Intercessory Prayer

I’ll be taking a break from the blog for most of July. Thank you for allowing me to communicate with you in this format over the past six months. It began with the name change conversation, but I’ve continued writing as a means of ongoing communication, encouragement, and discipleship.

One of the things I love about this weekly blog is the opportunity it gives me, as a pastor, to do some “further reflection.” Very few pastors get to say everything they want to say in a message due to time constraints. But it’s equally true that there are often things the Holy Spirit brings to mind after preaching a passage—things you wish you had said.

This past Sunday, I preached on intercessory prayer from Psalm 20. I argued that this text teaches our most powerful service to others is prayerful service. I need to tell you—it was probably my favorite sermon I’ve preached in my seven years as your pastor. I felt such freedom and passion about the text and topic that I can only attribute it to the work of the Spirit.

Here are a few more thoughts the Spirit has brought to mind since preaching on Sunday:

Christ in the Old Testament

The entire Bible bears witness to Jesus Christ. Promises made about Him in the Old Testament are fulfilled in the New Testament. Anytime I preach from the Old Testament, I want to faithfully show how the passage points to Jesus. This past week, I highlighted verse 6 of Psalm 20 as a key connection:

Now I know that the Lord gives victory to his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty victories from his right hand.

I noted that the confidence God gives His anointed king is connected to the broader promise that God’s king would mediate blessing to God’s people. This idea is rooted in Psalm 2, where God’s commitment to His anointed is made clear, and in the Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 7.

I believe one of the clearest and most helpful ways to move from the Old Testament to Jesus is through the biblical covenants. There are at least six major covenants that point forward to Christ:

1. Adamic Covenant (Gen. 3:15): God promises that a descendant from humanity will come to destroy evil.
2. Noahic Covenant (Gen. 9:1–11): God promises not to destroy the earth by flood again, preserving the line through which the promise of Adam will be fulfilled.
3. Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1–3): God promises that through Abraham, all the families of the earth will be blessed.
4. Mosaic Covenant (Ex. 19–20): God promises blessing to those who keep His law.
5. Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:8–16): God promises to establish a Son of David who will reign forever.
6. New Covenant (Jer. 31:31–34): God promises a new heart and His Spirit dwelling within His people.
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These covenants form a “highway” from the Old Testament to Jesus. The more familiar you are with them, the more clearly you’ll see how they all point to Christ.

Ground for Intercession

Intercessory prayer is pleading with God on behalf of others. David encourages this kind of prayer in Psalm 20:4:

“May he give you what your heart desires.”

He’s urging people to intercede for others in their day of trouble—asking God to grant relief and help.

Because God’s greatest gift is Himself, prayer is our greatest privilege as followers of Jesus. We pray in Jesus’ name because He has granted us access to the Father through His redeeming work. Simply put: we are able to intercede for others because Christ intercedes for us. Consider these verses:

Romans 8:34
Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.

Hebrews 7:25
Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.

1 John 2:1–2
But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one. He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for those of the whole world.

Hebrews 4:14–16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession... Let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Pray for others in their day of trouble with confidence—not confidence in yourself, or in how well you pray, or in your mood—but confidence in Christ’s intercession for you before the Father.

Desperation’s Peace

One of my favorite parts of Psalm 20 is the shift from the “May He” prayers in verses 1–5 to the bold assertion in verse 6:

6 Now I know that the Lord gives victory to his anointed...

Don’t miss the power of the word “Now.” Something happens during the act of intercessory prayer. After pouring out their hearts to God, the people experience a sudden, Spirit-given confidence. This is the peace of Christ.

Desperation before God leads to peace from God.
When I cry out for help—whether for myself or for someone else—I often experience deep peace. The more I humble myself before God, the more I sense His compassion and peace. On the other hand, pride and self-sufficiency are massive barriers to peace. Pride trusts self. Faith trusts God.

Repent of pride and self-reliance. Throw yourself on the mercy of God. Plead with Him to move—and watch how His peace floods your heart.

Intercession for the Lost

One of the most vital ways you can intercede is by praying for those who don’t know Christ.

Every person is born into sin—not just bad behavior, but bondage. The Bible describes it as darkness:

• Darkness of the mind—unable to see truth.
• Darkness of the heart—longing for what destroys.
• Darkness of actions—rebellion against God.

But humanity’s greatest problem isn’t just darkness—it’s the wrath of God. God is holy and just. He punishes sin with everlasting judgment. This isn’t overreaction—it’s divine justice.

The good news is that Jesus Christ took this wrath upon Himself at the cross. He satisfied the justice of God and now offers forgiveness to all who trust Him.

So we must pray:

• Pray that people would repent and trust in Christ.
• Pray that the Spirit would convict hearts.
• Pray that we would have the boldness to share the gospel.

When we pray for the lost, it not only changes their lives—it also softens our hearts and keeps us focused on our mission.

Application: Prayer Cards

One tool that has transformed my prayer life over the past year is using prayer cards. These are simple 3x5 index cards I pray through almost daily. One side includes a person or theme, along with a relevant Scripture. The other side lists specific prayer requests.

Examples from my stack:

• A card for Shelley and each of our kids.
• Cards for areas where I need personal growth.
• Cards for our staff, elders, and their families.
• Cards for missionaries and ministry partners.

This simple practice has made a huge impact—especially in deepening my intercession for others.

Let’s keep praying, Church. The Lord is listening—and Christ is interceding with us.