Praying For Others
“Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right? - Genesis 18:25
There was a gospel recording artist named Helen Baylor who had a hit song back in the early 90’s that became popular because of the testimony she discussed—navigating the challenges of addiction, promiscuity, and thoughts of suicide. In the song, Baylor says despite all the struggles she faced, she was able to survive it because of one key factor; and that factor was she had a praying grandmother.
She is not alone in the conviction and awareness that we are who we are and where we are because as that song says, “somebody prayed for me, had me on their mind, they took a little time and prayed for me.” Prayer is so powerful that things change not just because of our own prayers, but also because of the effectual, fervent, and intercessory prayers of others.
In Genesis 18 we see not just the significance of Abraham’s promise, but also the strength of Abraham’s prayer. Of the 650 prayers recorded in the Bible, there can be no question that this prayer stands in a category all by itself. It is a dialogue between a desperate man and a determined God concerning the fate of a community that departed from God’s will and God’s way.
God revealed His plans to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham is concerned because his nephew, Lot, and his family are living in that city. Rather than conceding his family’s fate to the circumstance and the situation around him, Abraham prays, looking for a way to save them. It was the news of God’s intentions to arrest this 99-year-old man that brings Abraham to his knees before God.
It is a marvelous picture of what happens when believers go to God in prayer. In it, Abraham makes an audacious appeal to God to save his family, and he models for us what happens when you walk with God in faith and live in His power. Abraham had access to the throne room of heaven to ask what he wanted of God in prayer.
And when you live in this faith, you too, have the same power. Who do you know that needs your prayer today? What do you need God to do? Go before Him on behalf of those who will not go themselves. Your prayer might just give them the turnaround they need.
There was a gospel recording artist named Helen Baylor who had a hit song back in the early 90’s that became popular because of the testimony she discussed—navigating the challenges of addiction, promiscuity, and thoughts of suicide. In the song, Baylor says despite all the struggles she faced, she was able to survive it because of one key factor; and that factor was she had a praying grandmother.
She is not alone in the conviction and awareness that we are who we are and where we are because as that song says, “somebody prayed for me, had me on their mind, they took a little time and prayed for me.” Prayer is so powerful that things change not just because of our own prayers, but also because of the effectual, fervent, and intercessory prayers of others.
In Genesis 18 we see not just the significance of Abraham’s promise, but also the strength of Abraham’s prayer. Of the 650 prayers recorded in the Bible, there can be no question that this prayer stands in a category all by itself. It is a dialogue between a desperate man and a determined God concerning the fate of a community that departed from God’s will and God’s way.
God revealed His plans to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham is concerned because his nephew, Lot, and his family are living in that city. Rather than conceding his family’s fate to the circumstance and the situation around him, Abraham prays, looking for a way to save them. It was the news of God’s intentions to arrest this 99-year-old man that brings Abraham to his knees before God.
It is a marvelous picture of what happens when believers go to God in prayer. In it, Abraham makes an audacious appeal to God to save his family, and he models for us what happens when you walk with God in faith and live in His power. Abraham had access to the throne room of heaven to ask what he wanted of God in prayer.
And when you live in this faith, you too, have the same power. Who do you know that needs your prayer today? What do you need God to do? Go before Him on behalf of those who will not go themselves. Your prayer might just give them the turnaround they need.
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