Today’s AMI QT Devotionals is provided by Jon Moon, who serves as Children’s Ministry Director at Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco.

 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Romans 8:26-27 (NIV)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans .27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God

I remember the first time when someone came up to me and asked me to pray over him, not giving me anything specific to pray for. I recall getting nervous, thinking about what I would pray for and how I would pray for this person: How can I make my prayer sound good? What can I say to make it sound like I’m praying a good prayer over this person? You see, somehow I grew to think that ministering over someone through prayer—not just praying for someone’s prayer requests—and letting the Spirit speak was something that only seasoned pastors, really mature Christians, or those who could speak in tongues could do. I believed that I wasn’t good enough to pray over people—especially those who were older or more spiritually mature than I was.

During my trip to Cuba last year, during one of the ministry times that we had after ending one of the classes, Dr. Ryun asked me to go around and pray over people. I felt unworthy or not spiritual enough to pray over pastors or those who I felt were way more spiritually mature than I was. So I just stood there and prayed a general prayer over others. This year, the same thing happened: Dr. Ryun asked me to pray over the seminarians, and once again, I stayed in my little corner and prayed over them. A couple nights later, though, I was able to really experience the Holy Spirit speaking through me as I prayed over the seminarians to close one of our sessions. I felt this deep passion and fire inside of me, and the words were just flowing out of my mouth—it was an incredible experience!

As wonderful as that experience was, though, I felt like that was a one-time deal, and it wouldn’t happen again. But when our church was preparing to host its first Encounter Retreat, the staff was told that we would be praying over people during ministry time; once again, I wanted to shy away from this responsibility. But as I continued to prepare and pray over the retreat, the Spirit convicted me and reminded me that He was the one who ministered to people—not the fancy words that I needed to formulate to make my prayer sound holy. I was convicted of how prideful I was in thinking that it was my prayer that was ministering to people, and not the Holy Spirit who was doing the work. As the verse reminds us, the Spirit is the one who does the interceding over God’s people, since the Spirit understands the heart and mind of the person more than we can possibly understand.

As I realized this, I felt a big burden being lifted off my shoulders—a burden that I had placed upon myself. I no longer feel like I have to think hard or worry about what I would say when praying over people, but that I just need to pray for them and allow the Spirit to do the rest. In the Scriptures, we are told to pray and intercede for one another. As you do, don’t let fear or insecurity stop you from ministering to others through your prayers, but remember that it is the Holy Spirit’s job to minister to the person, and you have the privilege of being used by the Spirit to bless that person!

Prayer: Father, thank You for giving me the privilege to intercede and pray for others. Thank You that even though I am a weak and an imperfect being, You have given me Your Spirit to help me to pray for others. Use me as an instrument of blessing as I continue to minister to others through my prayers in the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Jude 1