The Power Of Intercessory Prayers
When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace, the LORD appeared to him at night and said:
"I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.
"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. . . . My eyes and my heart will always be there" 2 Chronicles 7:11-16
"I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.
"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. . . . My eyes and my heart will always be there" 2 Chronicles 7:11-16
2 Chronicles 7:14 is one of the most beloved and quoted passages in the Bible about the power of prayer. I became rather fixated on the power of intercessory prayer after reading this passage. Intercessory prayer simply refers to praying to God on behalf of others.
Let me share some insights I gained:
First: My understanding was deepened not just in the area of the power of intercessory prayer, as evidenced by God's promise to answer, but even more so, by the simple reason that God made that promise because one man, Solomon, was moved to intercede for God's people. Solomon petitioned God with very specific requests and God specifically answered his prayers.
God was moved to make a promise because one man had the spiritual foresight to intercede for generations yet unborn.
This is part of Solomon's prayer: "When they sin against you -- for there is no one who does not sin -- and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy...and if they have a change of heart . . . and repent and plead with you . . . and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity . . . and pray toward the land you gave their fathers (ancestors) . . . toward the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you. (2 Chronicles 6:36-39) It is evident that this plea of Solomon's is generally seen in God's response in 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Second: God appeared to Solomon in a dream with the answer to his prayers several years after Solomon had offered that prayer. This is rather fascinating. God did not answer him on the spot; neither did He answer him that night but several years later in about the 24th year of Solomon's reign! The temple was finished in the eleventh year of Solomon's reign. It took another thirteen years to build Solomon's palace and God appeared to him in a dream with the answer after the palace was constructed.
Lesson: If we are moved by the Spirit of God to genuinely intercede on behalf of God's people or any issue, God will hear our cry. We might not "hear" His response for years but we can be sure that our intercession will never fall on deaf ears because God is not deaf!
So, be emboldened to intercede. Intercede for God's Kingdom, for your Church, for yourself, for your family, for your city, for your leaders and for your nation. God is all ears! Intercessory prayers are powerful.
Let me share some insights I gained:
First: My understanding was deepened not just in the area of the power of intercessory prayer, as evidenced by God's promise to answer, but even more so, by the simple reason that God made that promise because one man, Solomon, was moved to intercede for God's people. Solomon petitioned God with very specific requests and God specifically answered his prayers.
God was moved to make a promise because one man had the spiritual foresight to intercede for generations yet unborn.
This is part of Solomon's prayer: "When they sin against you -- for there is no one who does not sin -- and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy...and if they have a change of heart . . . and repent and plead with you . . . and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity . . . and pray toward the land you gave their fathers (ancestors) . . . toward the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you. (2 Chronicles 6:36-39) It is evident that this plea of Solomon's is generally seen in God's response in 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Second: God appeared to Solomon in a dream with the answer to his prayers several years after Solomon had offered that prayer. This is rather fascinating. God did not answer him on the spot; neither did He answer him that night but several years later in about the 24th year of Solomon's reign! The temple was finished in the eleventh year of Solomon's reign. It took another thirteen years to build Solomon's palace and God appeared to him in a dream with the answer after the palace was constructed.
Lesson: If we are moved by the Spirit of God to genuinely intercede on behalf of God's people or any issue, God will hear our cry. We might not "hear" His response for years but we can be sure that our intercession will never fall on deaf ears because God is not deaf!
So, be emboldened to intercede. Intercede for God's Kingdom, for your Church, for yourself, for your family, for your city, for your leaders and for your nation. God is all ears! Intercessory prayers are powerful.
Prayer: Lord, please help me to understand the power of intercession and to resolve to pray tirelessly even if it takes "years" for me to "hear" back from you. Amen.