Interceding for Others

Sometimes no matter how much we try to help others and spin our time and energy to share all we know, they still don’t get it! They want to go their own way and live how they like. If you’re not careful (and watchful), you’ll get mad (really mad) because it seems that they’re treating your hard work and life-giving messages as trash. You feel like you’ve wasted your time. Well, before you go down that road (which you should not go), let’s consider this…

1 Corinthians 3:5-8 – Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

Here, Paul is speaking about the people siding with specific ministers of the gospels, but he writes how he planted the word in the people’s heart, another watered it, but God made the seeds grow.

As we cross the paths of people, we meet them at various crossroads that require specific things. There are times when someone needs a ‘Word’ from God; other times they need to see an illustration or display of His power; then maybe another ‘Word’ or two; or they need to be left for God to deal with…even if they still seem stuck…

We don’t always understand what is going on in the lives of others and think the solutions to their problems are easy. Though it may come with a ‘simple’ solution standing on the ‘outside,’ we should show a little empathy to their plight and assist them where we can.

When you don’t know what to do (or done all you felt you could) – PRAY! When your words are not getting through – PRAY! See, some of the things we try to do requires their permission (or at least their acceptance), but we can pray with or without their acceptance or knowledge!

God may use you to deliver that word/deed or He may send someone else. Don’t be so concerned for them to act upon the word YOU shared or the act YOU made, but pray that a change will manifest and the person’s heart will be drawn closer to God. It is God that will bring the increase anyway, not you…and especially not in your time!!

Your heart may hurt because you truly want to see a change and there’s nothing wrong with that. But instead of getting upset or worrying about it, bring your concerns to the Lord. Pour out the concerns on your heart and intercede on behalf of the person. The last thing you want is to live angry, offended, and hurt – how can God use you then?!

Philippians 4:6-7 – Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Psalm 37:7 – Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Let God use you! Intercede and watch the seeds of others grow and blossom! He will help them at the ‘right’ time!

Ecclesiastes 3:11a – He hath made every thing beautiful in his time

^{Photo courtesy of freeimages.com/Luiz Ferreira}