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Written by Katie Forbess, President of Iron Rose Sister Ministries Board of Directors in Arkansas
Many people have taken personality tests that identify their “love language." The five major languages are physical touch, gift giving, quality time, words of affirmation, and acts of service. There are many online resources for people who want to learn more about themselves and how they show love to those around them, whether it is their spouse, their parents, or even strangers they meet from day to day. This is an interesting and helpful way to explore your relationships and how to improve them, while still getting your own needs met. What is cool about intercessory prayer is that it incorporates all of the love languages in the most universal love language of all: Prayer! It’s praying for others and letting God take care of them in ways that you can’t because you are human.
Once you realize that you can let God handle things not only in your own life but in your relationships as well, intercessory prayer can be an empathetic response to other people’s trials as well as celebrations. One of the main purposes of identifying your love language is to create harmony and unity in your relationships. This is also the purpose of intercessory prayer. Unity was one of Christ’s main purposes in coming to earth: living and dying and resurrecting so that God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and those who are in Christ can be one. The key to that unity is love. Love is the glue that holds the intercessory prayer together, as shown in Jesus’ prayer in John 17:23 NIV. “I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
And He continues to pray for this unifying love in verse 26, “I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
It is also a way of protecting people, and there are many examples of this in the Bible. In this context, we see how Jesus is praying to protect, praying first for Himself and then His disciples. Then He prays for those in the future who will believe. This is because He is the Bridge and the High Priest between His disciples and God. Therefore, intercessory prayer is a way to unify and protect your loved ones.
An important aspect is that when you pray this way—on behalf of others—you are glorifying Jesus and the Holy Father. This purpose is outlined in verses 1b-3 of John 17.
Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Intercessory prayer is a way to connect with someone and show them that although you can’t take care of things for them, you know Who can. When you place your hands on someone or hold hands with them to pray, that is physical touch. When you give them the time that it takes for you to pray for them, you not only spend quality time with them but also with God. Jesus knew it was very important to spend time in prayer, especially when He was in His worst situations. He also took the time to explain to His disciples what was going to happen, even if they didn’t yet realize the weight of it. Intercessory prayer is a blessing, which is a form of gift giving. And this kind of prayer is an act of service and definitely words of affirmation because you are looking to the One who will tell you only truths when there are so many lies that others would like you and those close to you to believe.
All in all, when you have a relationship with another, intercessory prayer is a vital and beneficial part of that relationship that will help you grow closer to each other and to God.
How can you focus more on glory, protection and unity in your intercessory prayers?
Written by Jocelynn Goff, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas, and mother of Michelle J. Goff
As a mom, there are scriptures that I can quote quite easily. One of those is our key verse for this blog, Luke 22:31-32. “Simon, Simon, satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you return strengthen your brothers.”
Three others are:
“Being confident of this that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:6)
“The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. For He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.” (Ps. 24:1-2)
“so is My Word that goes out from My Mouth; It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Is. 55:11a)
You may ask why these scriptures in particular? During various seasons of their lives, these scriptures were my lifeline to the throne of our Father on behalf of my children.
I learned the pattern from Jesus in John 17 as He prayed for Himself, His disciples, and all believers. Jesus was showing how to appeal to His Father what was on His Heart and what was important. His prayer in John 17:3 was for them to know God and Jesus, “that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, who You have sent.” In verse 11b, the prayer is for protection, “Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your Name.” In verse 21, a prayer for unity, “that all of them may be one, Father just as You are in Me and I am in You.”
I have felt a desperation at times to know how to guide, correct, encourage, or warn my children. Often, I felt my words were communicated in a way that wasn’t heard with the heart and spirit that I intended it, or I feared I would communicate too harshly, abruptly, or angrily, and mess the whole thing up. Afterwards, I would apologize and then fall on my knees and beg our Father to bring about His Glory in spite of what mistakes I’d made. I’d cry out to Him and remind Him that He is good at that, like we see in scripture over and over again—such as in the stories of Abraham, Jacob, Rahab, Naomi, the Israelite people, Peter, and Paul. All of scripture is full of imperfect people for whom God turned their actions into good and for His Glory.
After my appeal to God’s goodness, then my prayers are intercessory prayers of claiming scripture over the situation and over my child. Over the next days, weeks, or years, until there was an answer to my prayers, I’d repeat the scripture to myself every time I’d feel fear. It calmed my anxious spirit and kept my prayers before the One who had the power to change the situation or the child, or show me where I needed to change.
Specifically, in Luke 22:31, Jesus is warning Peter that satan is going to test him. However, there is a blessing as Jesus says in verse 32, “But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail.” Wow! Jesus prayed for Peter!
This is a specific mention of Peter by name brought before our Father by Jesus Himself. Then, there is also a promise in this verse. The promise is when Jesus says, “And when you have returned...” This says to me that even though there is a failed test, there is a return. We know that Peter was tested and failed the test when he denied Jesus three times. We know this from reading further in Luke 22:54-62. In verses 61 and 62, “The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown Me Three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.” This was the beginning of Peter making a choice to return or not.
However, Jesus’ specific prayer mentions “when you return.” Oh, this is such a promise and why I claimed this scripture at a particular season of life for my child. Every time I felt fear, I would pray this scripture. Over time, there were other occasions and seasons of life when other scriptures were prayed. Along the way, God has given me blessings of hearing these scriptures in a sermon, a Facebook message from an old friend who just had to share that scripture with me, a song on the radio, or a devotional that focused on that exact verse. These messages of hope from my LORD were divine touches from Him, assuring me He is hearing my prayers on behalf of my child.
I encourage, no, I urge you to claim scripture in prayer for any person or situation in your life. It can bring hope to your soul and refresh your spirit as you wait for that person to come back or situation to change.