There is something from my life that I would like to share with you. Most of my ministry has been dedicated to mobilizing prayer for revival and spiritual awakening. During the late 1980s and the 1990s, while powerful prayer movements were sweeping through the U.S., prayer mobilization was a very public ministry. At the height of this movement in the upper Midwest, I had two radio programs; published an annual prayer guide; led concerts of prayer and marches for Jesus with more than 10,000 people; spoke at conferences; facilitated pastoral prayer summits; ran a prayer coordinators’ network; and led several prayer coalitions. I don’t say any of this to brag — I do it only to paint a contrast.

Pray for your fellow intercessor.

You see, my life today is no longer that way. Why not? Because back then, something very vital was missing: I was so busy organizing prayer that I could not sit still long enough to actually pray. This gnawed at my insides as I observed the intercessors who were all around me — people accustomed to spending hours in the presence of God, without interruption or distraction. You could tell from the look in their eyes, from the way they spoke, and from the inner beauty of their souls that they were filled with the Holy Spirit and were hearing from God.

I grew jealous.

“Lord, make me an intercessor,” I pleaded — not realizing how much inner work would have to be done in me to accomplish that. Years of stripping away the barriers to intimacy with God, of having my faith tested, and of developing a spirit willing to listen patiently and quietly have followed that prayer. I had to learn to see the world through the eyes of an intercessor, rather than those of a driven doer who tended to convert everything into a task list. And most of all, I had to come to a place where I would gladly surrender the limelight and willingly exchange my place at the center of all that activity for a ministry that was largely hidden from view.

When I turned 60, the Lord spoke to me as I contemplated what this new decade of my life might entail in terms of spiritual life and ministry. “I am leading you into a ministry of the unseen,” He said. “You prayed two decades ago that I make you an intercessor. I have been developing that in you. You are ready.”

He closed the doors to most public ministry and led me instead down the paths of prayer and spiritual warfare, paths that have tested and deepened my faith, sharpened my hearing, and increased my knowledge of the One Who sees in secret, rewards in secret, and ordains to win His battles through the prayers of His people.

I am sharing this because I want you to be encouraged. You may be hidden from the eyes of many. Pastors, church leaders, and members of the congregation may not understand you. But you are indispensable in God’s eyes.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable … (1 Corinthians 12:21–22).

The high-visibility people — the speakers, the teachers, the prophets, the worship leaders — these are most often deemed the “strongest.” I certainly thought so. Being an “up-front leader” known by many became the dominant part of my identity, more so than just being a son of the Father. By contrast, the people with the hidden ministries, often overlooked, frequently misunderstood, and rarely appreciated, are subconsciously seen as the “weaker” parts of the body.

But if that is you, then know this: You are indispensable. You are a vessel of greater honor. You are privileged. God said so in His word.

Your prayers matter. They matter so much that He has chosen by means of them to advance His kingdom worldwide and to defeat Satan’s attempts to kill and destroy.

You are not indispensable because God needs you — He does not. No, He chose to make you an indispensable part of His work. The words of any evangelist will have no power without your prayers. Without your sustained pleading, no church planter will see the fruit of his or her labors. Revivals do not happen apart from fervent prayer. In short, nothing happens in the global work of God without focused, effective intercession.

I believe that all this is in fact an overlooked application of the passage that exhorts: … do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:4). The phrase in everything by prayer and supplication is the lifeblood of the Great Commission in all its various facets, from crusade evangelism to medical missions and everything in between.

All believers are called to pray and to make daily prayer central to the way they live. But intercessors have a specific calling on their lives: While all believers are in the Lord’s army, because we are indeed at war, intercessors are the special forces — trained and equipped to break down enemy strongholds and to push open doors for the gospel in ways that few really understand.

Missionary C. Peter Wagner used to say that intercessors would be given a place of honor in the inner circle around God’s throne once His kingdom is fully established. Of course, the Bible does not explicitly say that anywhere, but I nonetheless think he may be right — and not because I happen to be one, but because greater honor is always given to the hidden people in the Body of Christ!

Did the waning days of 2022 find you weary, discouraged, and battle-fatigued in some way? Does 2023 look like just another mountain to climb, with unpredictable events and sudden disasters looming and demanding urgent prayer?

Be strong and courageous! He calls you and equips you. In His eyes, you are indispensable and honored. “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6). So prepare your heart to receive great rewards as you seek Him in secret!

Last, but not least, let me recommend a decades-old practice I have engaged in: Spend a day sometime at the turn of the year in listening prayer, and ask the Lord: “What do you want for me and from me this coming year?” Ask Him for a theme verse that will declare His intentions for you and let that be your source of encouragement and guidance for the new year.

See yourself through the eyes of your Father: Hidden. Indispensable. Honored. And let His approving eyes compel you to reach new heights in the power of prayer!

Father, thank You for the value and honor You bestow on each member of Christ’s Body, including the hidden parts. May we, Your appointed intercessors, receive a double dose of grace and love as the new year begins. May we receive fresh impetus, new vision, new assignments, and greater faith as we enter the new year. Sharpen our ears so that we might hear what the Holy Spirit says to us. Work Your energy in us so that we might pray according to Your will and pleasure. Give us steadfastness, so that we might never give up in our intercessions. In Jesus’ name. Amen! 

Has God begun speaking to you anew as an intercessor? Share below and bless other intercessors!

Remco Brommet is a pastor, spiritual-growth teacher, and prayer leader with over 40 years of experience in Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the U.S. Born and raised in the Netherlands and having pastored his first church in Amsterdam, he moved to the U.S. in 1986. He and his wife, Jennifer, live north of Atlanta. When not writing books, he blogs and assists his wife as a content developer and prayer coordinator for True Identity Ministries. Jennifer and Remco are passionate about bringing people into a deeper relationship with Christ. Photo Credit: Canva.