pat loughery

I was looking for a substantive definition of intercessory prayer for tomorrow’s sermon//discussion on Nehemiah 1 and found this well-done discussion of prayer (in general).

Taken from Elwell’s Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
:

Christan prayer is both corporate and individual. We find God in solitariness, but we never remain in this state. Instead, we seek to unite our sacrifices of praise and our petitions and intercessions with those of the company of fellow believers. The man or woman of prayer may find God both in solitude and in fellowship. Even in solitude we believe that the petitioner is not alone but is surrounded by a cloud of witnesses (Heb 12:1), the angels and the saints in the church triumphant.

We are called to present personal and individual needs to God, but at the same time we are urged to interceded for the whole company of the saints (John 17:20-21, Eph 6:18) and also for the world at large (1 Tim 2:1-2). Biblical spirituality entails not withdrawal from the turmoils of the world but identification with the world in it shame and affliction. Personal petition would become egocentric if it were not held in balance with intercession, adoration and thanksgiving.

The goal of prayer is not absorption into the being of God but the transformation of the world for the glory of God. We yearn for the blessed vision of God, but even more we seek to bring our wills and the wills of all people into conformity with the purposes of God. We pray not simply for personal happiness or for protection (as in primitive prayer) but for the advancement and extension of the Kingdom of God.

Under the heading Prayer; the subheading The Paradox of Prayer