Have you ever noticed that your prayers for others tend to be answered much quicker than your petitions for yourself? If so, this should really be no surprise. After all, intercessors put their prayers on the back burner while placing the needs of others first.
This is why intercessors need to be patient. Their choice to earnestly pray for others requires they wait on God to sometimes do for their prayer subjects before moving on their personal prayer requests.
This doesn't seem fair, does it? Well, God's response to that is in Ezekiel 18:25 - Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? Yes, God is just in everything He does and it is unwise to judge Him by human metrics after all He is not a man (1 Samuel 15:29; Numbers 23:19).
Think about Anna the prophetess mentioned in Luke 2. She was an 84-year-old widow who never left the Temple. Instead, she worshiped, fasted, and prayed nonstop. God answered her pleas by making sure she met Jesus as an infant. "he gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem" (Luke 2:38). God had likely called her to stand in the gap for her people's salvation and He ensured she saw the prayer fulfilled.
None of us know exactly how long she waited for God's promised salvation but we know patience was required. As intercessors, we too must be ready to wait on God for the answer to our personal prayer requests. Of course, God could move immediately for us but He has chosen to teach intercessors to patiently wait for the fulfillment of their petitions while praying with zeal for others.
Abraham, for instance, interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah even while he and Sarai desperately waited on the Lord for the child they'd been promised. His intercession produced results because Lot and his family were rescued from the disaster that came upon the city. Plus, Abraham and Sarai had their son, Isaac, the following year.
This is why we are taught in Hebrews 6:10 - For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do (NLT). Your heartfelt intercessory prayers are a reflection of the work you have done for Him, showing love and care to His children.
And because He cannot ignore intercessors it is best to see the period before prayer fulfillment as the time where He perfects things. This is a time to learn whatever lessons you need to know before you step into His promise so that none of it will be squandered as the Prodigal Son lost his inheritance.
So, if you are upset that your prayers for others tend to happen quickly while waiting for answers to your needs, please don't be. God has a great reward coming for you. I've watched the Lord answer my prayers for people while making me wait for many things. Yet, even in my season of waiting, He has done great things for me and given me many reasons to rejoice and testify. And I only started seriously interceding for others in 2019.
God does not play favorites with His children (Acts 10:34). Therefore, what He's done for me is available to all. I encourage you to keep interceding, keep praising, and keep serving Him. It may take a while, but He will reassure you by answering your prayers for others. And though you wait for your prayers for yourself to be answered, they shall surely come to pass at His perfect timing. He will fulfill your petitions and do exceedingly and abundantly more than you can ask or imagine.
Here are some related posts on intercession:
Intercessors: Daniel - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) November 12, 2021
Intercession Ministry - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) November 23, 2021
Intercessors: Esther - Friday Praise & Pray November 26, 2021
Intercessors: Abraham - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) November 30, 2021
Intercessors: Isaac - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) December 3, 2021
Intercession in the news - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) December 7, 2021
Intercessors vs Prayer Contractors - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) November 1, 2022
Intercede More - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) December 2, 2022
CLOSING PRAYER
Thank You, Heavenly Father for another day of fellowship in Your grace. Thank You for bringing us together to honor You. Take all the glory, Lord for none of this would be possible without You in Your authority and mercy. Praise be to Your Holy Name.
Psalm 121:5-8 - The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
God, this is my prayer for Your children who participated today and those who will do so later. Thank You for hearing and answering this petition. IJMN, Amen.
From M22 - Abba Father I pray for the sick and recovering that they will experience your mighty healing power. I pray that your power permeates every inch of their bodies. I pray Father that you destroy every power of affliction in their lives. I pray that you coordinate the hearts and eyes of operating surgeons to carry out successful surgeries IjMN Amen
From M22 - Abba Father I pray for children across the world that you will continue to shield them from harm, violence and abuse. I pray that you touch the hearts and minds of their parents, guardians and caregivers to nourish and nurture them in your ways. I pray that you help them fulfil destiny IjMN Amen
From M22 - Abba Father I pray for the safety of Nigerian citizens as they protest against bad governance. I pray that your angels will continue to shield them from violence and threats. I pray that you answer us on behalf of every knee that has bowed before you in this country. I pray that touch the hearts and minds of leaders to honor you in the life of citizens. IjMN Amen
From M22 - Abba Father I want to thank you for this wonderful community. I pray that you order our steps throughout the month of August. I pray that you continue to guide us as we navigate every single day. I pray we receive all that you have in store for us in this month of August IjMN Amen
From JIR - I pray for skeptics to be blessed with a mustard seed of faith in You and for that mustard seed to grow into a large tree of faith in You Lord. Please rebuke any haughtiness, arrogance or stubbornness they may have and bless them to humble themselves to You Lord. Please bless them to pick up the Bible and read it with the yearning to get to know You, Lord. Please open their hearts up to You Lord and bless them to come to You and seek You. Please bless them to realize that they need You and are nothing without You. Please bless them to give their lives to You Lord and live for You. IJMN. Amen.
Hallelujah
We will sing
Hallelujah
From CD - God loves me, He knows my past, He knows my present, and He knows even though I strive to follow His word that I fail daily, multiple times a day, but yet and still even after all He knows about me...He knows my name and calls me friend, daughter, beloved
PRAYER TIME
Pray for others now
From JIR - “I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.”
Psalms 34:1-3 NLT
Who is like my God?
The mighty Man of War!
The Rock.
The Refuge.
The Fortress.
The Salvation!
The Strongtower!
From JIR - Thank You Lord for Your grace and mercy. You guide us, teach us and correct us when needed. Your love for us is boundless! We thank You for showing us that we are worthy of Your love and being so kind and compassionate to us. We bow at Your feet for all that You have done for us and submit ourselves to You! All glory belongs to You Lord! How can we ever repay You. It is with great honor to be Your servant, Lord. We belong to You and will praise You and worship You with our entire being. We love You Lord! We cherish You Lord. IJMN. Amen.
Thank You God. With You on my side, I have an everlasting majority! You, who contend with those who contend with me.
Thank You, my King!
From AW - https://youtu.be/LM1qrx0Huds
Lord, thank You for the blessing of joy. The Bible tells me that it is You who gives joy and makes hearts cheerful.
Thank You for making this provision available to me and mine.
On behalf of us all, I want to tell You, we are grateful!!!
You are the reason why I lift my hands
Why I lift my voice
Why I sing to you
You are the reason I'm alive today
I am here to say
It's all because of You
You are the reason why I lift my hands
Why I lift my voice
Why I sing to You
You are the reason I'm alive today
I am here to say
It's all because of You
Father, glory be to Your Holy Name. You are the reason! Thank You Papa God.
Thank You Lord for Your hand is upon us. Thank You Father! For the wicked, Your hand is heavy on them but for us, Your beloveds - it is a sweet caress. Glory be to You!
Luke 4:18-19 - “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Thank You for that caress beckons us to intercede for others with petitions that we pray pleases Your ears and serves as a sweet-smelling incense to the lover of our souls.
PRAISE TIME
Give Him the glory!
From JIR - Thank You Lord for blessing us all with another day. Thank You for breathing life into us and waking us up this morning. We are thankful for all that You do and are grateful that You have moved us to reconvene for another P&P fellowship. Thank You Jesus!
Thanks for this message @FFJ. This is very encouraging and reminds us to serve and put others before ourselves in our prayer lives and in general. God is fair, He is just. He hears us. He will answer our prayers at the appointed time as @FFJ mentioned. I pray that we always have faith in Him and the hope that He will give us what we need. Never give up on prayer and never give up of God because He would never give up on us. I pray that we never question His timing on things. It’s not meant for us to understand the inner workings of God but as long as we stay persistent with interceding for others and praying for ourselves, He will always see us through what we need because He is and will always be faithful and unwavering, IJMN. Amen.