Nehemiah Demonstrates Intercession (St. Takla.Org)
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Procrastinate or Supplicate?
Do you procrastinate or supplicate when you face a broken situation or difficult task? To procrastinate means you put off doing something often because you don’t know where to begin. Do you feel stymied because something beloved to you seems shattered and you don’t know what to do or where to begin? Join us today as Nehemiah shows us how to supplicate to our God for restoration and new hope.
Intercessory Prayer
Nehemiah teaches about interceding for a people and a nation. Nehemiah demonstrates powerful intercession. The prayer of Nehemiah starts the process of bringing great solutions to great difficulties and a broken nation. Today, we cover the following points.
Five Forms of Prayer
- There are at least FIVE forms of prayer. “The Holy Spirit is the one who teaches the Church and recalls to her all that Jesus instructs in the life of prayer, inspiring new expressions of the same basic 5 forms of prayer:” 1) blessing, 2) petition, 3) intercession, 4) thanksgiving, and 5) praise” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2644).
- Intercession is simply “asking on behalf of another—it knows no boundaries and even extends to our enemies” (CCC #2647).
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Nehemiah’s prayer in Chapter 1 is foremost intercession, but it also brings in the other 4 forms of prayer.
The Themes of Intercessory Prayer
- The four themes of Nehemiah’s prayer teach supplication.
- The themes model personal intercessory and fit the ACTS acronym.
The ACTS Guide for Intercession (Nehemiah 1: 5-11)
- A = Adoration. Nehemiah praises and adores God first (v. 5). Praise God’s greatness. Begin prayer with adoration. (Psalm 100: 4: Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!)
- C = Confession. Nehemiah deeply loves and is devoted to God, yet he confesses his sins. He confesses his nation’s and his family’s sins as if they were his own (v. 7).
- T = Thanksgiving. Nehemiah prays with gratitude for God’s mercy and promises (v. 8-9). (Philippians 4: 6: Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.)
- S = Supplication. Nehemiah asks God for his needs and for the needs of his nation and family (v. 11). In the process, he is changed.
Nehemiah’s Supplication to God is Answered (Nehemiah 2: 1-8)
- Nehemiah’s four months of prayer, fasting, and waiting on God paved the way for God to make a way.
- No procrastination. By grace via intercession, Nehemiah courageously made requests to the king.
- The king was sympathetic because the King of Kings had opened his heart. King Artaxerxes gave Nehemiah favor, granted his request to rebuild the brokenness, and even gave him supplies and assistance.
Personal Reflection
Consider the following aids for increasing personal intercession.
- Keep a prayer journal (e.g., a small, inexpensive notebook with lined paper).
- Prepare to intercede: WRITE concerns, LISTEN to God’s desires, and include SCRIPTURE.
- Use the ACTS guide with your prayer journal to record your personal intercession and answers.
Cup of JOY Women
- Consider hosting a weekly one-hour Cup of Joy Women small group study. It accompanies this podcast and you can begin anytime. Contact me for free materials and help to get started.
- Pray about accepting this wonderful opportunity to engage others and share your faith by hosting a small group of friends over coffee or tea. For information, go to Cup of Joy Women.
Links
- Download Bookmarks from this podcast series at my website: WRAPYourselfinJOY.com
- Read more on hosting a Cup of Joy Women’s small group.
- Check out more podcasts here!
- Click HERE to find the book: Nehemiah: Rebuilding Hope and Joy in Your Life.
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