Question: What is Apostolic-Prophetic Intercession?
My Answer:
As usual I am answering this question from my own experience, which I judge by the Word of God. The book of Ephesians, in my opinion, is a manual on prayer. The writer, Paul, identifies himself as an “apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God” and he wrote prayers that we pray today while we await the fulfillment of the “glorious church.”
As I was “wrestling” with this subject the Holy Spirit reminded me of a song I had heard in 1948. “Far Away Places” created a deep, determined longing in my heart to travel to “far-away places with strange sounding names.” God planted a desire in my heart that would lead to the life-work He had ordained for me to do.
Again, twenty (20) years later, as I stretched out on the carpet in our sunlit bedroom enjoying the quietness that surrounded me, disappeared. There before me was a long line of people marching in formation lined up against the horizon with no end in sight. Red, yellow, black, brown and white people, clothed in native dress, were “calling, calling me.” Of course, I thought it meant that I would travel to all those places. God was preparing me to embrace His vision for my life.
It was a short time when on a dismal January day in the late 1960’s that Jesus “literally” walked into my life. I fell in love with the Lover of my soul. All my questions vanished. I just wanted to know Him! I talked with Him, and He talked with me through the pages of sixty-six books known as the Bible. He sent the Holy Spirit who began teaching me about Jesus. To know Jesus is to know the Father! The great Three-in-One had come to live with me and in me!!
Then a crisis came to our house, and I was desperate to learn about prayer. I tried everything that had worked for others—I screamed at the devil…I would bind him and then loose him, but nothing changed, in fact over time they got worse. I prayed what was in my heart, but my prayers were filled with doubt, fear and unbelief!
Finally, I stopped running around to every prayer group in town; told my friends that I would not be available until I heard from God. I searched the Scriptures desiring to know what my Father had to say about children, especially my children.
First John 5:14-15 changed my prayer-life. Slowly doubt, fear and unbelief gave way to faith. Out of all my studying, the Holy Spirit gave me three simple steps to an effective prayer-life, which I call my AMO.
Step 1: Abide — John 15:7-8a…If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory…
Step 2: Meditate – Psalm 19:14…Let the words of my mouth (prayer) and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.
Step 3: Obey – Hebrews 5:7-9… Christ, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared, though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered. And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all those who obey Him…
My prayers gradually transformed from selfish, self-centered prayers to God-centered prayers that His will might be done on earth as it is in heaven…that He might be glorified!
All those years God was preparing me for such a time as this, and He gave me a new song. “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.” (Rev 5:9-10)
Today I turn to my divine Helper, the Holy Spirit, for His help as I pray for “far-away places” that I have visited. And, for those “far-away places” I have not visited except through the spiritual practice of prayer. The nations with strange sounding names continue to call. I respond by writing prayers and inviting as many as will listen to unite with me in prayer for the nations.
In the 1970’s I began writing prayers, which are now in a series of books known around the world as Prayers That Avail Much. Are the prayers of intercession that I write “Apostolic-Prophetic” prayers? All I can say is: I pray “according to His will” as I understand it. It is my intention to continue writing Scriptural prayers…believing that the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:9)
In 1977 I founded a prayer ministry, Word Ministries, Inc. Each day I post prayers on the Word Ministries Facebook page, and people from many places continue to sign up on our website to receive the Daily Prayer.
It is my prayer that these simple steps to an effective prayer-life will inspire and encourage you to pray prayers will avail much.
Copyright © Germaine Copeland 2013
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prayers.org?ref=hl
Website: www.prayers.org.
The definitions I used in this writing are from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary © 2013 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
1: Apostolic is an adjective relating to, or conforming to the teachings of the New Testament
2: Prophetic is an adjective that means foretelling events
3: Intercession is a noun, which is defined as prayer, petition, or entreaty in favor of another