"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" - I Thessolonian 5:16 -18 (NIV).
One of the most important ministries, easy to neglect, yet central to the Gospel is that of intercesors. When the Apostle Peter was arrested there was an undetermined group of believers who gathered in a house and started nterceding for his release. "Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists" (Acts 12:7).
Immediately, Peter "went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark,where many people had gathered and were praying" (vv 12). You can imagine the joy.
Just before he was crucified, "Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray" (Mathew 26: 36). That intercessory prayer shouldered up Jesus and strengthened him.
As we see in the case of Peter, intercessory prayers can be offered whenever there is a crisis. A select group of believers meeting and praying fervently can alter the course of action. There are a number of churches which as services are going on intercessors are pleading for salvation of souls, culminating into hundreds of confession of Christ.
For there are certain things which are not open to our naked eye. When the Apostle Paul writes, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph 3:6), he is pointing out to the fact there are always battles going on not so obvious but of a higher spiritual nature. Here victory starts with prayers.
The ministry of intercesors can't be relegated. It can be a source of relief and power to carry us through any time.
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I pray for the intercessory ministry and it's power to bless us through any situation.
