“A heart at peace gives life to the body….” (Prov 14:30)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7)
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ…. ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.’” (2 Cor 10:3-5, 12, 17)
Our September 2024 Contending in Prayer Guide is the final part in our four-part series on Intercession Prayer. This month our focus is on intercession for the internal brokenness of humans and their own selves. While this may seem complex or vague, this intercession is for humans to experience peace (or shalom) between their own body, mind, heart, and soul.
While this area of brokenness is not isolated from other key dimensions of our relationships (viz., with God, others, and creation), “a heart at peace gives life to the body” (Prov 14:30). While the ultimate causes of self-harm, depression, addiction, suicide, and mental illness are certainly multi-factorial, there is always a component of internal brokenness between body, mind, heart, and soul. Sometimes this shows itself through a self-hatred about one’s own body or one’s personality or one’s perceived mental limitations. It may also manifest itself through anxiety, envy, bitterness, negative self-talk, etc. (often exacerbated by unhealthy levels of screen time, indoor time, and/or solitary time).
People’s broken relationships with their own selves is a real consequence of the power of sin in our world — sometimes their own sin, but often sin as a power wreaking havoc from generation to generation and resisting treatments like counselling, anti-depressants, and even the best-intentioned love of family and friends.
So we contend in prayer to God — our Creator, Redeemer and King — asking for healing for ourselves, for our loved ones, for our neighbours, and for all those suffering in this way. This internal brokenness has become a worldwide pandemic with death-producing consequences — causing widespread ripples of heartache and suffering throughout families and communities.
We pray first of all for healing from all the myriad of causes (e.g., spiritual, mental, social, physical, emotional, relational, experiential) that produce this internal brokenness within people’s hearts and minds. This brokenness can result from unhealthy comparison with others (cf. 2 Cor 10:12), from unhealthy patterns inherited through genetics or family histories, or from traumatic events that make us want to withdraw from life (or even to die like Elijah desired [cf. 1 Kings 19:4]). We pray to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor 10:5) so that through God’s power, we, and those we pray for, might have “divine power to demolish strongholds” (v.4).
We pray also for all the family and friends who are surrounding those suffering from this brokenness most directly. May they be able to love well and wisely in the way of Jesus.
We know that one day there will be a new creation where there will be no death and disease-producing effects of mental, spiritual, and physical brokenness between people’s bodies, hearts, minds, and souls. We look forward to that day, but for today we continue to pray and weep for healing. These types of intercession prayers are part of the “May your kingdom come to earth as it is in heaven” prayer. Interceding to God for the internal healing of humans with themselves is certainly Kingdom prayer!
Consider:
- Who in your circle is struggling with this sort of brokenness — manifested in negative self-talk, depression, anxiety, self-harm, or even suicide ideation? (How can you pray for healing in this situation?)
- Are there any actions you feel called to today that could encourage and bless someone living with this brokenness?
- Are there any thoughts that you need to take captive today to make them obedient to Christ?
Intercession Prayer: Praying in Response to Scripture
Our key biblical texts today declare truths that are behind our intercession prayers for internal reconciliation of humans with their own selves. Read these verses and then add your own prayers for those God brings to your mind. After you have prayed these prayers of intercession, be attentive to God’s Spirit through the next hours and days. God may be speaking to you about how you can participate in the prayer and be part of God’s healing.
Pray these words out loud:
“A heart at peace gives life to the body….” (Prov 14:30)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7)
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ…. ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.’” (2 Cor 10:3-5, 12, 17)
Lord, I specifically pray today for myself. I pray that my heart would be at peace and that you would guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus — so I could have your internal peace. Keep my mind and heart from anxious thoughts, from envy and comparison, and help me “take captive every thought” and “make it obedient to Christ.”
Lord, I also pray specifically for _______________. I pray that you would grant them a heart at peace and that you would guard their heart and mind in Christ Jesus — so they could have your internal peace. Keep their mind and heart from anxious thoughts, from envy and comparison, and help them “take captive every thought” and “make it obedient to Christ.”
Lord, I also pray for _________________’s family and community — for grace, patience, wisdom, and ongoing love for them in their suffering. I pray that you would give me wisdom about how I might be able to be a blessing and a help as you enable me.
May your Kingdom come to earth as it is in heaven. Amen!
