#Online Bible Study

When You Are On Your Knees For Others

I didn’t want to write this Bible Study when I got it and I still don’t feel like publishing it as at the time of transferring it from my journal to my phone… and as you read along, you’ll understand why this is so.

 
I mentioned that my Church had a 5day conference on faith in this post last week.
On the 3rd day of the conference, I got a call from my dad with my mom raging at the background – the house was on fire with quarrels.
Now, I have been praying for God to build my parents marriage for a while and confessing that He has done so already. After my dad’s call, I tried to still confess same in faith but I just couldn’t. I was just plain tired and instead of praying, I tried to dull the pain by surfing the net.
I woke up with “Hillsong’s-Oceans will fall” in my heart the next day and when I downloaded it and started listening to it, I just started crying to God.
Lord, this is too hard, it’s too difficult to intercede for others.
My brother is there, my sister, my family members… you have said that they will be saved through me but I see nothing and I am just plain tired.
I could perceive/hear God leading me to Ezekiel 22:30 so let’s go there shall we?

 
““I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.”

 
And He said to me, Persevere. Stay on your knees. Let me find you in the gap. Pray. Pray. Pray.

 
Now, some of us might be in the same position that I am in too, we are stressed out over interceding for others and sometimes, it just brings out tears instead of prayers in us but God said to me, look at Jesus.
You want to know how to intercede for others?
Look at Jesus.
The first scripture that came to my mind was that of Jesus in Romans 8:34
” Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.”

 

But specifically in Luke 22:31-32 Jesus told Peter…
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”

 
What does it mean to sift?
satan wanted to shake out Peter till nothing remained.
And I am thinking what if Jesus had not prayed?
And notice that it didn’t seem like His prayer for Peter was answered because Peter still denied Him. It was only later that Peter’s faith became strong indeed.
What if Jesus had looked at Peter’s weak faith and just stopped praying?
What if He dwelled on the present instead of seeing through the eyes of faith?
Jesus stood in the gap for His disciples.

 
He said in John 17:12
“During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.”

 

How did he ensure that satan couldn’t snatch them from His hands? He interceded and stood in the gap in prayers for them.
He was on His knees, ALWAYS.
He had His own issues, praying for strenght to do God’s will but still, He preserved His disciples souls in prayers and even the souls of everyone who would ever come to believe in Him(see Jesus prayer in John 17)

 

 

I know that some of us are tired of staying in our knees for others (I am too). Things just don’t look like they are changing and for the life of us, we can’t open our mouths to pray no more.
But God is saying that if there is a man to pray then there is a God to answer.
Let me find you in the gap.
Some of us are supposed to be interceding for our friends and family but we’ve already abandoned our post in the gap.
But this is a call for us to sit tight once more, we have too many lives connected to us for us to slack up now.
We can’t afford to just drift away from God, too many lives depend on the connection we have with God on their behalf.

 
As I thought about writing this, I felt like I should have a fast and pray for those I am praying for and also include prayers from my blog family.
It’s the reason why I didn’t want to put this Bible Study up. I didn’t feel like I am up to shouldering another’s prayer on my head but if I feel this strongly, then I can’t dump it.

 
So here’s what we are going to do today my blog family.
We will be praying for each other.

 
Paul told Timothy in 1Timothy 2:1-3
“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior”

 

 

Here’s what I want you to do, leave your comment below with a prayer point you want us all to pray about.
If it’s too personal to share publicly, then send me a mail at okorofrances@gmail.com
I will be fasting and praying along with each comment here. You can join in fasting if you feel led to but otherwise, just please pray and stay in the gap for everyone who drops a prayer below.

 

So here are my prayer points…
(1) God has built my parents marriage, they live in peace, love and joy in the presence of God. God has restored and revived their marital life.

 
(2) The shackles of the evil one over my elder brother – Ray is broken. The healing power of God is working in him. He is perfect and complete in health, body, soul and spirit and God’s glory will shine through the present trial in his life.
(these first two prayers are also to be done in thanksgiving and confession)

 
(3) Pray that God will set my family members on the path for Him. No one of us shall be derailed, rather we will continue to grow in Christ and in the knowledge of what He wants us to do/be for Him.

 

(4) Any other prayer you want to add for me.

 

And if you are already at the stage of thanking God for your answer in faith, drop it below too, we will join you in thanking God for prayers answered.
Please don’t read this post without the attendant call to prayer and standing in the gap for others.
It pleases God when we pray for each other.
Trust me, I still don’t feel up to it as I type this but what do we do when we don’t “feel” up to something?
We are not run by feelings, but by the Spirit of God in us, so we do what’s right, not what the flimsy feelings posit.

 

God bless us all as we stand in the gap for others as we should.
And may God give us strength to carry us through even when we are weary.
When He looks, may He find us standing in the gap…. in Jesus name, amen.

 

Further reading…

1john 5:14-15
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”

 

Mark 11:22-24

“Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”

 

 

John 16:23-24

“At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.”

 

You can please share this post so it can get to others who need it. Let’s give as many people that can pray/have a prayer point to share with others the opportunity to be able to read this. Thank you.

 
Till our next #OnlineBibleStudy,
Much love,
Frances.

 
P:S – I’m sorry that this post is up late.

I intended to have this up since morning but had no power on my devices. I’m sorry, I hope you all can still drop your prayers and let’s make this “standing in the gap” work for us.

You can also  download Jaci Velasquez – On My Knees.
It kept ringing in my head yesterday.

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16 Comments

  • Reply
    Tessa Doghor
    April 8, 2015 at 2:24 pm

    I pray that God will flood your home with His peace and the presence of His Spirit, and that God would flood your heart with peace in Jesus name, amen.
    I pray that will perfect all that concerns them in Jesus name and that the peace of God will rest on your parents in Jesus name, amen.

    Sing songs of worship until your heart is confident. It is well with you and yours. God can do a better job than you. Give it to Him.

    • Reply
      Frances Okoro
      April 8, 2015 at 8:47 pm

      Amen and amen, thank you Tessa.
      Prayed for you too

  • Reply
    Vincent Gloria
    April 8, 2015 at 4:20 pm

    Prayer request is 4 a friend of mine who’s glorious destiny, d enemy within wants 2 divert. I believe we should also thank God 4 d tins we tink He has not done, den we will c His total manifestation. D challenge with most of us is that we thank Him when He has done something 4 us… Thanks

    • Reply
      Frances Okoro
      April 8, 2015 at 9:08 pm

      That’s the true test of faith Gloria.
      Praising even before we see cuz we see it in the spiritual first..
      When ye pray, believe that you have received it”

      And if we believe that we have received it, then we will praise like we have received it indeed. Thanks a lot for this

  • Reply
    keke
    April 9, 2015 at 10:46 am

    Thank you thank you for this post Frances. I pray for you from the depth of my heart that you receive what you have prayed for. But most importantly, as you honour God with your heart, your family will continue to experience his divine favour, grace and abundant love in all things.

    Please pray for a breakthrough for me in all areas of my life and journey with God.

    Much Love

  • Reply
    Frances Okoro
    April 9, 2015 at 11:22 am

    amen and amen Keke…
    Already prayed for you with hat was in my heart before I saw this and will also lift up your requests to God too, He hears and answers…always.

  • Reply
    Emprezz Abena
    April 9, 2015 at 11:28 am

    I also pray our parents will enjoy marital bliss, our siblings will be drawn to the love of God.

    • Reply
      Frances Okoro
      April 9, 2015 at 12:00 pm

      Amen Emprezz..amen.
      thanks for joining in on this.

  • Reply
    Adaolisa
    April 11, 2015 at 7:06 am

    Yesterday, i was asking God to answer my intercessory prayers quickly and to ensure i am aware that he has a hand in it so that my faith would be strengthened. And now, here is your post…….(smiles).

    Yes, it is true about getting tired when answers are not forth coming as quickly as i want it but your analysis about Jesus and Peter has just blessed my heart. i would not relent nor tire…….I would trust and continue…..

    I also like the part where you wrote “But God is saying that if there is a man to pray then there is a God to answer. Let me find you in the gap. Hmmmm….. God is a prayer answering God….

    Thanks Frances…. Keep this up.

    • Reply
      Frances Okoro
      April 12, 2015 at 3:49 pm

      Thank you Adaolisa…I’m more than glad that this spoke to you – you(we) are not alone, we will keep staying in the gap, God always answers, even if we haven’t seen the physical manifestation yet, we will stay in faith.
      *hugs and hugs sis*

  • Reply
    Maggielola
    April 12, 2015 at 12:08 pm

    Will be praying for you, Frances. Interestingly I was write something similar (isn’t it funny how the Holy Spirit works?) but I chose to highlight this post in my own. You have captured my sentiments about praying for others nicely. Be strong, Frances!

  • Reply
    Frances Okoro
    April 12, 2015 at 4:37 pm

    Thank you Maggie, just read your newsletter too…its amazing how God gets the word to us.
    I(we’ll) stay strong…I pray our hearts and knees never grow weary as we care/love others with prayer.
    Thank you again Maggie 🙂

  • Reply
    bukola
    April 15, 2015 at 3:43 pm

    My love,
    The Joy of the Lord is your strength….. the devil has been put to shame….. you and your family will shine for Christ whether the devil likes it or not….. He is a faithful God now so what are we doubting for…. His word says in our weakness,His Spirit will intercede for us…and that what He is doing…testimony is what will come out from your mouth next concerning the great family…and that puts a permanent mark that He has done it….
    God will see you through my dear…..It is well with you.

    Please join help me in praying for the visible move of God in all areas of my life (spiritual, career, relationship, family).

    Bless you dear.

    • Reply
      Frances Okoro
      April 16, 2015 at 4:54 am

      Amen and amen, oh thank you Bukola.
      Will definitely join you in prayers.
      Thank you sis

  • Reply
    Oluwabunmi Seyi
    August 4, 2020 at 5:27 pm

    Help me pray that God’s name will not be mocked over my friend, Yomi. We have prayed and prayed over his promotion and for the third and last time, he was denied again. Now, it is all in the hands of God. Let God be true and every man be a liar over his case.

    • Reply
      Hephzibah Frances
      August 6, 2020 at 11:25 am

      Hey sis I’ve gotten your testimony after this comment. TO GOD BE THE GLORY! CONGRATULATIONS TO YOMI!

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