Intercessory Prayer Averts Judgment
- Bishop Keith Butler
- Jan 31, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 17, 2023
And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? (Genesis 18:20-24)
When you pray, are your prayers selfishly motivated or Kingdom motivated?
Many people pray for themselves and their own—“Lord bless me, protect me, guide me, my spouse and our children,” —but they hardly pray for those who are far from the Lord. In fact, even people who are in a state of rebellion against God will pray for themselves from time to time. It is God’s will for the believers to intercede on behalf of others.
In Genesis 18:20-24, we see Abraham interceding on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. The judgment of God was already set on the city. We must remember that God’s judgment is not positive or negative, it is simply a consequence of what a person or a community has done. God let us know in His Word what His will is and He gives us the opportunity to live a blessed life by following His Word. However, many people live in rebellion and are not in the position to pray for mercy and forgiveness. That’s when they need believers praying on their behalf. We pray God will extend mercy to them, so they turn their hearts back to Him.
Abraham didn’t pray for justice, he prayed for mercy. He knew he had a covenant with God and that God would hear his request. God listened and said He would save Sodom and Gomorrah if He could find ten righteous there. Evidently, He did not.
Practical Application
Pray for mercy for others, not judgment. Ask God to spare those you know are in rebellion and give them time to repent. It is a powerful responsibility.
