Intercessory prayer is praying for other people, or praying on behalf of someone other than yourself.

Intercessory prayer is praying to God on someone else's behalf. Jesus Christ is our intercessor between us and God the Father. Oftentimes, new Christians, people wavering in their faith, drowning in sorrows or struggling with issues and personal problems need our prayers. Even strong Christians and Pastors need prayer on their behalf. We should pray for our country, the government, church, family and friends and for the lost. We should even pray for those that hate us. There is power associated with the prayers of more than one person mentioned in the bible by Jesus. "Where two or three are gathered in my name there I am also." 

• Matthew 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
• Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

The background of Intercessory prayer dates back to the Old Testament to the tribe of Levi when people were required to go to the  High Priest and have him pray for them. After the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ there was no longer a need for an intercessor between us and God the Father because Jesus Christ is now our intercessor. His blood covers our sins, hiding them from God. Jesus Christ is our High Priest. Jesus realizes our weaknesses because He was tempted in the same ways that we are and still did not sin. This ultimate sacrifice allows us the privilege of approaching God's throne with grace and confidence. In this way we can get the help we need from God when we need it .  Because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice we can now come boldly to the throne of grace so that we can find mercy from God and get help in our time of need.

• Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
• Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
• Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus Christ’s Intercessory Prayer
Jesus prayed to God the Father on our behalf, asking the Father to sanctify the believers through truth, so they can have joy, even though we are hated by men. Jesus did not ask Him to take the believers out of the world, but rather He asked Him to keep evil away from the believers..

• John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
• John 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
• John 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
• John 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

Jesus wasn’t praying for the whole world. He was praying for those who believe that He is the Son of God.

• John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
• John 17:10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
• John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
• John 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
• John 17:13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
• John 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
• John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
• John 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
• John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
• John 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

Jesus was sanctified and we as believers are sanctified through Him.

• John 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
• John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
• John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
• John 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
• John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
• John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
• John 17:25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
• John 17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

We should earnestly pray and give thanks for all men.

• 1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

​We need to pray for our leaders,Presidents, Kings, and all who are in a position of authority so we can live in peace, honesty, and godliness because this is considered good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.

• 1 Timothy 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
• 1 Timothy 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
• 1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

There is one God, Jesus is the mediator between God and men who gave himself as ransom for all.​

• 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
• 1 Timothy 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Jesus taught that we should pray together. and when we pray together He is right there in the middle of those who are praying. When two or three people gather together in His name Christ is there with them and when any two agree on something on earth that they are praying about, it will be done by His Father who is in heaven.

• Matthew 18:19- Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.   
• Matthew 18:20-For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
  

It is good to pray in the Holy Ghost.

• Jude 1:20 - But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Praying for friends can lead to freedom from spiritual bondage.
The Lord turned the captivity (freed him from bondage put on him by satan) of Job when he prayed for his friends and gave Job twice as much as he had before.

• Job 42:10 - And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Prayer for the Lost

---

Memory Verse: ​In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express Romans 8:26

---