Intercessroy Prayer

 Intercessory Prayer

June 30, 2025

1 Samuel 1:9-10 (NASB95) 

9 Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. 10 She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.

1 Samuel 1:17 (NASB95) 

Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.”

The topic of our Bible study this week is intercessory prayer; in particular prophetic intercession. That’s not a topic I’m a real expert at. Praying for others involves a certain amount on empathy, or sympathy, and that is something I’ve always struggled with. But in praying about the topic this morning, I was prompted to read the passage in Samuel about Hannah praying for a son. 

She went up to the house of the Lord to pray, weeping and crying in her intense desire to have a son. The priest, Eli, was not a very compassionate man. He misinterpreted Hanna’s crying as the ravings of an intoxicated woman. But when he understood her concern, he prayed a simple prayer and it was answered. So what is the lesson in this? 

It might have been of some comfort to Hannah if he had understood her plight, but simple understanding might not have helped her. But he prayed a simple prayer, in the name of the God of Israel, and he had the authority, as high priest to intercede on her behalf. That prayer was answered the next year when Samuel was born. So I think the lesson here is that we need to pray in authority, praying in the Name of Jesus, and let the Holy Spirit guide our prayers to the real need. We may not understand the inner heart issues that cause someone to need to pray, but the Holy Spirit does. So we need to listen to the Holy Spirit, and pray for others in the authority and insight that He gives. It is not our human insight or compassion that helps a person, but it is the power of God, through the Holy Spirit that will work miracles in someone’s life to bring healing and deliverance. It is a comfort to someone when we understand and sympathize, and listening to people is important. But in the end, it is the power of the Holy Spirit, through intercessory prayer, that will deliver them from their true heart issues. So listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and pray accordingly. Perhaps you will see a Samuel born in the life of a Hannah that will bring joy and peace into her life.