“To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;” -2 Timothy 1:2-3

Above we read the words of the apostle Paul, written unto Timothy, whom Paul had taken in as his very own beloved son. And in this passage, we learn of a very important and needful truth: intercessory prayer.

It ought not to be any secret that Timothy rose to such a level of spiritual success that he did: and that this success was due in great part to the prayers and influence of the apostle Paul. For consider Paul ’s tremendous burden for prayer for his “son” Timothy: “without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day” (2 Timothy 1:3).

And the effects of his prayers—though not completely recorded in Scripture—are hinted at in the very end of Paul’s second epistle. “The second epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time” (2 Timothy 4:22b). We see by this portion of Scripture that Timothy went on to a position of authority in the church—though he was still perhaps quite young—and was ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians.

Paul continuing the love of Christ

Yet it should be noted, in looking back in Paul’s past, how he was not the first to dispense such intercessory prayers. For the apostle Paul himself was once known as Saul of Tarsus—one that had been an extreme enemy of the church of God—and he was the beneficiary of Spirit-filled prayer himself.

“And they stoned Stephen, calling upon  God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was consenting unto his death.” -Acts 7:59-60, 8:1a

Notice how Stephen specifically prayed, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” This is a perfect example of intercessory prayer. Stephen stood between God and his persecutors, and asked God in an amazing way—as he was about to die—to forgive those that had done this terrible act to him.

Stephen’s prayer did not go unanswered. It is no coincidence that in the very next verse, (though it has been split up into a different chapter), Saul “was consenting unto [Stephen's] death.” And in chapter 9 of Acts, we read that one of the very next happenings in Saul’s life is his supernatural vision on the road to Damascus—perhaps a direct answer to Stephen’s prayer.

“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” -Acts 9:3-6

The effectiveness of intercessory prayer

We ought not to think that when we pray for another, that we are wasting our prayers, or that they will be of little use or effect. Rather—when we utter prayers with the help of God’s Holy Spirit—they become much bigger than ourselves. Stephen was a godly man, and yet his interceding prayer for Saul was answered in such a mighty way, and Saul became such a spiritual giant and bold missionary, that Stephen would’ve never dreamed that his prayers would be answered in the way that they were.

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” -James 5:16

When we pray for another—according to God’s will—we do not limit God by our own weakness and limitation of mind, but we allow God to work freely in the life of another, and nurture up small mustard seeds of faith that may very well one day become trees of righteousness.

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” -Ephesians 3:20-21

“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” -Mark 11:23-24

Here in the above verses is a very precious and important promise. Jesus said that if we have faith in God, and ask anything according to His will, if we believe that God will do it, it shall be done.

Notice in the passage above that there is really only one requirement listed for us.

The only requirement listed that we must possess in order to have prevailing prayer is faith. In the six most basic questions of a situation (who, what where, when, why, how) the most essential of these in prayer is who. Who will perform these requests? In whom do we have faith? It ought to be, in every instance: God.

Yet one question that seldom is helpful in prayer, and in many circumstances, is a hindrance, is the question how. We know what our requests are for God, but when we look at the situation, we are filled with doubt, and ask, “how can God possibly do this?”

In taking the example above, how could anyone possibly contrive of a how by which God could pick up a mountain, and cast it into the sea? In obsessing over the how, we do not do well.

It was the “how” of Peter’s heart that made him, when he walked out on the water to Jesus, to look down at the waves, and wonder, “how am I able to walk on the water?” and he then began to sink.

When we pray, if we always stop and try to think of how God can answer our prayers, we will become weak and lethargic in our praying.

“He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.” -Ecclesiastes 11:4

Rather, Jesus Christ Himself has encouraged us, and taught us to have faith in God, and believe in Him. When we focus on God, and pour out our hearts before Him, we are not concerned with the how, but are keenly fixed on the who.

“As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.” -Ecclesiastes 11:5-6

“The judge is condemned, when the criminal is acquitted.” -Publilius Syrus

The quote above describes perfectly why it was necessary for God to send His Son to earth to make a payment for man’s sins. God is perfectly just, and if He were to simply let off the worst of sinners, and allow everyone open passage into heaven, His lack of justice would mar His character. “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 17:15).

Since we all have sin, we all are undeserving of God’s communion and fellowship, and fall short of heaven. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And taking this one step further, because God is just, He must punish this sin: to do otherwise would deny His nature, and be abominable.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” -Romans 6:23

Notice that the first part of the verse above describes God’s justice, (the wages of sin is death), and the second part describes His mercy, (the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord). In order for God to be merciful to us, He still must have His justice satisfied in some way, or rather, in some one: that person is Jesus Christ.

In God’s innocent and sinless Son, God poured out His wrath and punishments for sin upon Jesus Christ, and in so doing, satisfied the demands for justice, and yet made a way for all people to be reconciled to God through mercy.

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” -Isaiah 53:4-6

“The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.” -Proverbs 10:20

Today we may hear of the phrase “silver tongue” and use it to mean one with eloquent or convincing speech.

Yet in what is most likely its original usage, dating back thousands of years, it has meant one who is just, and whose words are as valuable as silver. This is directly contrasted with the heart of a fool, whose heart (and the words spoken from it) is of little worth.

Jesus said:

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” -Luke 6:45

“It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.” -Genesis 37:33

In the Biblical account of Joseph and his envious brothers, Joseph is stripped of his coat, and put down into a well, and left for dead. Yet he did not die, and would one day rise again to rule over his brothers.

But his brothers planned a very evil and malicious lie, and smeared animal blood on the coat that had belonged to Joseph. They then presented it to his father, explaining nothing, and let him draw his own conclusions.

What destruction this lie accomplished in the heart of Joseph’s father Jacob! For the false evidence that was shown to him caused his heart to fall into utter despair, and his heart was filled with evil imaginations.

Consider the impact that such thoughts would have on a father, when considering the death of his son: “an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent [torn] in pieces” (Genesis 37:33). Think of the anguish: that Jacob’s most beloved son—the one who was as his very own soul—was torn in pieces. Imagine the pain that must have struck down to the very heart of Jacob upon reliving and imagining this violent death in his mind, over an over.

Consider also the ill-perception that he must have then had of God, and His providence. For Jacob saw Joseph as his heir, the first-born son of his beloved wife, Rachel. And if Joseph had simply been killed by his brothers directly, then Jacob would’ve been angry with his other sons for their cruelty. Yet if Joseph met an untimely demise at the hands of a wild beast, this would be viewed as an act of God to Jacob, and a confusing twist of events that would cast doubt on God’s providence and protection.

We know from later events when Jacob finally discovers that Joseph is alive, that the deception of his sons took a mighty toll on him, because it says that “when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived” (Genesis 45:27). Just the fact that Jacob’s spirit became revived would imply that it had died many years ago at the evil tidings of Joseph’s brothers.

Consider the destructive power of your tongue

In Jacob’s case, the story had a happy ending, and he eventually found out the truth about his beloved son Joseph. Yet there is not always a happy ending in life.

When we lie, we are bringing about destruction on a person’s inward life. We may not even realize what consequences occur, but we can bring a world of pain and anguish to a person just by a few ill-chosen words.

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” -John 8:44

“An evil conscience is often quiet, but never secure.” -Publilius Syrus

The Bible speaks of those who have their consciences “seared with a hot iron,” (1 Timothy 4:1-2), the implication being that those who are wicked have essentially obliterated and ruined any moral sense of right and wrong, and their conscience is beyond feeling.

Yet what Syrus was perhaps hinting at was that those who have a silent conscience may not necessarily be in security. For a testimony to a person’s holiness and piety is their sensitivity to sin and defilement. Yet the one whose conscience is continually clear and blameless in his own heart may very well be of the most hardened criminals, and is by no means upright or just in God’s sight.

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” -Revelation 21:8

“Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: . . . And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.” -Genesis 35:2, 4

Here we see the Jacob and all his family were to give up all the false gods and idols that were in the people’s hands. And perhaps, the idols of Laban that Rachel had stolen were finally revealed at this time also.

For Rachel had stolen her father’s idols when Jacob fled from Laban, and hid them so that no one knew that she had stolen them. And Jacob even went so far as to pronounce a curse on whomever had stolen them:

“With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.” -Genesis 31:32

Yet we see that shortly after all of the idols have been purged from the company of people at Shechem, that Rachel does indeed die. She dies in childbirth: after having just departed from Bethel, near Bethlehem.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” -Galatians 6:7-8

Scripture says that we reap what we sow: and when we hide and cover our sins, we may be getting off the hook temporarily, but we are only storing up for ourselves future sorrows. “[B]e sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23b).

We ought rather to bring our sin to the light, that we may be purged of it. It may be painful initially, but in the long run, it is the wisest, and least-sorrow filled path.

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” -Proverbs 28:13