An international year of prayer for
Morocco
| Principles of Intercession |
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By Joy Dawson: 1. Praise God for who He is. God's power is released through worshipful song. "As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against (the enemy), and they were defeated" (2 Chronicles 20:22). 2. Make sure your heart is clean before God by giving the Holy Spirit time to convict you should you have any unconfessed sin. "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened" (Psalm 66:18). "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins" (Mark 11:25). 3. Acknowledge you cannot really pray effectively without the Holy Spirit's enabling. "...The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for" (Romans 8:26b). 4. Deal aggressively with the enemy. Come against him in the all-powerful name of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the sword of the Spirit - the Word of God. "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). 5. Die to your own imaginations, desires and burdens for what you feel you should pray. "...Lean not on you own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5b); "He who trust in his own mind is a fool" (Proverbs 28:26a RSV); "For my thoughts are not your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8a). 6. Praise God now in faith for the remarkable prayer time you are going to have. He is a remarkable God and will do something consistent with His character. 7. Wait before God in silent expectancy, listening for His direction. "But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways" (Psalm 81:11-13). "For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him" (Psalm 62:5 RSV). 8. In obedience and faith, take action on what God brings to your mind, believing. "My sheep listen to my voice ... and they follow me" (John 10:27). Keep asking God for direction, expecting Him to give it to you. "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you" (Psalm 32:8). 9. If possible, have your Bible with you should God want to give you direction or confirmation through His Word. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105). 10. When God ceases to bring things to your mind for which to pray, finish by praising and thanking Him for what He has done, reminding yourself that "...from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen" (Romans 11:36). Copyright by Joy Dawson. Used by permission. Joy Dawson has been traveling and teaching the Bible internationally since 1970, mostly at spiritual leadership conferences. Her missionary journeys have taken her to fifty-five nations and every continent. She has taught extensively on television and radio, and countless lives have been touched through the worldwide distribution of her audio and videotapes. Joy is a member of the U.S. National Prayer Committee and is recognized as a veteran leader in the areas of prayer for revival and world evangelization. |
