How to Pray for Others, the Secret Weapon You Never Knew You Had

Mark Finley: You've been praying diligently, but something seems blocking your prayers. Let's break down the barriers today. So, there are three things to remember here, that God is teaching us when there are no apparent answers to our prayers.
Guest (Female): This is Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message, how to pray for others, the secret weapon you never knew you had. Enjoy and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with Hope Lives 365 and Pastor Mark by going to hopelives365.com.
Guest (Female): And now, Pastor Mark Finley.
Mark Finley: Is it possible for our prayers to change the course of someone's life? Let's unravel the truth today. But let's pray first. Father in heaven, as we study intercessory prayer, this so important topic. Teach us the truth of your word and teach us the power of intercessory prayer. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. The Apostle Paul was an old man now. There were deeply etched lines that had been in his face. His hands were trembling. His gray hair belied his age, and he recognized that he had to say something significant, something important, to the churches that he had planted in the Mediterranean basin. So as the result of that, imprisoned in Rome, pain racking his body, he's been shipwrecked and stoned, beaten with rods. Here the Apostle Paul writes to the church at Philippi. And in Philippians chapter 1, Paul says, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine, making request for you all with joy." The Apostle Paul says, "I'm in prison in Rome and I'm writing back to the church at Philippi, and I'm praying for you." Intercessory prayer is biblical. But then, Paul invites the church to pray for him. They were not together. They were hundreds of miles apart. And Paul in Philippians 1, verse 19, says this, "For I know that this..." What's he talking about? I know this. I know this trial, this difficulty. I know this imprisonment that I'm going through. "I know this will turn out for my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Christ." What does Paul mean this will turn out for my salvation? Wasn't Paul saved on Damascus Road? He was. How could their prayers in Philippi impact Paul in Rome? He says, "It'll turn out to my salvation." Another word for salvation, the word there is "soteria" in the Greek original language and it means healing. So what Paul is saying there is, "I'm going through a trial. I'm going through difficulty. And because you are praying for me, the difficulty is not going to destroy me, but it's going to heal my soul in ways that it draws me closer to Christ because through your prayer, I will be drawn closer to Jesus." Intercessory prayer is biblical. Now, what is intercessory prayer? Intercessory prayer is prayers in which we pray for another person. All through the New Testament you find that. For example, let's go to the book of Ephesians, chapter 1. And we find again in Ephesians 1, verse 15 and 16. "Therefore," Paul says, "I also after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you for making mention of you in my prayers." Paul says, "Church at Ephesus, we're not with you, but I'm praying for you and I know it's going to make a difference." Well, what was Paul praying specifically about? That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of your calling. What are the riches of the glory of his inheritance and the saints? He's writing to the church at Ephesus. What was Ephesus like? Ephesus was a city of maybe 150,000 up to 180,000 people. It was a seaport city. It was a commercial center. Goods from all over the world were shipped into that city. It was the fourth largest city in the Roman Empire. You have Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Ephesus. It was probably the richest, wealthiest city in the Empire, at least one of the top two or three. It was a godless, materialistic, secular, sex-centered, thrill-jaded, morally twisted society. And there, in the middle of that society, Paul had raised up the church at Ephesus. And he writes back to them and he was saying, "Never forget the hope of your calling. I'm praying that you'll never lose sight of your identity. I'm praying that you'll sense that you're sons and daughters of God." Paul believed in intercessory prayer. But you say, "Wait a minute. Isn't God doing everything he can for my son, my daughter, my husband, my wife, whether I pray or not?" Here, I have a son maybe that doesn't know Christ. Isn't God doing everything he can for them? Isn't he sending his Holy Spirit to their heart? Isn't he enlightening their mind? Isn't he working on their behalf? He is. But in the controversy between good and evil, there are ground rules. And one of those ground rules is, God will never violate the freedom of choice of another. Because if he would do that, Satan would cry, "Unfair! God is a dictator and a vindictive judge and a wrathful tyrant and he manipulates people's wills." God longs for us to come to him based on who he is, his loving character. But when we pray for somebody else, God can look at Satan and say, "Just as I respect the individual who's being prayed for. Just as I respect their freedom of will, freedom of conscience, their choice. I respect Mark Finley's choice in praying for them." And the river of water of life is poured out from heaven, through the intercessor to touch that person's life. You say, "Is that biblical?" It is. Our intercessory prayers enable God to do more because we're praying than he couldn't do if we didn't pray. First John, chapter 5. There are many passages in the Bible that talk about intercessory prayer and its importance and power. There are just a few that tell you what happens when we pray. There are just a few that pull the curtain aside. One of them is First John chapter 5. And notice, verse 16, "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death." What's the sin that doesn't lead to death? Or what is the sin that leads to death? The sin that leads to death is the unpardonable sin. The only sin that God will not pardon is the sin that we do not confess, we cling to and openly, knowingly, rebel against him and pretty soon our hearts become hardened and we don't hear the voice of the Holy Spirit anymore. So, "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin that does not lead to death, he doesn't commit the unpardonable sin. He," Who's that "he"? The intercessor, "will ask." What does it mean, he'll ask? Means he'll intercede for that person, he'll pray for that person. "And he," Who's that "he"? Capital H. That "he", that's God, "will give him," Who is the "him"? The intercessor. "Life for those who commit sin that doesn't lead to death." What an amazing reality. When we pray as intercessors, God gives us life for those that sin not unto death. Does it mean they are saved because of us? No. It means that the life of God flows through us to touch their life, not to force or coerce their will, but to beat back the angels of hell, to convince and convict them of truth, so they're more likely to accept it, so they have a better opportunity, a better choice. Our prayers do not manipulate another person's will, but they open vistas of understanding. They open channels of light. In the book, Second Selected Messages, page 377, makes this amazing statement. It's such a powerful statement that I wrote it in my Bible. "Ministering angels are waiting about the throne of God." Where are the ministering angels waiting? Around the throne of God. To do what? "To instantly obey the mandate of Jesus Christ in answer to every prayer offered in living faith." So here, you have a son or daughter that doesn't know Christ. You've brought them up to be faithful to Jesus. One night, they're about ready to go into some pub or nightclub. You don't know where they are, they're in some major city. And you're on your knees praying, "Oh God, be with my daughter Alice. Be with my son John. Lord, they were brought up in a godly home. Lord, they don't know you." Your prayer is sent to heaven. Ministering angels are standing about the throne, waiting for the mandate of Christ to answer prayer. Your prayer is sent to the most holy place where Jesus is. And Jesus looks at the angel and he says, "You go! You go!" And the angel descends from heaven. And the angel works to beat back the forces of hell, not to manipulate your son or daughter's choice, but to enable new light to go into their mind and that person remembers their childhood and they say, "I'm not going to go there." Now, are all of our prayers answered when we pray for our children, our neighbors? Yes, they are. Not one is not. Because the Bible says this in First John 5, verse 14. "This is the confidence that we have in him. That if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." Is it God's will to save your son or your daughter? It is. Where is the confidence? In our prayers? No. We kneel and in faith, have confidence in Christ. Every prayer is answered. As we pray, angels descend. As we pray, the Holy Spirit works in the heart of another. Does that mean they always will respond? No. It doesn't mean they will always respond, but it does mean that if they don't respond, they're troubled inside, they're convicted inside. I've had people so troubled that they when we were praying for them, that this troubling led them to just totally abandon their previous activity. There was a wife who came to an evangelistic meeting of a pastor, I wasn't holding this particular meeting, and she invited her husband to come. He said, "I'm not coming. I have no interest in religion. I'm going hunting and fishing this weekend," when the evangelist was having the meetings. His wife came to the pastor and told the pastor that. The pastor organized a prayer group with the wife. They began to pray and pray and pray. Last night of the meetings, this man came. The wife didn't know it. She was sitting about the third row. He came in late, sat right at the end and the right at the last pew of the church. The evangelist made an appeal and this man got up, came forward under such conviction. His wife talked to him later and he said, "Look, I had no intention of coming, but I couldn't sleep all night. Something was convicting me, I had to come to this meeting and I gave my heart to Jesus." When we pray, Great Controversy, page 525, "God will do in answer to the prayer of faith that which he would not do did we not thus ask."
Guest (Female): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truths of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence his life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to hopelives365.com/donate.
Guest (Female): And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.
Mark Finley: Intercessory prayer makes a difference. Taking one person at a time, praying for that person. Job 16, verse 21. Notice the specificity of this passage. Job 16, verse 21. "Oh, that one," Oh, that what everybody? "One might plead with a man for a man with God." Oh, that one might plead for a man with God. That is the work of intercession. Writing the name of a son, a daughter, a husband or wife that doesn't know Christ. My father prayed for my mother for over 10 years. And eventually, the Spirit of God convicted her through some providential circumstances in her life, to accept Jesus fully, to accept the Bible message, to become part of the Adventist community. "Oh, that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbor." This work of praying for people by name. Did you know that Jesus prayed for people by name? He did. We're looking here at the book of Luke. If you have your Bible, you're taking notes, you're looking at Luke, chapter 22, verse 31. And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked for you, that he might sift you as wheat." Did Satan know the potential of Peter? Did Satan know that Peter had the potential to become a mighty warrior for God, a great preacher for God, a leader in the New Testament church? He knew all that, didn't he? He could see Peter's potential. So Jesus says, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked for you." Who do you think Satan asked? Do you think he asked God, "I'd like Peter?" And do you think God would say, "Okay"? No, not at all. Do you think he asked? No. I think Satan went to his evil angels and said, "Look, that man has tremendous potential. I want him." That's why Satan wants to destroy our youth because he knows the potential they have. Jesus says, "Simon, Simon, indeed Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat, but I've prayed for you." And when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren. "I've prayed for you that your faith would not fail." Jesus prayed for Peter by name. As we pray for people by name, God works powerfully in their lives. Do you have a prayer list? Are you praying by name for those that don't know Christ? But there's something else I want to share about this. Just as Jesus prayed for Peter by name, Jesus is praying for you by name. You are on his lips today. You are in his heart today. He is our great high priest in the sanctuary above. And you remember the high priest had the names of the tribes of Israel inscribed on each of his shoulders. Why? Because he was strong enough to carry them. You remember the names of the children of Israel were inscribed on the heart of the high priest. Why? Because he understood their needs, their heartaches and their sorrows and his heart went out to them. And the high priest's role was to pray for Israel. It's one of his roles. Jesus has you on his lips today. You are in his heart today. He is strong enough to carry your burdens today. When the journey is long, when the mountain is high, when the road is rough, when the valley is dark, never give up because Jesus is praying for you. Our Hope Lives 365 Media Center is centered here in the Living Hope Seventh-day Adventist Church. We built our church about six years ago. While we were when we were building it, one day, just before our grand opening, the inspector was making the final inspection. He came to the church and talked to me and he said, "You know, Pastor Mark, you're not going to be able to open in a few days." I was absolutely shocked because we had sent the invitations out, people were flying in from different parts of the country. It was going to be a great day of praise and celebration for what God had done. I said, "Well, sir, what is the problem?" He said, "A car hit a light pole out in front of your church." And that light pole is actually on your property. It's a unique light pole that matches the other light poles in the shopping center where your church is located at the end of that shopping center. And until you can find a light pole like that and repair that light, you cannot open. I was concerned, deeply concerned. And went home and began to pray and I prayed, "Dear Lord, this is going to be a miracle. I have no idea where that light pole is, none whatsoever. But who do you know? We need to find that light pole." And as I was praying, the Lord impressed me, "You don't know the factory that made it, but why don't you call the manager of the shopping center and ask her?" I had developed a relationship with this manager, cordial, friendly relationship as we were building the church, so I gave her a call. And she I said, "Look, we've got a real problem. We can't open until we find this light pole and we put it up." "Who manufactures it?" she says, "I don't know who manufactured it, but I know this. We have one store in the shopping center we haven't rented yet. And in that store, we are storing different things that we may need later." She said, "I was in that shop the other day, where we're storing these things, and there was the exact light pole you need lying on the floor of the store." And I thought, "How can we get rid of this? We don't want it." "Pastor Mark, here's the combination to get into that store because we've got a lock on it, a combination lock. Go and get the light pole, put it up." Within 10 minutes, I was there, got our construction people. Within an hour, we had that light pole up. How did I know to call that woman? God impressed me through his Holy Spirit. God does answer prayer. In Psalm 34, verse 17, this is what we read about God and the prayers of the righteous. Psalm 34, verse 17. "The righteous cry out and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles." So God longs to answer our prayers. But you say, "Pastor Mark, what hinders my prayers at times? At times I pray and it seems that there are no answers. At times I pray and it seems my prayers go up to the ceiling, come back down." Now there are four things that may hinder our prayers. Number one, if we harbor sin in our life, known sin. We all fail. We all fall short of God's glory. We all make mistakes, but there's a difference in harboring sin. There's a difference in committing rebellion against God when we know what we ought to do. Psalm 66, verse 18 says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear." Now notice it doesn't say if I sin, it says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart." In other words, if my heart is in rebellion against God. If I willingly, knowingly live a life out of harmony with God's will. That blocks God's answer to my prayers. Why? The only prayer that God would answer for a person who's in active rebellion is a prayer of confession, a prayer of repentance. But if God would shower his richest blessings upon us when we are regarding iniquity in our heart, living in known sin, he would justify that sin. In fact, in the book of Proverbs, chapter 28, verse 9, you have a very similar Bible passage to the one we've just read in Psalm 66. Proverbs 28, verse 9. "One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination." In other words, if I live a life of knowing, willing rebellion against God, God cannot answer. So the first reason some of our prayers are not answered is because there is known sin in our life. So unanswered prayers lead us to reflect. They lead us to meditate. They lead us to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit asking the Holy Spirit to convict us of any known sin in our life that's blocking.