Practice Worship and Intercessory Prayer
YWAM’s 4th Value
I am currently reading a book by Darlene Cunningham, YWAM’s Co-founder, called Values Matter. It talks about the YWAM Values, what they are and why they are important. Here at Ywam River City Lynchburg Ark, we are beginning to take turns teaching the different Values, reminding ourselves what they are. Value four is the one I will be teaching so I thought I would share it with you. Not only are these things good for us YWAMers to practice, they are healthy daily practices for all believers. Engaging these will begin to impact everything around you, including your own personal walk with the Lord.
Part #2: Practice Prayer
Last week we focused more on the worship side of YWAM’s 4th Value: Practice Worship and Intercessory Prayer. Worship is a heart posture and lifestyle of focusing your eyes on God and giving Him the glory through words and actions of sacrificial love and obedience. Worship can show others who God is and draw them to Him; it crosses generations and cultures to make a uniquely beautiful and unified bride for Jesus the Bride Groom. Worship is also warfare against the enemy. It takes ground and pushes back the enemy. Dalene told a story of how there was a time that the property in Kona might be lost, though God had told them to buy it. They began to worship and pray against the enemy for the land God had promised them. It is now theirs.
Today we will focus on intercessory prayer.
Intercession goes along with worship. It can come out of catching a glimpse of Him and His heart, but it also comes through seeking Him and wanting to know Him. It can be individually or with many coming in unity to seek God. Prayer is talking with God, but intercession is coming to God for someone, situations or nations and getting His heart for that. It is joining together with Jesus in pray for them. It is asking Him what is on His heart today and sharing in His joys, burdens, and griefs. Romans 8:34 says “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us“: he is already interceding before the Father, and we get the privilege of joining Him.
Acts 1:14 instructs us to all pray together. Darlene explains how interceding together builds confidence in knowing that what you are hearing is from the Lord. She said in her book, “the vision we took on didn’t come out of planning sessions; no one voted on them. New things were born, new YWAM locations were launched, new kinds of evangelism were created — everything came out of corporate intercessory prayer.” Not only does intercession build confidence, it begins to launch God’s vision for His world; as we come before Him with surrendered hearts to hear His heart, He can plant His plans and desires in the soil of our hearts, fertilized in seeking Him. In obedience we will follow His call; each step of the way, He will also give us the strategies to accomplish His will.
As we intercede not only will God reveal His heart for the people or nation or strategies, but He will also show you what is happening in the spiritual realm. Ephesians 6:13-20 informs you of the weapons that you have been given in your prayer to war against the enemy; this is how we are to pray on behalf of all the saints. Persevering in prayer always and being always watchful; God is victorious over the enemy and has all the power. We need to recognize whose side we are on and that the enemy is powerless. Like David going up against Goliath, if we focus our eyes on God and speak out the truth of who He is while walking in obedience, we do not need to fear the giant. (1 John 4:4 says “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.“) Darlene explains that Godly discernment (a mark of spiritual Maturity) is a key to effective spiritual warfare and accurate intercessory prayer.
In doing battle, though, we need to make sure our hearts are clean before the Lord. If not, it is like going into battle with a bullet in your foot. Imagine going and praying for your friend to forgive her husband, but you have not forgiven yours. 2 Samuel 7:5 talks about when Samuel intercedes on behalf of the Israelite people after the ark of the Covenant returned to them from their enemies who had captured it in battle. They had been in a season of rebelling and turning to idols; he told them to return to the Lord with their whole heart and prepare their hearts to serve Him only. He prayed, gave an offering of water, and everyone fasted and repented before the lord. In later verses you see that they were then able to defeat their enemy. 2 Chronicles 7:14 talks about how when we repent, then the Lord’s heart is moved. God will forgive us and work on our behalf when we come in repentance and with clean hearts.
God wants us to get to know Him and share with us like a friend would. Are we too preoccupied to care for and love on God’s heart like you would with your closest friends? Are you willing to go that deep with Him, or are you satisfied with living your life and sometime shooting up prayers of want and need to Him? Take a look in the Bible for a second. This life is not for you, about you, nor can you control it; this life is for God’s glory. It is a gift and a blessing He even thought and desired to make you. My challenge for you is to start asking God what He has on His heart, and if He asks you to do something then be obedient; please write in the comments what God has been teaching you this week.
