Hello  

This year, to help us be a worldwide caring community, praying community and community of power, we are sending out monthly prayer and bible reading resources, including bible reading plans, memory verses and some teaching on prayer.

We hope you find these resources useful and helpful.

Bible Reading Plans

Read the Bible with us this month as we look at a reading plan for during Easter week. You can access the plan on the YouVersion app or website.

Memory Verse

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 

1 Peter 1:3 NIV

Prayer Teaching

Intercessory Prayer

Sara Jukes

Prayer is about conversation with God; speaking and listening. In Luke 11 Jesus taught His disciples how to pray.

Intercession is a part of prayer in that it involves talking and listening to God, but it goes deeper than conversation. Intercession involves a standing in the gap, an intervention, a stepping in on somebody else’s behalf through prayer. This is more than when we include someone in our daily prayers or pray for them in person.

Intercession can be described in other ways such as intervention, mediation, arbitration or negotiation. So as you may see, intercession is talking with God about a certain matter or person and asking God for mercy, healing, breakthrough, change etc on their behalf. As an intercessor, you mediate or stand in the gap for someone or something else.

In Isaiah 6 it says:

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then I said, Here I am, send me.”

Isaiah 6:8

God is looking for people who will spend time with Him, who are after His heart. You may think that you're not an intercessor and that’s just not your calling, but it says in Revelation 1:6 that we have been made kings and priests for our God. A priest was someone who interceded for the people, so we all have a call to intercede for others and lift them up in prayer.

The Holy Spirit is not only interceding for us (Romans 8:26) but Jesus too lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25). In intercession, you stand before the throne of God, with Jesus to one side of you and the Holy Spirit to the other, praying the same prayer in unison as the Father smiles and nods.

Intercession can come in many forms, such as praying for extended periods of time, crying for people, groaning in the spirit for change and God’s kingdom to come.

Take some time, inquire of the Lord, discipline yourself to wait; then join with the Son and Holy Spirit in intercession before the throne, where the Father’s agreement and favour covers you.

Added Extras

Spend some time today and ask God to show you what He would like you to pray and intercede for, then listen and be guided by Him.

A Testimony:

On 14.01.1856 David Livingstone had been tracked all day by warriors and they believed they would attack at night and kill them. Later, when the tribe was brought to faith, he asked what had happened because they thought they were going to attack. The chief said they saw the 47 warriors surrounding them with swords in their hands. David Livingstone could not understand it as they had no guards. Later, while on leave in Scotland at a church that was supporting him, a man showed him his journal for 14.01.1856 where 47 men had gathered to pray protection for him. 

Scriptures to read: 

• Genesis 18:23-33
• Job 42:10
• Romans 8:26-27
• Hebrews 7:25