Intercessory prayer is like being a friendly messenger between people and the divine, where one person talks to a higher power on behalf of others.
It’s a special kind of prayer where we ask for blessings, guidance, or help for someone else. Imagine it as a heartfelt conversation with the universe, where we advocate for the needs and well-being of those we care about.
It’s not just about asking for things; it’s about connecting with something greater and expressing our concerns and hopes for the people we love.
Intercessory prayer is a way of showing kindness and support, believing that our words can make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Intercession is the act of intervening on another persons behalf. Thus an intercessory prayer is a prayer said on behalf of someone else. It can be a prayer for a friend, a family member or just a person need.
One of the earliest examples of intercessory prayers comes from the Book of Genesis when Abraham pleaded with God for the deliverance of the people of Sodom.
The scriptures describe Intercessory prayers as building bridges between God and those we are praying for. This means filling a gap between the person who needs the prayer but is in one way or another unable to pray to our Heavenly Father. For the Catholic faith in particular when making a prayer for intercession we pray to the saints to pray on our behalf, and sometimes we pray for the dead to help them get into Heaven.
Just as Jesus Christ interceded for us by dying on the cross and bringing us closer to God. Also as the Holy Spirit intercedes for us so are all Christians called to be intercessors for our fellow man.
Intercessory Prayer Catholic
Dear God, We ask you, our Father, to assist and watch over us.
Rescue those who are suffering.
Show compassion to the overlooked.
Lift up those who have stumbled.
Be present for those in need.
Bring healing to the unwell.
Guide back those who have lost their way.
Provide for those who lack.
Support the feeble.
Free those held captive.
May all nations recognize that you are the only God, that Jesus is your son, and that we are your people, cared for by you. Amen.
Intercessory Prayer for Healing
Dear Jesus, you have control over life and death. Everything I have is yours, and I love you deeply. Your touch can heal the sick, mend the broken, and bring light to darkness. Only you can do this, Lord Jesus.
I ask you to be with (name) now. Let them feel your presence and power, experiencing your love. May their body be filled with light, truth, healing, and wellness, just as you originally intended for us.
I pray for healing on their body right now. Thank you, Jesus, for listening to my prayer. You have overcome the world, and you hold heaven and earth in your loving hands. We have the promise of eternity in our hearts forever. Amen.
Intercessory Prayer for Family
Father, wash all broken families in your precious blood and cleanse all negative feelings they have for each other and fill them with your unconditional love.
God, take away from them all bitterness, anger and the desire to hurt one another. May they grown strong in your love.
Father, have mercy on those families where they have made no time for Prayer. May they draw closer to you through daily family prayer.
Lord, have pity on families where they live only to please the flesh. May they also grow spiritually.
Lord Jesus, have mercy on all families who believe in black magic, witchcraft, and other evil practices. Set them free Lord, from all these shackles and help them to believe only in You one God forever and ever.
Lord, take pity on families who live in selfishness and pride, and where there is no real sharing of all that you have provided them generously. May they live their lives for your sake.
Have mercy Lord, on families who suffer because of alcoholism or drug addiction. Touch them and heal them. Give to all who are affected, strength and the courage to accept their and to wait patiently for deliverance.
God, have mercy on couples who do not have a child, a good job, a house to live in. Bless them in your kindness and mercy.
Father, we pray for all those who are struggling with sickness, financial problems, and other sufferings. Be merciful to them and help them in their needs.
God, we pray that all families may give the first place to Jesus in their hearts and thus become your witnesses.
Father, give us real sorrow for all our sins and give us the strength to live a virtuous life and to always glorify you. Amen.
Intercessory Prayer for Church Leaders
Dear God, I pray for our church leader. Please give him the rest he needs from working long hours. Help me remember to offer my time and talents to assist him, so he doesn’t have to take on everything.
Let him know how much I appreciate his efforts. I also ask for his well-being, that he eats well and gets proper exercise to stay healthy for Your work. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Intercessory Prayer for Church Growth
Dear God, guide us to desire what brings You joy – the happiness of people everywhere as they learn about Your message of salvation.
Enable us to reach new places and communities with the good news, and give us the strength to represent You in our daily lives, both at home and work. Grant us the ability to spread Your glory enthusiastically to all nations.
Father, help us recognize our responsibility in our communities as peacemakers. Use the message of Jesus to mend relationships between different groups and bring reconciliation. Assist us in being sources of healing in a world that is in pain. Amen.
Effective Intercessory Prayer
Dear Almighty Father, You are the all-powerful God who can do anything. You control everything, and your strength and might are unmatched. I praise and thank you for being God.
Today, I come to you in prayer. I ask for your guidance and blessings for the nations of the world. May your word spread freely, leading sinners to your love and transforming them into followers of Christ for their salvation.
I also pray for my friends and loved ones who have not yet embraced Christ. May the grace of God bring them from darkness to light, and may they accept Jesus as their savior and Lord.
I lift up fellow believers who are spiritually weak, asking that the Holy Spirit strengthens them in their inner selves.
For my country, I pray that your truth prevails without challenge, and your light dispels all darkness.
Grant me the grace to turn my faith into good deeds, bringing glory to Christ within me.
As the Bible encourages, I pray for leaders and those in authority, that we may live peaceful, godly, and dignified lives. Amen.
Intercessory Prayer Verses
2 Corinthians 1:11
you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.
Philippians 1:19
for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Psalm 122:6
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
Isaiah 62:6-7
On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; All day and all night they will never keep silent You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves; And give Him no rest until He establishes And makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
Ephesians 6:18
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,1
Timothy 2:1
First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,
Genesis 17:18
And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before You!”
Job 42:8-10
“Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job. The LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold.
James 5:14-16
Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
Matthew 5:44
“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Jeremiah 29:7
‘Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’
Numbers 12:13
Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “O God, heal her, I pray!”
Numbers 11:1-2
Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the LORD; and when the LORD heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. The people therefore cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD and the fire died out.
Numbers 14:13-14
But Moses said to the LORD, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from their midst, and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, O LORD, are in the midst of this people, for You, O LORD, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.
Related Links
Follow @ReadingCatholic
