I have found in my dealings with other intercessors, that we have much in common, yet others who are not intercessors sometimes stand off. This brings the following questions to me. I know some of you have close friends and do relate well to others, but some may struggle in this area. I have put a few questions below to stimulate our thinking on this issue. Perhaps you might have another approach to this subject. Please share your thoughts.
Questions:
Do most intercessors have close friends?
Due to intercessor work being frequently solitary—does this cause them to pull away from making friends?—or is that solitary time a time of recharge?
What would help others understand intercessors so they can really relate to them?
Does your pastor have an understanding of how to work with intercessors?--Does he appreciate their calling and work?
Any suggestions that might help intercessors with friends and relating to others?
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Being an intercessor I have found that we can often times focus on the negative. Which puts some people off. I read "The Happy Intercessor" By Beni Johnson and it really changed my perspective on how I look at the things that the Lord shows me. When I get a burden or see a negative thing liken it to getting a text message from God alerting me to pray. I will be honest I have not completely mastered this and sometimes seeing the negatives affect me more than they should. But with His grace I remember and real it back in!
I've also noticed (being in leadership) that us intercessors sometimes forget that we are not the only ones who hear from God. I think better training on how to intercede as a team for specific things like your church, church leadership or pastors really helps. I know that we will always have that private intersession that is intense and powerful, but we cannot disregard team/group intercession.
Natalie--
As an intercessor, it does take some training to recognize those "intercessor alerts" --and that time when we are tempted to focus on the negative--it is something that God wants us to bring to Him. Thank you for sharing that- It does encourage us-- and when we see that pattern in another intercessor, with prayer--maybe we can help that intercessor to respond by carrying it to the Lord too.
You mentioned team work among intercessors--do you have some ideas how that might be encouraged? Here is the situation that I have observed: I have seen intercessors work together in a crisis, but such a team usually does not stay together as most intercessors are often solitary. When they move back to being solitary, the team that worked in the crisis no longer functions. Keeping a team going would be greatly encouraging.