Does Prayer Matter?

by Alice, Bible School for the Nations (BSN) student

Before I came to YWAM three years ago I had never heard of intercession. (Intercession is praying for others, and especially listening to God as He gives us insight so we can pray more effectively.) It was such an exciting new thing to pray for nations and to receive images and words from God about islands and countries I’d never even thought about.

But over time, intercession became monotonous and dry. I no longer anticipated it and struggled through sessions.

When I came to BSN, we spent time talking about intercession — what it is and what it isn’t. Then it occurred to me that I had totally missed a vital point to intercession: God doesn’t just want us to intercede so that we can understand what’s ahead of us on outreach, or so that we get a better understanding of what is happening somewhere spiritually. God wants our prayers so that He can act!

I was amazed to realize that I had not grasped that prayer actually makes a difference – it isn’t just a good spiritual discipline or done out of duty. It is inviting God to bring real change in this world.

This understanding has radically changed my perspective on how to intercede. Now I’m inspired to ask God to show me His heart for the nations, so that I can pray and He can act.

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