Five Keys To Growing in Intercessory Prayer

“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30

In this passage of scripture we see the nation of Israel in a state of corruption and sin. God was looking for someone to stand in the gap between Him and the land and cry out for deliverance. The fact that God was looking for someone to stand in the gap shows us that it is His intention to respond to the cries of our heart. God is looking for people who will pray on the behalf of the people and nations of the earth; an intercessor is one who pleas the case of another to God asking for His divine intervention.

Prayer is the source of life and power to see things change.

We cannot fulfill God’s work in our own strength – it is impossible. By standing in the gap and crying out to God in prayer we are asking Him to do what only He can do.

Here are five keys on how you can enter in to interceding:

1. Grow in friendship with God – When we allow God into our lives and develop relationship with Him, we grow in our understanding of what He is actually like. This helps us know His heart so we can pray in alignment with His will. Prayer originates in the heart of God.
2. Growing in your knowledge the Word of God – We can read the Bible to see what the will of God is for people and the situations we may be in. The Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12), so when we pray in agreement with it things can change. Pray a specific Psalm over a person or a nation, inserting actual names where possible.
3. Grow in Your ability to be still and listen – One aspect of prayer is discerning what God wants to do and then asking Him to do it. As we learn to still our hearts before Him and open our ears to what He is saying, we can pray for the things He wants to do. It is totally normal to have moments of silence when we pray. Before sitting in silence, pray, asking God to show you a picture or give you a scripture to reveal the desire of His heart.
4. Take your eyes off yourself and fix them on Jesus – It doesn’t matter what we sound like or how we come across to others when we pray. What matters is that we are engaging the Spirit of God. Perhaps praying aloud in a group setting is very stretching for you. A way to focus on Jesus rather than yourself would be to take the risk and agree with others aloud in prayer (Matthew 18:20).
5. Worship – A great way to enter in to intercession is to begin with a time of worship. When we worship Him and let go of our own ideas and agendas, we open up ourselves to connecting with what is on His heart and partnering with Him in what he wants to do. If you typically worship by listening to music, try reading a Psalm aloud; Psalm 27, 33 or 46 would be a great place to start. As you declare each verse of the Psalm, picture what it describes and see God as the Bible declares Him to be.

In Response

• Is God asking you to intercede for a person, a nation or an area of breakthrough? Is He asking you to be the one to stand in the gap?
• Which of the five keys listed above might help you grow in intercession?

By our prophetic ministry coordinator