What is intercessory prayer?
Question 11052
Intercessory prayer is one of the most significant dimensions of the Christian prayer life, yet it is often poorly understood. Many believers engage in it instinctively without grasping what it is, why it matters, and what makes it distinct from other forms of prayer. Understanding intercession transforms it from a vague sense of “praying for others” into something far more purposeful and powerful.
What Intercession Means
To intercede is to stand between two parties on behalf of one of them. The word itself carries the sense of going to, meeting with, or approaching someone on another’s behalf. Intercessory prayer is prayer offered to God on behalf of other people, situations, or needs that are not the pray-er’s own. It is not self-focused prayer; it is the deliberate act of bringing someone else’s need before the throne of God and asking Him to act on their behalf.
The biblical vocabulary reinforces this. Paul uses the Greek word enteuxis (1 Timothy 2:1), which carries the sense of a petition brought to a king on behalf of another. The intercessor approaches God not for their own cause but for someone else’s. This is the essential distinction between petition (asking God for something for oneself) and intercession (asking God for something for someone else).
The Biblical Foundation
Intercession runs through the entire Bible. Abraham interceded for Sodom, bargaining with God over the number of righteous people required to spare the city (Genesis 18:22-33). Moses stood between God and Israel repeatedly, most dramatically after the golden calf incident, when he offered to be blotted out of God’s book if Israel could not be forgiven (Exodus 32:30-32). Samuel told Israel, “Far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you” (1 Samuel 12:23), treating the failure to intercede as itself a sin. Daniel interceded for the nation in exile (Daniel 9:1-19). Nehemiah interceded before approaching the king (Nehemiah 1:4-11). Epaphras is described as “always struggling on your behalf in his prayers” (Colossians 4:12), with the word “struggling” (agōnizomenos) suggesting intense, costly effort.
Paul modelled intercession throughout his ministry. His letters are filled with reports of his prayers for the churches: that they would grow in knowledge (Ephesians 1:15-19), that they would be strengthened in their inner being (Ephesians 3:14-19), that their love would abound more and more (Philippians 1:9-11). He also asked for intercession for himself, recognising that his ministry depended on the prayers of others (Romans 15:30-32; 2 Corinthians 1:11; Ephesians 6:19-20).
Christ and the Spirit as Intercessors
The believer’s intercession is grounded in a far greater reality. Christ Himself “always lives to make intercession” for His people (Hebrews 7:25). His presence at the Father’s right hand is not passive; He is actively praying for believers. Romans 8:34 places His intercession alongside His death, resurrection, and ascension as part of the comprehensive work that secures the believer’s standing before God. His prayer for Peter in Luke 22:32, “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail,” gives a glimpse of what this ongoing intercession involves.
The Holy Spirit likewise intercedes. Romans 8:26-27 teaches that “the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words,” and that He “intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” When the believer does not know what to pray, or when the burden is too deep for words, the Spirit Himself takes up the intercession. Human intercessory prayer is therefore never a solitary activity; it is participation in what Christ and the Spirit are already doing.
The Command to Intercede
Paul’s instruction in 1 Timothy 2:1-4 is comprehensive: “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” The scope is universal. Christians are called to pray not only for fellow believers but for those in authority, for unbelievers, and for the conditions that allow the gospel to advance freely. Intercession is not optional; it is a fundamental responsibility of every believer.
So, now what?
Intercessory prayer is one of the most powerful things a Christian can do, because it brings the needs of others before a God who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). It is not reserved for the spiritually advanced; it is for every believer. It does not require eloquence; it requires compassion, faithfulness, and faith that God hears and acts. The intercessor participates in the work of Christ Himself, who lives to make intercession, and the work of the Spirit, who intercedes with groanings too deep for words. There is no higher privilege in the Christian life than standing before God on behalf of someone who needs Him.
“He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25