1. Teach Us To Pray Luke 11:1

2. * Intercession is the act of carrying another person before your Father to be blessed by His will. * It is an act of love on our part that we recognize the needs of others and go before God on their behalf.

3. * We pray for others not only because we love and care for them but also because we believe they need the help which God can still give them. * How do we talk to God on behalf of others?

4. ∗ Being a disciple, Jesus told Peter, was not going to be pleasant in this life - John 15:18- 20 ∗ Peter’s past of denying Jesus was well behind him and he was a powerful evangelist - Acts 2-3 ∗ It was not long before there was opposition to their preaching, just like Jesus had said.

5. * Opposed by the Jews, Peter and John were arrested and warned not to preach of the resurrection - Acts 4:23-31 * They kept right on and then all the apostles were arrested - Acts 5:17-18 * Still, they kept at it and the Lords church continued to grow.

6. * Persecution spread and Stephen died preaching and praying for his killers - Acts 7 * Saul began to wreak havok on the church - Acts 8:3 * King Herod persecuted the church and had James, brother of John, killed - Acts 12:2

7. ∗ This pleased the Jews so Herod had Peter arrested - Acts 12:3 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church- Acts 12:5

8. * Things are looking bad for the church, James is dead, and Peter was in danger of losing his life. * But prayer, no matter how bad things may look, could definitely change things. * The brethren were making intercession for Peter and the rest of the Apostles. * The results: Acts 12:6-19

9. * God heard and sent an angel to release Peter. * The people doubted, yet when they saw Peter they were amazed. * The people prayed, God answered by sending Peter back to them. * Clearly, praying for others can change things.

10. * Abraham on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah - Gen. 18:22-33 * Job praying for his friends - Job 42:7-10 * Moses on behalf of the people following the golden calf incident - Ex. 32:30-33 * Jesus prayer for the Apostles and believers - John 17

11. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you Romans 1:8-10

12. We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thess. 1:2-3

13. I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy 2 Tim. 1:3-4

14. * Paul often thanked God for the brethren in these places. * He prayed for their spiritual health. * These prayers should encourage us to pray for our brethren. * We should be specific in our requests on their behalf.

15. * It is God’s command - 1 Tim. 2:1-2 * It would be wrong not to. * Intercession focuses on the needs of others. We can only ask God to help them when we are aware of their trials and sufferings. * It keeps us looking for opportunities to teach others.

16. * All people everywhere - 1 Tim. 2:1-2 * Kings, leaders, rulers, world powers * Our enemies - Matt. 5:44-45 * Stephen’s prayer - Acts 7:60 * Open doors of opportunities - Col. 4:2-4 * The harvest is plentiful - Matt. 9:38

17. * For the saints - Eph. 6:18-20 * In a battle together - Eph. 6:10-18 * For the wayward - 1 John 1:8-2:2 * Pray for and with brethren who have sinned * How may we pray for others? * Weep with them - Rom. 12:15 * Cast the cares upon God - 1 Pet. 5:5-6 * Be a tool of God to help others - Gal. 6:2

18. * Who among our number is physically sick? * Who among our number are suffering in their relationships? * Who among us is battling with the world? * Who among us is standing firm spiritually? * Who among us are giving watchful care for our souls? * Who among does not need our prayers?