Teach Us How To Pray (Part 5): Supplication

Now we are ready to beseech or ask God for “______.”

According to the dictionary (online : ) supplication is the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly.

The thought of begging God may mess with some people’s theology. We can certainly go boldly before the throne of God as His children. While at the same time, there is still a spirit of humility that embraces that confidence in Christ out of reverence for the holiness of God. It’s that beautiful balance of seeming contradictions that we see throughout Christianity. After all, we worship the One Who is both the Alpha and Omega, the Lion and the Lamb.  So, let’s say that this is the part of prayer where we bring our petitions to the One who has all power in His hands. But not so fast…

there are two types of supplication/ petitioning: intercession and personal prayer

Intercession is prayer on behalf of others. When you pray for God to meet the needs of another person, be it money, protection, healing, wealth, blessings, etc. you are standing in the gap for the other person. There’s power in intercession because you become the conduit for God to bless other people. While at the same time, when interceding, you are also what stands between them and whatever attack or plan of the enemy is coming down the pipeline for them. Your prayer is essentially what either helps along the blessings of God for someone else or what stops the devil in his tracks.

That’s why we pray with faith the size of a mustard seed because there’s so much power in prayer because of the One we’re praying to, because of the name we’re praying through, because there’s so much at stake.

Petitioning in personal prayer is the part we all tend to rush to -where we ask God for the things we desire. I put this last because as a general rule we’re not going to forget to pray for ourselves. Yet there are so many times that by the time I get to this part I’m so spent, so lost in God’s presence that I do forget to pray for me. That’s why I depend on my brothers and sisters to pray for me because I am praying for them.

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with perseverance and supplication for all saints;” Ephesians 6:18

Parents pray for your children.

Teachers pray for your students.

Husbands pray for your wives.

Wives pray for your husbands.

Citizens pray for your leaders. Pray for your parents, siblings, cousins, family, community, pastors…just pray.