The following is an excerpt from our daily devotional Fellowship With the Father, written by IFA contributing writer Remco Brommet.
Once we have reached the point of delighting in God’s friendship and self-disclosure, we have come close to His heart. And there we find that nothing He gives us is merely for our own consumption and enjoyment. He gives to us, so we can give to others.
Do you want state prayer alerts?
The first, and most important, way to give is to take on the function of a priest and pray. 1 Peter 2:9 describes part of our true identity as a royal priesthood. We have the calling and ability to come before His Throne and pray for important matters beyond ourselves – our families, our friends, our churches, our cities, our nation and the world. That is what intercession means. Standing in the gap for others.
God has ordained to do mighty things through the prayers of His people. He doesn’t need to. He chose to do so, inviting us into a prayer-based partnership to unfold the plan of redemption He has set in motion for the world.
You might say: “But I feel so unworthy!” Good! Because God doesn’t accept our prayers based on how worthy, good, well-behaved, or acceptable we are. We are none of these. Period. The access to God’s Throne and Ear, the right to pray, the help in knowing how to pray, to answers to our prayers, were all bought by the blood of Jesus, who is our High Priest and atoned for our sins (Hebrews 4:15,16). As soon as you placed your faith in Christ as your Savior, this became active for you. You must pray. To not pray is a waste of the resource God gave to us all!
You might also say: “But I don’t know what to pray!” You’re in good company. The apostle Paul didn’t either. He said in Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
That is the beauty of listening prayer. I know I am supposed to pray according to the will of God (1 John 5:14) but I don’t know what that is. So, start your prayer by asking God: “What is it that you want me to pray?”, then wait till the Holy Spirit fills your mind with prayers. I tell you, He does!
But does God really do mighty things through my prayers? James seems to think so: “The prayer of a righteous person (and we have received the gift of righteousness!) has great power as it is working” (James 5:16). Then he goes on to say that Elijah made it stop raining and then rain again by a simple prayer and we’re no different than he is. Because it is not about the person who prays but the Person we are praying to.
You have probably heard of FOMO – the Fear Of Missing Out. I have a bad case of FOMO when it comes to prayer. I want God to win great victories through my prayers. I want to see the joy of answered prayer. I want the deep satisfaction of having joined with His heart and will by praying what the Spirit guides me to pray. So I make it my aim to learn and grow in listening prayer and partnership with the Holy Spirit.
Today’s Prayer Assignment
Be encouraged today. Remember that as a member of His Royal Priesthood you have a holy duty to pray, and that God delights in the prayers of His people, as His people delight in Him.
Re-read 1 Peter 2:9 and take up your God-given mantle. Pray it forward by interceding for others. There is no greater work or ministry than that of intercessory prayer. Start now!
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Author Remco Brommet is a pastor, spiritual growth teacher, and prayer leader with over 40 years’ experience in Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the US. Born and raised in the Netherlands and pastoring his first church in Amsterdam, he moved to the US in 1986. He and his wife Jennifer currently live north of Atlanta, GA When not writing books, he blogs and assists his wife as 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: zbindere/Getty Images Signature via Canva Pro.