HELPS TO INTERCESSION - DAYS 16 - 31

This is the second part of a guide authored by Andrew Murray whose purpose is to help people begin to have a disciplined time of intercessory prayer. If you are not overly disciplined in intercession, you are encouraged to follow this plan and begin praying.

Days 1 - 15

DAY SIXTEEN

WHAT TO PRAY - For the Power of the Holy Spirit in our Sunday Schools

"Surely, thus says the LORD: ' Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, for I will content with those who contend with you, and I will save your children." Isaiah 49:25
Every part of the work of God's Church is His work. He must do it. Prayer is the confession that He will, the surrender of ourselves into His hands to let Him, work in us and through us. Pray for the hundreds of thousands of Sunday school teachers, that those who know God may be filled with His Spirit. Pray for your own Sunday school. Pray for the salvation of the children.

HOW TO PRAY - Boldly

"...we have a great high priest...Jesus, the Son of God,ä.Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace,...." Hebrews 4:14, 16
These hints to help us in our work of intercession - what are they doing for us? Making us conscious of our feebleness in prayer? Thank God for this. It is the very first lesson we need on the way to pray the effectual prayer that avails much. Let us persevere, taking each subject boldly to the throne of grace. As we pray we shall learn to pray, and to believe, and to expect with increasing boldness. Hold fast your assurance: it is at God's command you come as an intercessor. Christ will give you grace to pray aright.

DAY SEVENTEEN

WHAT TO PRAY - For Kings and Rulers

"First of all, the, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way." 1 Timothy 2:1-2
What a faith in the power of prayer ! A few feeble and despised Christians are to influence the mighty Roman emperors, and help in securing peace and quietness. Let us believe that prayer is a power that is taken up by God in His rule of the world. Let us pray for our country and its rulers; for all the rulers of the world; for rulers in cities or districts in which we are interested. When God's people unite in this, they may count upon their prayer effecting in the unseen world more than they know. Let faith hold this fast.

HOW TO PRAY - The Prayer before God as Incense

"And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth; and there were peals of thunder, loud noises, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake." Revelation 8:3-5
The same censer brings the prayer of the saints before God and casts fire upon the earth. The prayers that go up to heaven have their share in the history of this earth. Be sure that your prayers enter God's presence.

DAY EIGHTEEN

WHAT TO PRAY - For Peace

"First of all, the, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior." 1 Timothy 2:1-3
"He makes wars cease to the end of the earth." Psalm 46:9
What a terrible sight! - the military armaments in which the nations find their pride. What a terrible thought! - the evil passions that may at any moment bring on war. And what a prospect the suffering and desolation that must come. God can, in answer to the prayer of His people, give peace. Let us pray for it, and for the rule of righteousness on which alone it can be established.

HOW TO PRAY - With the Understanding

"What am I to do? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; a." 1 Corinthians 14:15
We need to pray with the spirit, as the vehicle of the intercession of God's Spirit, if we are to take hold of God in faith and power. We need to pray with the understanding, if we are really to enter deeply into the needs we bring before Him. Take time to apprehend intelligently, in each subject, the nature, the extent, the urgency of the request, the ground and way and certainty of God's promise as revealed in His Word. Let the mind affect the heart. Pray with the understanding and with the spirit.

DAY NINETEEN

WHAT TO PRAY - For the Holy Spirit on Christendom

"...holding the form of religion but denying the power of it." 2 Tim 3:5
"...you have the name of being alive, and you are dead." Rev. 3:1
There are millions of people who are Christians in name only. The state of the majority is unspeakably awful. Formality, worldliness, ungodliness, rejection of Christ's service, ignorance, and indifference - to what an extent does all this prevail. We pray for the heathen - oh! do let us pray for those bearing Christ's name, many in worse than heathen darkness. Does not one feel as if one ought to begin to give up one's life, and to cry day and night to God for souls? In answer to prayer God gives the power of the Holy Spirit.

HOW TO PRAY - In deep Stillness of Soul

"For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation." Psalm 62:1
Prayer has its power in God alone. The nearer a person comes to God Himself, the deeper one enters into God's will; the more one takes hold of God, the more power in prayer. God must reveal Himself. If it please Him to make Himself known, He can make the heart conscious of His presence. Our posture must be that of holy reverence, of quiet waiting and adoration. As your month of intercession passes on, and you feel the greatness of your work, be still before God. Thus you will get power to pray.

DAY TWENTY

WHAT TO PRAY - For God's Spirit on the Non-Christians of the World

"Lo, these shall come from afar, and lo, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Syene." Isaiah 49:12
"Let bronze be brought from Egypt; let Ethiopia hasten to stretch out her hands to God." Psalm 68:31
"I am the LORD; in its time I will hasten it." Isaiah 60:22
Pray for the heathen, who are yet without the word. Think of China, with her billion people. Think of Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, and Nigeria. Think of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Think of Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia. Think of millions a year going down into the thick darkness. If Christ gave His life for them, will you not do so? You can give yourself up to intercede for them. Just begin, if you have never yet begun, with this simple monthly school of intercession. The ten minutes you give will make you feel this is not enough. God's Spirit will draw you on. Persevere, however feeble you are. Ask God to give you some country or tribe to pray for. Can anything be nobler than to do as Christ did? Give your life for the non-Christians of the world.

HOW TO PRAY - With Confident Expectation of an Answer

"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known." Jeremiah 33:3
"Thus saith the Lord God: I will yet be inquired of, that I do it." Ez 36:37 KJV
Both texts refers to promises definitely made, but their fulfillment would depend upon prayer: God would be inquired of to do it. Pray for God's fulfillment of His promises to His Son and His Church, and expect the answer. Plead for the non-christians: plead God's promises.

DAY TWENTY-ONE

WHAT TO PRAY - For God's Spirit on the Jews

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication, so that, when they look on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him. Zech 12:10
"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved." Romans 10:1 Pray for the . Jews . Their return to the God of their fathers stands connected, in a way we cannot tell, with wonderful blessing to the Church, and with the coming of our Lord Jesus. Let us not think that God has foreordained all this, and that we cannot hasten it. In a divine and mysterious way God has connected His fulfillment of His promise with our prayer. His Spirit's intercession in us is God's forerunner of blessing. Pray for Israel and the work done am them. And pray too: Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

HOW TO PRAY - With the Praying For Others of the Holy Spirit

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words." Romans 8:26
In your ignorance and feebleness believe in the secret indwelling and intercession of the Holy Spirit within you. Yield yourself to His life and leading habitually. He will help your infirmities in prayer. Plead the promises of God even where you do not see how they are to be fulfilled. God knows the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Pray with the simplicity of a little child; pray with the holy awe and reverence of one in whom God's Spirit dwells and prays.

DAY TWENTY-TWO

WHAT TO PRAY - For all who are Suffering

"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them; and those who are ill-treated, since you also are in the body." Heb. 13:3
What a world of suffering we live in! How Jesus sacrificed all and identified Himself with it! Let us in our measure do so too. The persecuted Jews, Iranians, and Ethiopians, the famine-stricken millions of the world, the hidden slavery in countries, the poverty and wretchedness of our great cities - and so much more: what suffering among those who know God and who know him not. And then in smaller circles in thousands of homes and hearts, what sorrow. In our neighbourhood, how many needing help or comfort. Let us have a heart for, let us think of the suffering. It will stir us to pray, to work, to hope, to love more. And in a way and time we know not God will hear our prayer.

HOW TO PRAY - Praying always, and not fainting

"And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart." Luke 18:1
Do you not begin to feel prayer is really the help for this sinful world? What a need there is of unceasing prayer? The very greatness of the task makes us despair! What can our ten minutes of intercession avail? It is right we feel this: this is the way in which God is calling and preparing us to give our life to prayer. Give yourself wholly to God for people, and amid all your work, your heart will be drawn out to people in love, and drawn up to God in dependence and expectation. To a heart thus led by the Holy Spirit, it is possible to pray always and not to faint.

DAY TWENTY-THREE

WHAT TO PRAY - For the Holy Spirit in your own Work

"For this I toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me." Colossians 1:29
You have your own special work; make it a work of intercession. Paul labored, striving according to the working of God in him. Remember, God is not only the Creator, but the Great Workman, who works all in all. You can only do your work in His strength, by Him working in you through the Spirit. Intercede much for those among whom you work, till God gives you life for them. Let us all intercede too for each other, for every worker throughout God's Church, however solitary or unknown.

HOW TO PRAY - In God's very Presence

"Draw near to God and he will draw near to you." James 4:8
The nearness of God gives rest and power in prayer. The nearness of God is given to him who makes it his first object. "Draw near to God"; seek the nearness to Him, and He will give it; "He will draw near to you." Then it becomes easy to pray in faith. Remember that when first God takes you into the school of intercession it is almost more for your own sake than that of others. You have to be trained to love, and wait, and pray, and believe. Only persevere. Learn to set yourself in His presence, to wait quietly for the assurance that He draws near. Enter His holy presence, tarry there, and spread your work before Him. Intercede for the souls you are working among. Get a blessing from God, His Spirit into your own heart, for them.

DAY TWENTY-FOUR

WHAT TO PRAY - For the Spirit on your own Congregation

"...beginning from Jerusalem..." Luke 24:47
Each one of us is connected with some congregation or circle of believers, who are to us the part of Christ's body with which we come into most direct contact. They have a special claim on our intercession. Let it be a settled matter between God and you that you are to labor in prayer on its behalf. Pray for the ministers and all leaders or workers in it. Pray for the believers according to their needs. Pray for conversions. Pray for the power of the Spirit to manifest itself. Band yourself with others to join in secret in definite petitions . Let intercession be a definite work, carried on as systematically as preaching or Sunday school. And pray expecting an answer.

HOW TO PRAY - Continually

"...I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent." Isaiah 62:6 "...his elect, who cry to him day and night..." Luke 18:7
"...praying earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith." 1 Thessalonians 3:10
"...a widow has set her hope on God and continues in supplication and prayers night and day;...." 1 Timothy 5:5
When the glory of God, and the love of Christ, and the need of souls are revealed to us, the fire of this unceasing intercession will begin to burn in us for those who are near and those who are far off.

DAY TWENTY-FIVE

WHAT TO PRAY - For more Conversions

"...he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25
"'But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.'...And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly..." Acts 6:4, 7
Christ's power to save, and save completely, depends on His unceasing intercession. The apostles withdrawing themselves from other work to give themselves continually to prayer was followed by the number of the disciples multiplying exceedingly. As we, in our day, give ourselves to intercession, we shall have more and mightier conversions. Let us plead for this. Christ is exalted to give repentance. The Church exists with the Divine purpose and promise of having conversion. Let us not be ashamed to confess our sin and feebleness, and cry to God for more conversions in Christian and non-Christian lands, of those too whom you know and love. Plead for the salvation of sinners.

HOW TO PRAY - In deep Humility

"'Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs....'...'O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." Matthew 15:27-28
You feel unworthy and unable to pray aright. To accept this heartily, and to be content still to come and be blest in you unworthiness, is true humility. It proves its integrity by not seeking for anything, but simply trusting His grace. And so it is the very strength of a great faith, and gets a full answer. "Even the dogs" - let that be your plea as you persevere for someone possibly possessed of the devil. Let not your littleness hinder you for a moment.

DAY TWENTY-SIX

WHAT TO PRAY - For the Holy Spirit on Young Converts

"...Peter and John, who dame down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." Acts 8:15-16
"But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; he has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." 2 Corinthians 1:21-22
How many new converts who remain feeble; how many who fall into sin; how many who backslide entirely. If we pray for the Church, its growth in holiness and devotion to God's service, pray especially for the young converts. How many stand alone, surrounded by temptation; how many have no teaching on the Spirit in them, and the power of God to establish them; how many in non-Christian lands, surrounded by Satan's power. If you pray for the power of the Spirit in the Church, pray especially that every young convert may know that he or she may claim and receive the fullness of the Spirit.

HOW TO PRAY - Without Ceasing

"..as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you;...." 1 Samuel 12:23
It is sin against the Lord to cease praying for others. When once we begin to see how absolutely indispensable intercession is, just as much a duty as loving God or believing in Christ, and how we are called and bound to it as believers, we shall feel that to cease intercession in grievous sin. Let us ask for grace to take up our place as priests with joy, and give our life to bring down the blessing of heaven.

DAY TWENTY-SEVEN

WHAT TO PRAY - That God's People may Realize their Calling

"...I will bless you...so that you will be a blessing.... by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves." Genesis 12:2-3
"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that thy way may be known upon the earth, thy saving power among all nations." Psalm 67:1-2
Abraham was only blessed that he might be a blessing to all the earth. Israel prays for blessing, that God may be known among all nations. every believer, just as much as Abraham, is only blessed that he may carry God's blessing to the world.

Cry to God that His people may know this, that every believer is only to live for the interests of God and His kingdom. If this truth were preached and believed and practiced, what a revolution it would bring in our mission work. What a host of willing intercessors we should have. Plead with God to work it by the Holy Spirit.

HOW TO PRAY - As One who has Accepted for Oneself what one Asks for Others

"...Peter said, '...I give you what I have;....'...'the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning....God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us...'" Acts 3:6; 11:15, 17

As you pray for this great blessing on God's people, the Holy Spirit taking entire possession of them for God's service, yield yourself to God, and claim the gift anew in faith. Let each thought of feebleness or shortcoming only make you the more urgent in prayer for others; as the blessing comes to them, you too will be helped. With every prayer for conversions or mission work, pray that God's people may know how wholly they belong to Him.

DAY TWENTY-EIGHT

WHAT TO PRAY - That all God's People may know the Holy Spirit

"...the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you." John 14:17
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit..." 1 Corinthians 6:19
The Holy Spirit is the power of God for the salvation of people. He only works as He dwells in the Church. he is given to enable believers to live wholly as God would have them live, in the full experience and witness of Him who saves completely. Pray God that every one of His people may know the Holy Spirit! - That He, in all His fullness, is given to them! That they cannot expect to live as their Father would have, without having Him in His fullness, without being filled with Him! Pray that all God's people, even away in churches gathered out of heathendom, may learn to say: I believe in the Holy Spirit.

HOW TO PRAY - Laboring fervently in Prayer

"Epaphras, who is one of yourselves, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always remembering you earnestly in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God." Colossians 4:12
To a healthy person labor is a delight; in what interests one labors fervently. The believer who is in full health, whose heart is filled with God's Spirit, labors fervently in prayer. For what? That ones brothers and sisters may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God; that they may know what God wills for them, how He calls them to live, and be led and walk by the Holy Spirit. labor fervently in prayer that all Good's children may know this, as possible, as divinely sure.

DAY TWENTY-NINE WHAT TO PRAY - For the Spirit of Praying For Others

"...I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you." John 15:16
"Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name;....I that day you will ask in my name;...." John 16:24, 26
Has not our school of intercession taught us how little we have prayed in the name of Jesus? He promised His disciples: In that day, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you shall ask in My name. Are there not tens of thousands with us mourning the lack of the power of intercession? Let our intercession today be for them and all God's children, that Christ may teach us that the Holy Spirit is in us; and what it is to live in His fullness, and to yield ourselves to His intercession work within us. The Church and the world need nothing so much as a mighty Spirit of Praying For Others to bring down the power of God on earth. Pray for the descent from heaven of the Spirit of Praying For Others for a great prayer revival.

HOW TO PRAY - Abiding in Christ

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you." John 15:7
Our acceptance with God, our access to Him, is all in Christ. As we consciously abide in Him we have the liberty, not a liberty to our old nature or our self-will, but the Divine liberty from all self-will, to ask what we will, in the power of the new nature, and it shall be done. Let us keep this place, and believe even now that our intercession is heard, and that the Spirit of Supplication will be given all around us.

DAY THIRTY

WHAT TO PRAY - For the Holy Spirit with the Word of God

"...our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction." 1 Thessalonians 1:5
"...those who preached the good news to you through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven,...." 1 Peter 1:12
What numbers of Bibles are being circulated. What numbers of sermons on the Bible are being preached. What numbers of Bibles are being read in home and school. How little blessing when it comes "in word" only; what Divine blessing and power when it comes "in the Holy Spirit," when it is preached "with the Holy Spirit set forth from heaven." Pray for Bible circulation, and preaching and teaching and reading, that it may all be in the Holy Spirit, with much prayer. Pray for the power of the Spirit with the word in your own neighbourhood, wherever it is being read or heard. Let every mention of "The Word of God" waken intercession.

HOW TO PRAY - Watching and Praying

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving; and pray for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word,..." Colossians 4:2-3
Do you not see how all depends upon God and prayer? As long as He lives and loves, and hears and works, as long as there are souls with hearts closed to the word, as long as there is work to be done in carrying the word - Pray without ceasing. Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving. These words are for every Christian.

DAY THIRTY-ONE

WHAT TO PRAY - For the Spirit of Christ in His People

"I am the Vine, you are the branches." John 15:5
"...that you would do as I have done to you." John 13:15

As branches we are to be so like the Vine, so entirely identified with it, that all may see that we have the same nature, and life, and spirit. When we pray for the Spirit, let us not only think of a Spirit of power, but the very disposition and temper of Christ Jesus. Ask and expect nothing less: for yourself, and all God's children, cry for it.

HOW TO PRAY - Striving in Prayer

"...to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,.... Romans 15:30
"For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you,...." Colossians 2:1

All the powers of evil seek to hinder us in prayer. Prayer in a conflict with opposing forces. It needs the whole heart and all our strength. May God give us grace to strive in prayer till we prevail.

Return to Helps to Praying For Others Days 1 - 15

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Christian Quotes by Andrew Murray

Murray, Andrew With Christ in the School of Prayer By Andrew Murray One of the best-loved prayer classics of all time. Using Jesus' teaching on prayer as a model, Murray begins at the elementary level and then leads you step-by-step deeper into bold, believing prayer. In 31 lessons, Murray offers powerful teaching designed to lead us to a life of prayer.

Murray, Andrew Abide in Christ By Andrew Murray So many Christians, instead of accepting God's invitation to enter His throne room, stand alone outside the door, uncertain and ashamed. Christ beckons them to His banqueting table and offers them a room in His house, but they foolishly give up the glory of the life He as offered. They come to Jesus as Redeemer but never go beyond the doorway to abide in Him and experience the unspeakable joy of dwelling with the King of Kings. Andrew Murray knew what it meant to be continually in the Father's presence. Read these thirty-one heart-searching readings and learn how to live daily in closer communion and fellowship with Him. Accept God's invitation and live in His blessing and glory instead of shuffling your feet at the gate. More books by Andrew Murray

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General Books on Prayer	Spiritual Warfare in Prayer	Receiving Answered Prayer	Praying the Prayers of the Bible	Written Prayers for All Occasions and Situations
Praying for Protection	Dinner Blessings & Graces	Seeking God's Guidance & Hearing His Voice	Praying for Your Prodigal

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