Epaphras Prays Podcast

We are instructed by Almighty God to pray for others. We call this intercessory prayer, and we see this numerous times in Scripture.

This is often how Jesus prayed and we see Paul do so in his letters. It is a privilege for us today to intercede for the well-being of the Beloved of God.

Our prayers, first and foremost, are (but not only) for God’s own people, the Believers in Jesus as the Christ who came to seek and save the lost. We are those He found and made His own and so we pray for one another as He prayed for us.

When praying for one another, we join with Jesus in ministry, partnering with Him in kingdom work—and this has blessings and rewards both now and eternity. In praying for a brother or sister in Christ, we carry them to Jesus, usher them to the throne of God and make petition to a gracious and loving Father on their behalf.

Intercession is an expression of love: the love of God first toward each of us and then this love we have for the children of God. This is a high calling we have, and indeed a privilege.

And as we pray this way, we do so using a manual for prayer: The Word of God. This is why we say our mission is to Teach the People of God to Pray the Word of God for the People of God.

Bless you who do.

Reading and studying the prayers found in the Bible is beneficial for me to learn to pray. So we’re beginning an occasional study at Epaphras Prays of the rich history we have in Scripture of God’s people crying out to him.

Who better to begin with than a man after God’s own heart, the one who penned many of the Psalms, the King of Israel: David. Our short study of his prayer of praise and blessing in the assembly is found in 2 Chronicles 29:10-19.

By studying King David's prayer, we get valuable insight for our own praying today.

We should:

* Begin by acknowledging God's sovereignty and praising His greatness.

* Express gratitude for His provision and the ways He has enabled us to give generously.

* Make specific requests for ourselves, others, and the success of God's work in our lives.

* Trust in God's provision and guidance, as evidenced by David's trust in God's hand for the temple project.

By applying these lessons, we can cultivate a deeper relationship with God and a more responsive and obedient heart in our own praying.

Thank You for reading Epaphras Prays. When you subscribe, you join a small prayer group. You are daily in our prayers. And it helps more people learn to pray more.

Until next time, grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…

But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life. And indeed, have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh. 

Jude 1:20-22

To this end, we pray, Amen.

We can never expect to grow in the likeness of our Lord unless we follow His example and give more time to communion with the Father. A revival of real praying would produce a spiritual revolution. E. M. Bounds

Praying the Word of God for the People of God

Thank You for reading Epaphras Prays. When you subscribe, you join a small prayer group. You are daily in our prayers. And it helps more people learn to pray more.

Until next time, grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…

We need to make a it a point to seek God's guidance before making decisions. This is in keeping with king David as seen in 1 &2 Samuel.

Acting without God's guidance can lead to negative consequences, as demonstrated in the story of King David's census in 2 Samuel 24.

Why? Because God, as our heavenly Father, wants to help us and is always ready to provide assistance. And prayer enlists His help.

Learn to inquire of the Lord when faced with difficult decisions, tough choices, or struggles. Pray as David for this help and guidance: "Shall I go up?

And of course we want to help them learn to do it. We want them to ask us for help; we stand ready, willing and able to provide the assistance they need. As loving, responsible parents, that’s what we do.

So does heavenly Father, about a million times more and a million times better!

“No Daddy, I do it myself,” says the stubborn five-year-old. And so do we.

Next time, like David, inquire of the Lord. You have a difficult decision to make on the Elder Board? A tough choice for expanding your business? Struggles on adding on to your home or moving?

Whatever the issue, the Lord wants to help, and we need His help, so enlist His help, aid and assistance, His blessing, grace and favor—before you go.

Ask as David did, Shall I go up?

You have prayed long, you have prayed hard, and you are to be commended. But now is not the time to rest from our prayers, for the battle is won, but the war rages on. So, fellow intercessors, I encourage you, do not grow weary, nor grow comfortable, for the foe does not sleep.

Press in to God, and occupy a place before his throne and mercy seat from your prayer closet.

These are important things we need to pray for. First, we pray for God's people. We also pray for the gospel to reach those who don't believe, and we ask for more people to be saved by Christ.

We are here for such a time as this, let us redeem the time, making the most of it for the glory of the Lord.

Until next time, grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…

Thank You for reading Epaphras Prays. When you subscribe, you join a little prayer group. You are daily in our prayers. And it helps more people learn to pray more.

Imprecatory praying is a special type of prayer.

This type invokes a curse, and involves asking for divine judgment or punishment. These are found throughout the Bible, primarily in the Psalms, where they pray for God's judgment upon their enemies. Many were written by King David, the man after God’s own heart.

While Jesus and His disciples seldom quote these prayers directly, they emphasize the importance of forgiveness, love, and reconciliation.

Today, imprecatory prayers can be used to (1) acknowledge God's justice, (2) express feelings of anger and injustice, (3) encourage repentance and forgiveness, and (4) praise God's sovereignty.

However, Christian’s should strive to follow Jesus' teachings on forgiveness and love towards our enemies, asking for their salvation, or destruction.

As we contend with social ills, culture rot, with politics and persecutions, we Christians need to be alert, stand firm in faith, act like men, be courageous, and all we do be done in love (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

This includes praying with intercessions and imprecations.

Thank You for reading Epaphras Prays. When you subscribe, you join a little prayer group. You are daily in our prayers. And it helps more people learn to pray more.

Until next time, grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…

Many nations are living in Psalm 2—conspiring together and raging against the Lord, and rushing headlong to destruction.

In this PrayerCast we're praying from the Psalm, praying for the nation's government leaders—asking for good and godly government across the land.

We come in Jesus' name and pray that the kings and rulers of our nation would serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling, and that they would take refuge in you and our nation would be blessed as a result.

Pray with us for the rulers and authorities in the land—that they would heed the warning: be wise and be admonished, willingly submitting to the Lord’s Anointed—while they still are able.

PSALM 2

1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One:

3 “Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.”

4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them.

5 Then He rebukes them in His anger, and terrifies them in His fury:

6 “I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.”

7 I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD:

“You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.

8 Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession.

9 You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery.”

10 Therefore be wise, O kings; be admonished, O judges of the earth.

11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant.

Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.

(The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB)

Thank You for reading Epaphras Prays. When you subscribe, you join a little prayer group. You are daily in our prayers. And it helps more people learn to pray more.

Until next time, grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…

This is Day 27 of A Month Prayers for America: Intercessions for Good Godly Government

Note: The original podcast was posted November 11, 2021

Image Credits: Biblehub and NilxGFX

When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly —Matthew 6:6

Jesus did not say, “Dream about your Father who is in the secret place,” but He said, “. . . pray to your Father who is in the secret place. . . .”

Prayer is an effort of the will. Who’s will? Our will.

for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. Isaiah 56:7

God’s church is called “a house of prayer”, which ought to show us the significance of praying as a church. And as [Jesus] taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? (Mark 11:17) So then the Word of God—the Bible, could rightly be called the Book of Prayers.

This is the great theme and message content to the people of God.

The Scriptures are the basis and the directory of our prayers of faith.

As such, it should dwell in us richly, and as it does, it issues from us in our praying. As Jesus says: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you will, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7) His Words ought to dwell in our hearts.

This comes from reading and studying and memorizing.

Then, when we pray, we pray from the Word stored in us.

The Word of God, writes E. M. Bounds, is the fulcrum upon which the lever of prayer is placed and by which things are mightily moved. His Word is the basis, foundation, the inspiration, and guide for all our asking. From it we ask for His promises - from the Promiser, that is God Himself.

So we ask in faith from the Word of God, in submission to the God of the Word.

What a big help are the Scriptures in our praying!

If it be lodged in our hearts, it will form an out-flowing current of prayer, full and irresistible. Promises, stored in the heart, are to be the fuel from which prayer receives life and warmth…It is the food by which prayer is nourished and made strong.

Bounds would tell us that those who want to pray well need to (a) study God’s Word and (b) store it in our memory and thought.

For us to pray God’s will in prayer, we must be filled with God’s Word.

This ought to remind you of Epaphras, how he prayed that the Colossians might stand “perfect and complete in all the will of God.” According to Bounds: This is proof positive that, not only may we know the will of God, but that we may know all the will of God.

And not only that, but we may do all the will of God, not sometimes or by impulse, but with a settled habit of conduct.

Still further it shows us that we may do it not only externally, but from the heart, doing it cheerfully and without reluctance, nor drawing or holding back from the intimate presence of the Lord.

We may

* Know all God’s will

* Do all God’s will

* Live it cheerfully

When we pray, let us use the Scriptures as our Guide

We like to use Paul’s letter to the Ephesians as a "prayer manual."

Ephesians is significant as a "prayer manual" because it's a letter written by Paul the apostle to the church in Ephesus, where he mentions several times that he is praying for them.

These prayers reveal what the Lord wants for His church, providing a guide for praying His will for us.

The prayers in Ephesians are God-focused, dealing with internal disposition rather than external condition, and they ask for the things God wants instead of self-focused requests.

Check out the book below for more on praying Ephesians

To Sum Up

The Bible, or the Word of God, should significantly influence our prayers by being the basis, foundation, inspiration, and guide for all our asking. It helps us pray in faith and submit to God, as we ask for His promises from the Promiser Himself. When the Word of God dwells in our hearts, it forms an out-flowing current of prayer, full and irresistible, with promises stored in the heart acting as fuel for prayer. In order to pray God's will in prayer, one must be filled with God's Word.

Until next time, grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…

Thank You for reading Epaphras Prays. When you subscribe, you join a little prayer group. You are daily in our prayers. And it helps more people learn to pray more.

For Additional Reading

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

At that day ye shall ask in My name - John 16:26

To intercede is to pray on behalf of another.

We act as a go-between, or an advocate for someone.

Here are two examples from Mark:

In chapter seven, we see the Savior in the region of Decapolis (v. 31). In the next verse, they brought Him [one who was deaf] and they implored Him to lay His hand on him.

In chapter eight, Jesus is in Bethsaida. In verse 22, they brought Him a man who could not see, and again the ESV records they implored Him to touch him.

These people implored—asked fervently, pleading, begged—for the Lord to do what only He could do. In both instances, Jesus responds to imploring—the asking, by healing them.

Imploring for others is intercession

We may also ask the Lord for others near us to hear and to see Him.

Other Examples Of Intercession

And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee. - Numbers 12:13

And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. - Job 42:10

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. - Acts 7:60

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 1:3 KJV

Moses, Job, Stephan, and Paul all prayed to the Lord for other people.

So did Abraham. He stood before the Lord and asked the city be spared for the sake of even 50 righteous. He continued to stand and ask, if even 10 were there (see Genesis 18:20-33).

And this is the work of Jesus. On the cross He went between us and the Father, between our just punishment and merciful forgiveness: “Father, forgive them”

Jesus Christ carries on intercession for us in heaven; the Holy Ghost carries on intercession in us on earth; and we the saints have to carry on intercession for all men. - Oswald Chambers

The work of the Christian Church today is intercession

The power of the Church truly to bless rests on intercession—asking and receiving heavenly gifts to carry to men. - E. M. Bounds

All our works, our ministry doings are for the glory of God, and ought to begin and end with intercessory praying. Our calendars should contain times of prayer meetings. Our closets need fervent intercessors.

The work of intercession is the greatest work a Christian can do. Give yourself as a sacrifice to God for men, and the work will become your glory and your joy, too. - Andrew Murray

This kind of prayer is heartfelt, persistent, and deeply concerned with the spiritual welfare of others. It is not satisfied with superficial blessings but seeks the highest spiritual good for those being prayed for. This fervency in prayer is a sign of a warm, loving heart that is deeply in tune with God's desires.

Fervent intercession is marked by intensity and zeal, and love for those the Lord loves.

Our prayer must not be self-centered. It must arise not only because we feel our own need as a burden we must lay upon God, but also because we are so bound up in love for our fellow men that we feel their need as acutely as our own. To make intercession for men is the most powerful and practical way in which we can express our love for them. - John Calvin

We see this in Paul’s prayer life.

The fervor of his praying is a reflection of his own spiritual life. His deep communion with God fuels his passionate intercession for others, making his prayers powerful and effective. Paul’s intensity to pray for others is a model and a challenge for all Christians to examine the quality and depth of our own praying.

Like Epaphras, we might not all preach, teach or evangelize, but we can all intercede.

Thank You for reading Epaphras Prays. When you subscribe, you join a little prayer group. You are daily in our prayers. And it helps more people learn to pray more.

Until next time, grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…

For Further Reading