“Intercessory Prayer – How to Pray for Someone” is a basic guide on how you can stand in the gap or intervene for someone who has sinned. This is because intercessory prayer is praying on behalf of another or others.
Therefore, you become this person’s lawyer or advocate before God. Because intercessory prayer is about God. This prayer reflects God’s loving and merciful nature/character.
”7 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” 9 And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”
11 But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.
Exodus 32:7-14English Standard Version (ESV)
In Exodus 32:7-14, the Israelites had engaged in idolatry. This was clearly sin (lawlessness or disobedience) before God.
The Israelites had chosen to disobey God shortly after He had given them the Law. Part of this Law was the ten commandments. And the second commandment had prohibited the Israelites from worshipping other gods.
Intercessory Prayer – How to Pray for Someone
Therefore, once the Israelites had sinned by breaking God’s command, God immediately notified Moses of the same. And Moses quickly reacted/responded to the same by interceding for the Israelites.
God’s revelation (invitation)
God is so loving and merciful that He will reveal who to pray for and what to pray for concerning the same. Hence, God’s revelation will be an invite to intercede for the concerned person.
So, when God “invites” you to pray for someone, you better not delay in doing so. You better discern God’s invitation quickly like the way Moses did. And also respond quickly by prayer.
This is how you will keep that person from being destroyed (judged harshly). And reconcile or restore them back to God. Since you have to make a connection between God and the person.
Existing relationship
Reconciliation or restoration is based on the existing relationship between the person(s) and God. It could be an estranged or non-estranged relationship.
Therefore, you need to know the status of the existing relationship between the person you are praying for and God. This enables you to pray based on God’s plan or promise.
If the relationship is estranged, then approach God as Love. That is God’s love for the person (John 3:16). But if it is not estranged, then approach God as the person’s Father (John 1:12).
Glorify God
Secondly, glorify God. God is always seeking that which will glorify Him. His reputation is very important to Him.
He wants to be known as Loving, Merciful and Faithful. Therefore, He cannot do that which will put His reputation at stake.
Remind God of His promises
Finally, remind God of the promises He has made concerning the person you are praying for. God is faithful to His promise (word).
