INTERCESSORY PRAYER
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING A CONGREGATION CAN DO IS PRAY!
Before there can be any preaching, teaching, revivals, board meetings, goals or
vision a congregation may attempt to obtain, prayer is paramount. The Scripture
in Psalm 127:1 says, “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Prayer helps us to make sure we are in line with God’s flow, purposes and in sync with His directives. Not only does it keep our hearts in tune but says to God, “Holy Spirit You are welcomed here. Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done!”
Many worthy congregations suffer great loss and sometimes endure preventable spiritual assaults and attacks via diabolical forces against ministry (Ephesians 6: 10-18) because the prayer base is non-existent or weak whereby corporate (congregational) prayer is often considered not as important as attending board meetings and other works of the church. While organization and structure are utterly important to the success of any ministry if a congregation is to grow and experience holistic health prayer is first base. (II Chronicles 7:14) Prayer binds the enemy and brings people together!
Unlike having a simple word of prayer before starting a meeting, intercessory prayer at St. James is a set time where the only item on the agenda is prayer and communing with God as a church family. It is a time whereby the
congregation comes together and seeks the face of God that His Will is done in all things. To intercede means to pray for someone else or to stand in the gap for another. Thus, intercessory prayer is a wonderful time of lifting up the needs of each other, the ministry, those who are in pain and challenged, the community and the world itself before God our Father through Christ our King and Mediator through the assistance of Holy Spirit. (John 16:23, I Timothy 2:5, Romans 8:26-28)
Intercessory prayer is held every Sunday morning @ 9:00 AM in the main sanctuary and is led by Sister Velma Chapman, Prayer Team Leader, Sis. Priscilla Ndiaye, Assistant Prayer Team Leader and the St. James Intercessory Prayer team.
Keys to Successful Prayer:
Before there can be any preaching, teaching, revivals, board meetings, goals or
vision a congregation may attempt to obtain, prayer is paramount. The Scripture
in Psalm 127:1 says, “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Prayer helps us to make sure we are in line with God’s flow, purposes and in sync with His directives. Not only does it keep our hearts in tune but says to God, “Holy Spirit You are welcomed here. Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done!”
Many worthy congregations suffer great loss and sometimes endure preventable spiritual assaults and attacks via diabolical forces against ministry (Ephesians 6: 10-18) because the prayer base is non-existent or weak whereby corporate (congregational) prayer is often considered not as important as attending board meetings and other works of the church. While organization and structure are utterly important to the success of any ministry if a congregation is to grow and experience holistic health prayer is first base. (II Chronicles 7:14) Prayer binds the enemy and brings people together!
Unlike having a simple word of prayer before starting a meeting, intercessory prayer at St. James is a set time where the only item on the agenda is prayer and communing with God as a church family. It is a time whereby the
congregation comes together and seeks the face of God that His Will is done in all things. To intercede means to pray for someone else or to stand in the gap for another. Thus, intercessory prayer is a wonderful time of lifting up the needs of each other, the ministry, those who are in pain and challenged, the community and the world itself before God our Father through Christ our King and Mediator through the assistance of Holy Spirit. (John 16:23, I Timothy 2:5, Romans 8:26-28)
Intercessory prayer is held every Sunday morning @ 9:00 AM in the main sanctuary and is led by Sister Velma Chapman, Prayer Team Leader, Sis. Priscilla Ndiaye, Assistant Prayer Team Leader and the St. James Intercessory Prayer team.
Keys to Successful Prayer:
- Adoration = Reverence and Worshiping God for who He is (Matthew 6:9)
- Thanksgiving = Thanking God for all He has done and provided (Psalm 75:1)
- Confession = Acknowledging our shortcomings and also our need for Him (I John 1:9)
- Petition = Asking and seeking God that His will is done in our lives and for our daily needs (Matthew 6:11)
- Intercession = Praying and standing in the gap for others (I Timothy 2:1-6)
- Listening = Becoming quiet before the Lord allowing Him through the Holy Spirit to speak back to us giving us the wisdom and direction needed for our lives (Psalm 46:10)
COME AND JOIN US! PRAYER MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE!
(James 5:15-16)