Feb 20, 2019
By Pastor William Shobe
Dodge Center SDB Church, MN
“How significant are your prayers?” I have heard a number of responses to that question. Often they reflect uncertainty about the true value or impact of prayer. I am certain that we all have had times when we felt as if our prayers accomplished little, if anything. As a result we can lose confidence that our prayers matter and allow our prayer lives to deteriorate.
Yet the more I study the scriptures and the role of prayer in God’s Kingdom, the more significant I find it to be. Indeed, incredible as it might seem, God has directly linked the release of His power and work on earth to the prayers of His people. When God’s people pray in earnest powerful things happen.
In the Old Testament the intercessory prayers of one man provided notable protection for his family. Intercession is the act of positioning oneself between a person or group and an imminent threat. Job offered prayers and sacrifices for his children in case any of them might have sinned. Satan complained that God had responded by placing an impenetrable hedge around Job’s family. This serves as an example of intercession at work (Job1:5, 10).
In Ezekiel 20, God related the many transgressions that the sons of Israel had committed resulting in His judgment on the land and its people. Yet even as destruction was ready to be released, God revealed that His desire was to manifest mercy for His people. “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.” (Ezekiel 22:30 NASU) God searched for someone to pray and ask for mercy and forgiveness for His people but no one would respond. Therefore He unleashed His judgment. His desire for mercy was directly linked to the intercessor’s prayer.
Even in 2 Chronicles 7:14 where God promised Solomon the He would forgive the sins of His people and heal the land, His mercy was conditioned on the response of His people in intercession: and if “My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14-15 NASU) No prayer, no forgiveness or healing.
Often when we think of intercession we think in terms of an event, like the National Day of Prayer, or an official day when the community is called to pray in a time of drought or threat of war. Yet I believe God’s intent is that we develop a lifestyle of intercession, such that we regularly respond to His promptings to pray for the situations of need around us. Remember, even in prayer it is God Who initiates by prompting us to pray, and we respond to His promptings. When He prompts and we pray according to His will, He responds and reveals the power and will of His Kingdom of heaven on earth. (I John 5:14-15, Matthew 5:9-10)
Significant situations of need for intercessory prayer arise regularly among Seventh Day Baptists, our people and our congregations. Individuals with illness, congregations seeking revitalization, new denominational initiatives could all benefit from prayers of protection, blessing, and divine intervention. Are you one who often feels the urge to pray when you hear about situations of need? You may have a gifting in intercessory prayer. We would love to hear from you so that we can encourage you in your development of that gift, and include you in a group who receives regular updates about current situations among SDBs in need
of focused prayer.
If so, let us know at the Christian Education Council by sending an email to nkersten@
seventhdaybaptist.org. To all of us, may God help us to be a people of significant prayer.