Maintaining the Battle When the War Seems Lost

Mark 2:5

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

As we examine God's Word, we find that Jesus never healed anyone physically without mentioning that their sins had been forgiven.  It is the will of God the Father that none shall perish.  It is consistent with our position as disciples of Jesus Christ that we focus our prayers on the needs of the unsaved people who surround us.  We surely may pray for their natural needs, but our responsibility as true intercessors calls us to pray first for their supernatural needs.  The proper prayers of an intercessor will always focus first on salvation and then on provision, just as Jesus focused on deliverance and then healing.

As we take on our intercessory roles for salvation, we need to know that often we will be on a long journey.  Jesus, who controls the timing of all things, understands that the journey can seem unbearably long to us at times.  He is well aware that in our weakness we tend to give up when we see those around us losing the battle to time.  Thus, in Luke 18:1, Jesus taught us "to always pray and not lose heart".  In doing so, He sought to give us confidence in knowing that all things are set and delivered according to His perfect eternal timing.  And He certainly sought to emphasize that He never drops any man from His salvation plan nor should we.

Let us seek deliverance first, then healing.  Let us come into agreement with the Father's will that no man shall perish.  Let us not lose heart when we find ourselves on the long journeys of intercessory prayer for salvation.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You giving us Your Son to instruct us how to pray in accordance with Your will for all men.  We ask for the supernatural inspiration to pray for all the people who surround us.  We pray for the fortitude to maintain our battle for their salvation even when it seems that the war is being lost.  We beseech You, Father, that You would show us how to bring our prayers into alignment with the plans that You have for those that we pray for.  We celebrate our roles as intercessors.  May You bless us, Lord, by allowing us to see the fruit of our labors.  We ask all these things in the name of the Deliver and Healer of all men, Jesus Christ.