Prayer and Intercession
Nothing is more foundational to who we are at Generals International than the principles of prayer and intercession. This is our starting place—everything we do flows from our belief in the power of prayer.
Put simply, prayer is walking and talking with God. It is the very essence of why we were created—to be in relationship with Him.
Prayer ushers in order out of chaos, pulls peace out of confusion and destruction, and brings joy in the midst of sorrow. It takes what Satan meant for evil and brings us good. Prayer—and the pulse that beats between us and God through it—is the essence of who we are as believers. Our life without prayer has no meaning, power, or purpose…Prayer for the Christian is as natural as taking a breath. It is a relationship that is extraordinary. We pray (or talk with God) because it is part of the DNA stamped into our genetic makeup. Quite simply, we were created to talk with God. (1)
Intercession builds on the concept of prayer, but moves beyond personal conversation with God about our own thoughts, desires, and needs. It opens the way for us to approach God with the needs of other people, even other nations.
Through intercession, we get the tremendous honor of being a bridge between a place that has been transformed by the power of God and a place that still needs to fully experience who He is. This is often referred to as “standing in the gap.”
When there is a person or circumstance still defined by things that do not represent God’s heart, such as brokenness or injustice, an intercessor recognizes a gap between the present reality and the reality of God’s kingdom—a kingdom of wholeness and justice—and through prayer, looks for God’s plan to close that gap, allowing His kingdom to come and His will to be done in the situation.
Sometimes you might wonder why prayer is necessary. After all, if God is all-knowing and all-powerful, why does it even matter if we pray or intercede? The humbling truth is that God chooses to operate this way, inviting us to know Him and partner with Him through prayer just because He loves us. He wants a relationship with us, and regular conversations with Him are an important part of that process, just as communication is vital to the health of any relationship we have.
Prayer and intercession also put us in a place to see God’s perspective on things, rather than being limited by our own perceptions. For example, there may be a person in your life who is difficult to love, or even like, but as you begin to pray for them, God shows you what He sees and feels about them. On a larger scale, there could be events taking place in your city or nation that seem completely dark and hopeless, but as you intercede, God reveals how He is working behind the scenes or what is causing the problem.
It is amazing to realize God wants to generously pour His wisdom and heart into us through this dialogue. We are not on our own to figure life out. God is ready and more than willing to listen to our hearts and open up His own.
Works Cited
Jacobs, Cindy. The Power of Persistent Prayer. Bethany House: Minneapolis, MN, 2010.
