By Jacqui – One of God’s Intercessors
Intercession is normally defined as praying on behalf of someone else. As intercessors, we stand in the gap, we come alongside, we lift up, and we intercede in prayer for someone other than ourselves.
Jesus Christ who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:34) Jesus is our intercessor!
So, if you’re an intercessor and you’re always praying and interceding for others, do you need to pray for yourself? Absolutely!
Prayer is speaking and listening to God. It’s our conversation with the Lord. It’s through this conversation, that is often intimate, that we begin to develop a personal relationship with Our Lord. It’s in those moments alone, speaking and listening to God in prayer, that we feel his love surround us.
God wants to know us! We need to know Him. Even if, especially if, you are an intercessor. Please take time to pray for yourself. It’s like this. When we refuse to pray for ourselves, we enter into a prideful situation. Why? Basically, we’re saying, “I don’t need God’s help.” Wait a minute! What? Of course, we need God’s help. If we’re spending a great deal of time interceding for others, we need his help more than ever!
Think about it. If you had the opportunity for a new job and you found out that you had two friends who both knew your potential new boss, who would you choose to speak on your behalf? Would you choose the friend who had studied everything about the boss and often encouraged people to go and work for him or would you choose the friend who ‘hung out’ with him and talked to him every day? I know I would choose the one who was always talking with him because he has a strong relationship with him.
We build a strong relationship with our Lord by ‘praying without ceasing’, and that includes praying for ourselves. If you’re still not sure about this let’s look at what Jesus did. “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16 The night before he was betrayed, he prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” Matt 26:42
Jesus prayed for himself. He prayed to his Father, that he knew so very well, and talked with often.
Many of us have been called to be an intercessor for the Lord. We are to intercede in prayer on behalf of others. But, remember, friend. He loves us, too. We are to humble ourselves before him, admitting our great need for him, and pray for ourselves. Let’s do that now…
Father God,
I need you. I need your wisdom and your strength even more than the ones that I will soon intercede for. I am weak, Lord. It is only through your strength that I can do all things. I trust fully in your strength and I know that you will soon fill me so that I can go forth and lift to you, those that you will call me to intercede for in prayer. Thank you, that you, our Almighty God, love me enough to give me your strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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