and compassion.
This is the heart of our Savior and should be ours every time we intercede for someone. If we have a problem with the person we’re praying for, God will begin with our own heart first, so that we can pray from genuine concern and love.
Second, recognize that our prayers are the link between God and that person’s need.
This means we identify with the people we’re praying for and are personally invested in their solution. We’ll know we’re personally invested when we’re willing to be a part of the answer.
Third, desire their highest good.
It isn’t always easy, but if we’re going to pray effectively for someone else, we must relinquish our desires for what the outcome will be. This is more difficult the closer we are to the person for whom we’re praying.
It takes a profound sense of surrender to pray this way for a spouse or child, for example. But when we trust God, we can accept His actions, knowing He is more knowledgeable and more perfectly loving than we are able to be.
Finally, we must be willing to persevere even when there’s no apparent answer.
We may have to wait years to see visible results. Sometimes, we may not see the answer at all—but we can take comfort in knowing that God hears us and responds with wisdom, in His timing.
As you persevere in prayer, you may see the extraordinary power of God bringing about changes you never thought possible.
Prayer is a precious privilege given to you by God to make a difference in someone else’s life.
This side of heaven, there’s no telling what He will do as you take these simple principles to heart and apply them to your prayers.
We’re grateful to walk alongside you in this journey of faith, and we want you to know that you’re in our prayers, too.
May God strengthen you as you lift others up to Him, and may you experience the deep joy that comes from being part of His work in people’s lives.
Till next time, God bless you.
For His glory,
Your friends at In Touch Ministries