INTERCESSORY PRAYER
Part 2


A. "YE ALSO HELPING TOGETHER BY PRAYER FOR US, THAT FOR THE GIFT BESTOWED UPON US BY THE MEANS OF MANY PERSONS THANKS MAY BE GIVEN BY MANY ON OUR BEHALF" - 2 CORINTHIANS 1:11-12
  1. The grateful mind of the apostle:
    1. Recognized the special benefits which came to him through the many intercessory prayers of the believers
    2. He treasured the supplication of prayer for him and other workers in the cause of God - I Thes. 5:25; 2 Thes. 3:1; Phil. 22
  2. Thanksgiving by the saints:
    1. Will come as a result of answered prayers for the workers of God - Acts 4:24-31
    2. What a challenge to us as members of the house hold of faith - to bring others before the Lord in our prayers
B. INTERCESSORY PRAYERS
  1. For whom should intercessory prayer be offered in the light of our text?
    1. For those who represent their brethern in devoted labor in Christ's cause; Examples: The church praying for the safety of Peter - Acts 12:5; Paul's plea for continued prayer for him - Rom. 15:30
    2. For those in authority either in the government of the church or in civilian authority - I Tim. 2:1-4; 5:5; Examples: Abraham for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah - Gen. 18:23-33; Moses for Israel - Ex. 32:31-34; Job for his friends - Job 42:7-9; a mother for her suffering daughter - Matt. 15:22-28
    3. Members of the church should include all the officers of the church in their prayer so that things may be governed to the good of the cause of God
  2. Who should make intercessory prayer?
    1. The answer is emphatic - "many" meaning all who share the blessed hope and a burden for the advancement of the cause of truth
    2. What is so important is that when we pray for one another we are attached to each other, we share our Christian life together that ties us together in the bond of the brotherhood - I Peter 2:17
    3. That raises the question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" - Yes, indeed, I am I Sam. 12:23
C. BLESSINGS OF INTERCESSORY PRAYER
  1. The workers in the cause of God:
    1. Will be benefited by the Christian sympathy revealed in intercession
    2. To know that the brethern pray for me and my humble efforts in the cause of God, emboldens me to press forward, doing my best to succeed - Examples: The early disciples - Acts 5:12-42; 2:42; 2 Cor. 9:14; Phil. 1:19
  2. Glowing illustrations of the effectiveness of intercessory prayers:
    1. Abraham's prayer for Ishmael, his son, by the concubine - Gen. 17:18-20; for Sodom and Gomorrah - Gen. 18:23-32; his prayer for Abimelech - Gen. 20:7-14
    2. Moses for Pharaoh - Ex. 8:12; 13:30-31; 9:33; for Israel - Ex. 17:11-13; 32:11-14; 33-34; 33:15-17; Num. 11:2; 14:13-20 for Miriam his sister - Num. 12:13; for Aaron - Deut. 9:20
    3. Samuel - I Sam. 7:5-12
    4. Solomon - I Kings 8; 2 Chron. 6; 2 Chron. 7:12-17
    5. Elijah - I Kings 17:20-23
    6. Elisha - 2 Kings 4:33-36
    7. Isaiah - 2 Kings 19
    8. Jeremiah - Jer. 42:2-10
    9. Shadrach - Dan. 2:17-23
    10. Peter - Acts 9:40
    11. The church - Acts 12:6-12
    12. Paul - Acts 28:8
  3. As we continue to meditate upon the power and blessing of intercessory prayer:
    1. We think of the intercessory ministry of Jesus Christ our Lord in the courts of heaven
    2. "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" - Heb. 7:25; I Tim. 2:5; I John 2:1-3
    3. The fact is that the largest part of his ministry is devoted to intercession for us - that being true, how can we refrain from making intercession for those who belong to Him, for whom He gave His life.


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