A family member faces a deadly disease. Your neighbour desperately needs Jesus but turns away every time you try to share Christ. A nation begins to crumble because its people follow their own evil ways. But what can you do? Often, the problems we face seem too big for us. No matter how much we try, we cannot solve them on our own. It’s times like these when we need to turn to the Lord in intercessory prayer.
Intercession is a prayer that pleads with God for one’s personal needs and the needs of others. But it is also much more than that. Intercession involves taking hold of God’s will and refusing to let go until His will comes to pass.
Intercession is warfare — the key to God’s battle plan for our lives. But the battleground is not in this physical world (earth). It takes place in the spiritual world where the battles for our own lives, our families, our friends and our nation are won or lost. The Bible says, “We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and spiritual powers in the heavens above” (Eph. 6:12).
If you are born again, you are God’s son or daughter (John 1:12). As His child, you have a direct “hotline” to God. At any time, you can boldly come into His presence (Heb. 4:16). This incredible access to God is the basis for intercession. Once you are in God’s presence, you can now discover “His battle plan” for the situation you are facing. Because prayer alone is not enough — you need a target for your prayers (2 Samuel 5: 22 – 25)! To discover God’s plan, all you have to do is ask. How many times have you prayed by asking God questions and waited for Him to answer you? Many of us are too busy with activities (church and social life) that we find it difficult to wait on our knees for five or more minutes to hear from God after prayers. This reminded me years ago when I was eager to know what God wants me to do, and even when I ask Him I find it difficult to wait to hear Him (when I knew less). Beloved, we must be patient in the place of prayer and have a listening ear to what the Spirit is saying.
Another thing is our mindset. Romans 12:2 says, “Let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to Him.” We sometimes believe that God should answer us in a certain manner or way (by the way our needs are met) if not the way our mind is telling us, we leave it and then continue praying (Acts 12: 12 – 17). You should start seeing things from God’s own point of view even as your spirit is in tune with God’s Spirit if not you will labour more and get few results. This is the part where many Christians miss it. Sometimes the Spirit of God may tell you to just worship Him only, instead we try to impress the crowd or those who are with us to show them that we can pray (this is flesh manifesting now).
A plan for battle is for us not to pray aimlessly, pray selfishly, waste time, energy, and resources. It is also for us to know when to retreat back and seek for God’s plan (specific directions) on what to do next. If you refuse to fall in line and be led by God then be sure that you and those praying will struggle in place of prayer or may become casualties in the place of warfare. Prayer of intercession is a serious matter. And just like soldiers who are preparing for battle, who take instructions from their superiors, we cannot take on the enemy if we don’t pray strategically and be led by the Holy Ghost. We should not use spirituality and cover our laziness, lateness, and failures in life for God will not support this. This is why we must go into battle armed and prepared for spiritual conflict (see 2 Cor. 10: 3 & 4). You must recognize that Jesus is in control of the situation no matter how bad it may look. Jesus “rules over forces, authorities, powers, and rulers … over all beings in this world and will rule in the future world as well” (Eph. 1:21). He is King of kings and Lord of lords. If God shows you the identity of specific spiritual strongholds that are at work, take authority over these strongholds in the name of Jesus. And always remember that “God’s Spirit is in you and is more powerful than the one that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Next, bind the work of Satan, knowing that Jesus has given you the authority to defeat the power of your enemy (Luke 10:19).
Excerpts from http://www1.cbn.com/questions/what-is-intercessory-prayer