24 & 25 May 2025 (Pastoral Page) THE CALL TO INTERCEDE

By Asst Ps Lai Keet Keong

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:18

Intercessory prayer, simply put, is praying for others. If prayer is the lifeline of every believer, then intercessory prayer is the heartbeat of the church. In Ephesians 6:18, the Apostle Paul concludes his famous passage on the Armor of God with a command to pray for all the Lord’s people. It is not just a verse about personal prayer, it is a call and a mobilisation command for spiritual warriors, intercessors who will pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), stand in the gap (Ezekiel 22:30) and believe God for breakthroughs (Mark 11:24).

Intercessory prayer is not a suggestion but a vital part of spiritual warfare. The enemy seeks to divide, discourage, and destroy the church and disrupt the lives of believers. Through intercession, we ask for God’s power, protection, and provision for His people. Many battles in the church are won not just by human strategies but by warriors kneeling in prayer behind the scenes. Like the Moravian prayer movement (24/7 prayer for 100 years!) that birthed modern missions, great movements of God began first with hidden, fervent prayers. God invites us to partner with Him to usher His will and glory where we are – through our faithful, fervent and relentless intercession.

In the above passage, Paul urges believers to do three things. Firstly, to pray on all occasions – not just for crisis situations or when someone is unwell. We are to keep on praying, where keeping on is not merely measured by time but by consciousness. A mentor once shared how I ought to be aware of God, aware of His presence and aware of our constant need to rely for Him. For God is intimately involved in every detail of our lives.

Secondly, to pray in the Spirit. This means that our prayers ought to be led by the Holy Spirit, aligned to God’s righteous will, and not just human concerns. To be clear, God invites us to commit all our personal anxieties and concerns to Him in prayers. Nothing is out of bounds when it comes to communing with God. At the same time, as we pray humbly, the Holy Spirit will lead and align us to God’s loving will.

Finally, to pray for all the Lord’s people. This is our willingness to go beyond our inner circle to the entire Body of Christ. To pray for those whom we love and even those we may never meet.

My dear friends, are you praying only for yourself, or are you intentionally interceding for your church, leaders, fellow believers, and for the persecuted Church? Whenever you see a need in our church, whether spiritual dryness, conflict, or challenges, may we not just talk or be judgemental about it. Rather God has granted you the spiritual capacity to pray through it. Let us pray for God’s blessings and intervention. That God will establish His good and perfect will in His ways and in His time.

I wish to take this opportunity to encourage everyone to join us for the upcoming Church Prayer Meeting on 30 May where we will be praying for the CARE Groups. Please spread the word and invite others to join us. We will be praying for our CARE Groups, and for those with specific needs. Let us unite our hearts for a time of intercession and may God grant us a spiritual breakthrough for His Kingdom.

On a personal note, may I encourage you to make a prayer list this week. If you can, please include the staff, council members, pastors, missionaries, struggling believers, and even those who may have hurt you. And if you would like to join a prayer group or learn more about intercessory prayer, please reach out to us at office@biblechurch.sg. We look forward to connecting and praying with you!

Please join me in this prayer:

“Lord, awaken my heart to the power of intercession. Teach me to pray not just for my needs but for Your Church, Your leaders, and Your Kingdom. Use me as a vessel of Your grace through prayer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”