There is a reason why I
frequently ask others to “join their hearts together with mine” in prayer.
I need you.
When we look at the power of prayer in the battle of
Exodus 17, we see that partners in prayer are essential. Moses either knew or
was told by God beforehand that he would need Aaron and Hur. He didn’t go it
alone, and he specifically told Joshua to choose some men, undoubtedly his best
men who could defend and fight. He also said he would take the rod of God, the
essence of which we will discuss tomorrow.
While Joshua fought below, Moses stood on the hill,
interceding by holding up the rod of God. When Moses’s hands became weary, he
had Aaron and Hur to uphold his hands. There is a spiritual participation in
prayer of which we all need to be a part. I need you to be my Aaron and Hur. I
need you to uphold me in prayer, to intercede when I become weak. To join your
hearts together with mine as we pray together.
And you know what? You need me too.
When you strip away our pride and self-sufficiency, we need
each other and other believers to partner with us in prayer. That’s the power
of intercessory prayer.
The apostle Paul pleaded for it (Ephesians 6:18) and
promised it (1:16, 3:14ff; Philippians 1:4). James commanded us to pray for one
another, even confessing our sins as well as our requests, and to call upon the
elders of the church (James 5:13-18) and said that if we don’t ask in prayer,
we won’t receive (4:2). John wrote that we should pray especially for those who
are trapped in sin (1 John 5:16-17).
When Timothy was being instructed on how to be a pastor
and how to teach others to be ministers, Paul had to pull out his thesaurus to
convey how important prayer was, saying first of all, first of all,
“let supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for
all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable
in the sight of God our Savior,” (1 Timothy 2:1-3).
Jesus knew and taught about the need for partnership in
prayer (Matthew 18:19) and practiced it (Mark 14:32ff). Right now in heaven
Jesus is standing at the right hand of God, interceding for you and for me and
for all who are praying (Romans 8:34).
And there in the temple and tabernacle of your heart,
when you bow your head or lift your eyes, when you kneel or when you walk in prayer,
when you stand praying lifting your hands or when you curl up in a fetal
position crying out with tears of pain, there in your innermost being is the
Holy Spirit, interceding for you (Romans 8:26-27).
So I ask why do we not pray more? Why do we not ask others to intercede for us?
Pray this prayer to God: “Our Father, which art in heaven. Thank You that Jesus taught us to pray
‘our Father,’ reminding us that we are not only partners in prayer with each
other, but also with our Lord Jesus Christ. Teach us to pray. Amen.”
