It is not my intent to limit or confine prayer to any particular set of rules or regulations by defining intercessory prayer, or any other kind of prayer for that matter.  But rather, it is my desire, (with the Lord's help) to give a better understanding of what the Bible teaches about intercessory prayer.  These things will help us as believers to co-operate more fully with the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit always works in conjunction with God's Word.  It's more important to learn to flow with the Holy Spirit in prayer than to only know the correct prayer terminology.

For a long time many thought that intercession was the only effective kind of praying.  However, in reality, the most effective prayer is the prayer that the Holy Spirit inspires!  The Holy Spirit guides and inspires prayer that is needed at that very moment, whether it is the prayer of agreement, the prayer of faith, the prayer of worship, or any other type of prayer.  Many times, different kinds of prayer work together.  Supplication, which is an earnest, heartfelt request, is used in intercession.

God links earnest prayer with divine revelation in Jeremiah 33:3, "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."  Every believer has the privilege of being used by God in effective intercession.  This is not just for a favored few or just people who are "called to the ministry of intercession."  Intercession is everyone's ministry, just like worship  or witnessing are.

The devil will try to convince God's people that this kind of prayer ministry is only for specialists, but the Bible does not even suggest that to become an intercessor you have to be gifted.

Jesus came among us to show us how to live and He alone is our role model.  He showed us by His own life that prayer is a daily priority for everyone.

We experience the wonder of intercession to the degree that we have learned to wait on God.  Everything about our human nature rebels against waiting.  Waiting is a discipline that has tremendous rewards.  The reward is God's revelation of Himself and that produces motivation to wait on Him.  Our prayer life is only as powerful as our knowledge of the character of God.

Presumption about the most effective way to intercede hinders maximum effectiveness.  How can we possibly know with our minds whether God wants to move through us with weeping, travailing, wrestling, fasting, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, dreams, visions, mental pictures, impressions, verses of Scripture quickened to us, or silence?  We don't  -  until we've waited on God and given Him time to move on and through us.

Intercession should start with praise, have praise throughout, and end with praise.  This keeps the focus where it should be  -  on God Himself.  No matter how big the problem is or how much we pray about it, praising God reminds us that He is the source and the solution.  God has chosen praise and worship as a way for releasing His power.  He lives and dwells in places where His name is being lifted up.