List Intercessors

*much of this comes from the book " Intercessors" by T. Femrite - E.Alves- K.Kaufman
List Intercessors

When someone calls you for prayer, is your automatic response, to find a piece of paper to right down their prayer request and any other details around it? Then you are probably a 'list intercessor.' Do you have little pieces of paper with prayer requests kicking around your house, on your desk or in your Bible? Do you have lists of prayer requests on your fridge or tucked safely in your bible or journal? Then you are probably a list intercessor ! Remember tho: not all lists are prayed the same way!

Some jot their prayers down on paper, others use pocket tape recorders or MP3 devices. Others may make prayer walls, prayer lists or use a prayer journal – where they not only write down the requests, but go back and write in when the answers come. Some list pray-ers use pictures to remember to pray , and/or list the needs under each picture. Others simply have a bulletin board with pictures, notes or verses, that remind them during throughout the day to take a prayer stand for those God has assigned them. Other's use maps – maps of their neighbour hood or their city. Some people use the telephone books, and pray through a column a day! Others will comb through newspapers. Not all list intercessors will gather their sources the same way. See, not all lists are the same, nor are they prayed the same way.

Not only will list intercessors gather their sources and information differently, they may also sort that information in unique ways. Some divide their lists by topics: salvations, healing, finances, families, individuals. Some will assign one day to each topic. Others hold their lists before the Lord and ask for direction as to who or what to pray into for that day. Others still may pray scriptures over those the Lord has assigned them.

List intercessors are awesome! ( Aren't they all!?) They are known for their dependability and perseverance. They strengthen those they pray for with their loyalty and unwavering love and of course, their dependability. These prayer people are tenacious and consistent in their prayer support.

If you have a list intercessor praying for you, they will often know your schedule better than you know it. If you're on their list and they've said they are going to be praying for you, you know you will be getting prayer. Some list intercessors are so organized that they will pray for people every day at a particular time. A list pray-er will pray about any subject you give them , but they prefer having a list to follow. They find freedom in structure – it frees them up, once prayer needs are organized, to think about other things.

List pray-ers need to watch out that they don't fall into the trap of thinking only regimented prayer can be effective. It is important that tho you have a list to go through, that you also be willing to linger over any particular prayer request until you feel that it's done. List pray-ers tend to be more effective because of their particular style, when they are praying independently. Those who are created with a need for diversity can find list praying ( especially praying over someone else's list), inhibiting, confining and yes...boring. Also...list pray-ers can feel obligated to take on prayer assignments that are given to the 'on the run' – people who just stop in the moment and ask them for pray. They can learn to pray 'in the moment' .

“ Many Christians have erroneously decided that because they don't pray lists, they are not intercessors.” from Chp. 2 of “ Intercessors” This of course, is simply not true! Those who pray, need to know their prayer style in order to be effective and also to be encouraged!

Right now, in the Body of Christ, I am seeing a shift happening. Where we have spent a lot of time learning how to hear from God on an individual basis, and we've learned how to pray in our prayer closets – it is time to learn again, how to pray corporately. So..despite all the different styles we are learning about, we also need to know how to make those styles work in a corporate prayer meeting!

Here's some things to look for to tell if you are a 'list pray-er' and also pitfalls to be aware of, if you are! Remember, every strength also has a weakness – so be aware of yours!

Pitfalls:

*Burnout! What for it! We can get so many people on our lists, that we are not able to properly pray the way we want to. We can also have such long lists that we start to feel guilty about not being able to pray for them all. The key here is to know how long your assignment is and be able/willing to hear God say your assignment is done.
*Becoming judgmental towards others who either deviate in a meeting, from your list or a list.
*Believing there is no other way to pray, and in doing so can find it hard to fit in to a corporate prayer meeting.
*Lack of compassion when praying over a list complied by another person.
*Allow the lists to become more important than what is on the Father's heart at the moment – again important in corporate prayer meetings.
*Being determined to pray thru the entire list each time you pray.
*Experiencing condemnation when you don't pray the entire list.
*Letting the list become so long that futility causes you to give up prayer.
*Becoming overwhelmed and frustrated when your lists grow without seeing answers to prior requests
*Lacking boundaries to say 'no' to those whom has not asked you to put on your list ( assignment)

Remember, God is more interested in your heart attitude than in your performance in prayer.

Are you a List Intercessor?

*Do you find freedom in structure?
*Would regimented prayer inhibit you or release you?
*Have you recorded the dates of prayer requests?
*Do you pray over the same people consistently?
*When called to pray for someone, do you start by making a list?

Remember: to honor your relationship with God and others on your lists. It's really important to let the love of God shape your prayers for His people! Set priorities for your times of prayer, and be disciplined. Record what you receive in prayer – including dates and details. Be open and flexible to God's call to add or delete the people, places or issues that are on your list. Understand too, that not everyone is committed to, or finds life in lists – even yours!

Biblical example of a list pray-er? Ezra ! Book of Ezra he lists all those who returned to Jerusalem, the heads of clans, those involved in mixed marraiges. Basically God used him to spur a great revival! He's know as 'Ezra the scribe'. He's believe to be the author of most of 1 and 2 Chronicles, and this noble man of God records lists in all of his writings!