40 Days of Spiritual RebootSample

This week has been an interesting journey in renewing our desire and discipline to pray on behalf of others. More than praying, more than praying for ourselves, more than maintaining a healthy commune with God… we are renewing our intercessory prayer life. Why is this important? Well you won’t be convinced about my answer until you understand that the church is a body. And when one part suffers, the whole is grieved. When one arm is paralysed, the rest of the body carries that part in support and solidarity. It doesn’t not amputate itself, it does not give up, it does not judge or condemn, it is willingly inconvenienced, interrupted and delayed in its progress until this arm is restored to complete health.

Intercession is praying for others for three reasons. First, because we are a body, second, because they can’t pray for themselves and thirdly because we are a royal priesthood. Let me touch on all three briefly.

First. We are a body! Hence what affects one person becomes the concern of the rest of the body. The head sends communication to the rest of the body to assist. The rest of the body responds in communication to the head with concerns, pain, ground reality and request for help etc. Prayer is ‘getting involved’ in the restoring process of members of the church.

Secondly. We can’t function normally when we are in trauma. An arm cannot help itself when it is injured. It cries out to the head in pain and waits for help. It is not able to do anything for itself. It's messages to the brain are encrypted. Let me put it this way. When you go through a trauma, a loss, an abandonment, a defeat… you are angry, hurt, aching, resentful, disillusioned and faith wanes. You can’t pray at this time. You don’t want to talk to God. Either you don’t or you won’t.

So my brother, my sister… we pray in your place, on your behalf, with a passion and zeal for healing and deliverance as if we ourselves were in that position. Why? Because we are one body. Remember the four friends of the paralytic. When you’re flat, we carry you straight to the presence of the healer. That‘s intercession!

Thirdly. The church has been left on earth for a purpose. 1 Peter 2:9 says we are a royal priesthood. Priests represent people to God in prayer and sacrifice. Since the sacrifice is done, we pray! We have been given authorisation through the gates of heaven into the very Holiest of Holies. We have been guaranteed a listening ear. We have been promised an audience. The church is the priesthood that accesses and moves the heart of God to act, save, deliver, to bring peace, to reconcile, to heal borders, to stop wars and to control governance. The church is the designated prayer force on earth to represent a lost world back to God. We pray for peace. We pray for salvation. We pray for provision. We pray for intervention and for justice. We pray for safety and for dignity of the poor. We pray for things way beyond our influence yet are an easy task for God.

WHEN YOU PRAY

Now you’re organised. You have your spiral notebook. You’ve got your days sorted and your prayer matters written down.

Let's get down to praying. Begin the day by covering the matters that you’re going to be praying for through this day. Just keep those matters at the forefront of your mind.

You can pray by pacing up and down your hallway, office, corridor or bus stop.

You can pray while driving. Keep your eyes on the road but keep your heart engaged in prayer.

You have long times on the metro as you travel across these huge cities. Use these times to be pray. Any occasion when you cannot work, read, write or use a skill… your mind is going to wander. Mark those times with prayer. Start talking to God and even if you aren’t ‘prepared’ the Spirit of God will tell you what to pray for.

Pray before sleep at night. This will also calm your thoughts and get you right with God at the end of the day. You will have better sleep and your percentage of ‘deep sleep’ will increase. With increased deep sleep, your body will create more HGH (human growth hormones) and you will burn fat. Yes. Praying helps fat-loss. You think I’m kidding right?

Pray before commencing work. Start your work day at your desk or wherever by praying for your colleagues and their success. Pray for situations on the team and in the office. Find God consolidate your priesthood at your work place.