Intercessory Prayer

Here are some helpful suggestions for intercessory prayer compliments of the ELCA Intercessory Prayer Team Guide:

Prepare your mind and heart by examining yourself and making repentance and confession of sin to God. Seek to humble yourself and open your heart to the Holy Spirit.

Take a couple of deep breaths and pray (silently or aloud) as you breathe in, “Come, Holy Spirit.”

Take time to listen to God’s leading. What is God bringing to mind as you open yourself to pray? Fight the tendency to fall into a pattern or style that closes our heart to God.

As you begin to pray, thank God for the person(s) you are praying for; pray for the specific request(s); ask God to bless the person(s) you are praying for as well as the person(s) who requested the prayer (if different); finally, close the prayer “...in Jesus name. Amen.”

Keep in mind that no matter what the request, we are God’s instruments of prayer. We are not to judge the request but simply pray. Jesus modeled a heart of compassion (Latin: com = “together”; passé = “suffer”) when He ministered to others. God will work out the request.

Remember, there is no “right” way to pray. Simply open your heart to God and to the individual(s) for whom you are praying.

The ELCA has a wonderful website of Prayer Resources. Take some time and explore