Coffee With The Lord

Colossians 1:9-14, part of my Bible reading for today, establishes a pattern for INTERCESSORY PRAYER – PRAYER FOR OTHERS AND THEIR NEEDS. And in the case of Colossians, it is believed Apostle Paul offered intercessory prayer for a church and individuals he may have never met.

Listen… There are sincere, faithful servants of the Lord around the world who are facing challenges today beyond our imagination or understanding! Paul’s prayer provides a healthy pattern for Spirit-led and prompted intercession. Using Paul’s intercession for Christians in ancient Colossae as a guide, we should pray that…

1. They fully understand God’s will for their lives (1:9).
2. They honor and please the Lord in every way (1:10).
3. They continually bear good fruit (1:10b).
4. They come to know God better every day (1:10c).
5. That the Lord empowers them to stand firm under pressure (1:11).
6. That their lives overflow with thanksgiving and joy (1:12-14).

I would like to offer a tribute to my parents who are now with the Lord, two of the most effective intercessors I know.

Mom and Dad believed that battles were won and spiritual progress was made around the prayer altars of our church. And personally at home, they would pray daily and fervently until spiritual battles were won. I remember vividly, a particular prayer project they tackled. Satan was trying to destroy a marriage. I remember my Mom clinching her delicate feminine fists, setting her jaw and hearing her say “Satan will not get this one!” And he didn’t either.

Until they died they would receive telephone calls requesting prayer from everywhere. Mornings in their modest home were dedicated entirely to prayer ministry. Name after name, prayer project after prayer project, missionary after missionary, minister after minister, and nation after nation were all part of their prayers on any given day.

Mom and Dad’s impact upon the world was not in their skill as preachers or theologians. Their impact, however, as godly people of prayer would be difficult to calculate! They served as a model for the prayer ministry of hundreds of Christians, including their sons.

I remember standing several years ago in a chapel service at the Bible college where I teach, listening to a challenging message on the subject of intercessory prayer. As I listened, I was suddenly struck forcibly by the questions, “Who will take the place of intercessors like my parents? Who will serve as the models of prayer for the coming generation?”

That day, with tears running down my face, I purposed to perpetuate the legacy of prayer that I had received. I determined to be a model of prayer for my generation. Will you?

Imagine how many people in your life could be touched and influenced positively by your intercessory prayer. Think about the powerful influence worldwide you could have by adopting Paul’s pattern of intercession for fellow Christians and Christian leaders around the world! Let’s pray!