Intercession that makes a difference.

Prayer is such a privilege. Hebrews 4:16 states, " Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."  In this privilege of prayer the Spirit of God leads his chosen ones into awakes me at all times throughout the day and many times even at night for the opportunity to pray. 

Matthew 25:6 states, “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.”  God is so gracious to give us this beautiful gift to talk to Him about anything and everything with 24/7 free access.  If we call on Him, He is there to listen to us and hear the cry of our hearts like the Bible says in Jeremiah 29:13, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” 

After saving us, He is there to comfort in pain, redeem when we miss the mark, redirect our thoughts when they are headed down a wrong path and there to receive our thanksgiving as apart from Him we are lost. We get look to Him for help in whatever our situation/circumstance or heart issue that is gnawing at us. More so 1 John 5:14-15 states, And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him." How great and merciful He is to receive our praise and adoration!

In those late nights/early mornings of prayer and reading the Word have often been my most focused times of prayer.  These have been some of the most powerful times to pray especially when repenting of sin, interceding for a loved one or needing to hear from the Lord about a specific course of action. The following are some scripture references regarding this type of middle of the night intercession:

In Matthew 26:37, it says referring to Jesus, " He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled."  When Christ was grief-stricken and disheartened about what was about to happen while in the Garden of Gethsemane He went to pray. Along with Him were some of His disciples Peter, James and John, his companions. However, they were not fully aware of what was about to take place and the overwhelming sorrow Christ was experiencing. Often times we may not know the weight of the burden a spouse or a loved one could be facing.  It's strange that the disciples had no clue that this was it. So, Jesus had to weather through it alone with the Father. Jesus was fully human and fully divine and His human heart was crushed as to what was about to take place. Jesus longed for relief and the support of His disciples in prayer. Sadly, in Matthew 26:40,41 it says Jesus returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Jesus knows the desperation that leads to prayer.

Psalm 119:62 says “At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.”  I've learned starting of my middle of the night prayers with Thanksgiving sets a good tone in praying through that time of the night. David rose at midnight to give thanks and praise to the Lord!

We also find in Acts 16:25: “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” Their prayers provoked God with fearful praises at midnight and it permeated the prison for God's glory and the deliverance of those being bound!

Be encouraged and strengthened to talk to Jesus when you can't sleep, to pour out your heart in that midnight hour for an unsaved loved one or a wayward spouse. God is so faithful to comfort, ‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.’ -2 Corinthians 1:3.

The Lord has been a faithful comforter in my dark night and in our seeking is faithful to bring His light again for a new day in whatever the situation.