How to Hold an Intercessory Prayer Service
An intercessory prayer is a prayer offered up on the behalf of another person. There are numerous Biblical examples of intercessory prayer in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Reasons for intercessory prayer include praying for someone who is sick, requesting protection, asking for guidance and wisdom and praying for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus himself stands as the primary intercessor for mankind, as referenced in Romans 8:34. Holding an intercessory prayer service is a way to join people together for the purpose of lifting up a person or group of people in prayer.
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Instructions
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Choose a person or group of people for whom to pray. Look at your own community. You can pray for nearly anyone, including sick people, service people overseas, parents, students or local and national leaders.
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Invite others to the service. If you are conducting an intercessory prayer service at your church, you could announce the upcoming event in a regular church service. You also could print a reminder in the bulletin. Other means of inviting people include phone calls and email.
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Explain the purpose of the service once everyone gathers together. This is in case someone in attendance does not fully understand the situation of the person or persons for whom you are praying.
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Reference Biblical examples of intercessory prayer as a guideline for your service. You might read passages such as Numbers 14 and 1 Timothy 2:1-2.
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Split your group into smaller sections if you have a larger group and you want to provide a more personal experience. For instance, you could divide a group of 50 into 10 groups of five people each.
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Invite people to pray aloud if they feel comfortable doing so. If you are working in smaller groups, simply go around the circle of your group and invite each person who feels comfortable to say a prayer. If you are operating within a larger group, you can invite people to pray aloud spontaneously. Another option is to ask several people beforehand if they will pray aloud. This method works better for groups who are less comfortable praying spontaneously.
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Lead a time of quiet prayer. You might want to take about three to five minutes of silence for people to pray personally. This is important in terms of giving people who may feel uncomfortable praying aloud a chance to pray silently.
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Use music, thanksgiving and praise in your service if you wish. Music can help to set the tone and create a worshipful atmosphere. Offering thanksgiving and praise communicates that you believe God will hear and answer your prayers.
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References
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