Movement of Prayer: The Transformative Power of Prayer in Times of Intercession
By Rev Deborah Tan
How does the Holy Spirit empower us to intercede? Rev Deborah shares from her experience how the Lord gave her the burden to intercede for souls.
On November 26, 2024, at 4 a.m., the Lord woke me and impressed a few thoughts on my spirit about intercessory prayer. I feel compelled to share them with you, praying they will inspire and bless you.
To me, prayer can take on several forms:
1. Praying in our known language, communicating directly with God in words we understand.
2. Spirit-to-SPIRIT prayer, where our inner spirit communes silently with God’s Spirit.
3. Praying in unknown tongues, or what we often call the heavenly language
Holy Spirit Empowerment
Speaking in unknown tongues has been a distinctive practice within the Assemblies of God. Over the years, God has graciously granted me glimpses of truths revealed on the Day of Pentecost, truths that I have come to understand not merely through study but also through deeply personal and often inexplicable encounters.
But there was more to Pentecost than power and soul-winning. Among the treasures received that day was the gift of intercessory prayer.
When Jesus instructed His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Father’s promise, they could not have fully understood what lay ahead. Yet, when the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were filled with power to become witnesses for Christ. But there was more to Pentecost than power and soul-winning. Among the treasures received that day was the gift of intercessory prayer.
Catching a Glimpse of God’s Heartbeat
During my time at the Bible Institute of Malaya (now Bible College of Malaysia) from 1970 to 1972, I had a profound experience in the realm of the Spirit. Though I had been filled with the Holy Spirit before answering the call to ministry, this season was unique. Jesus and the Holy Spirit became tangibly real to me in my daily walk.
This was not a natural response but a supernatural burden from the Lord, a burden that remained with me for years.
Prayer was an integral part of our college’s routine. Each morning before chapel and class, and then every afternoon after lunch, we were encouraged to spend time in the chapel to pray. These prayer moments became precious to me. Most astonishingly, each afternoon, as I knelt to pray, I would find myself weeping uncontrollably, praying in tongues for the lost. For an hour or so, it felt as if I was catching a glimpse of God’s heartbeat for a broken world.
This was not a natural response but a supernatural burden from the Lord, a burden that remained with me for years. I often wondered if my eyes could sustain the tears as I prayed. Even as I walked the streets of Orchard Road, tears would stream down my face as I interceded for the youth, yearning for their salvation. This deep burden lasted for years until, in God’s time, it was lifted.
Romans 8:26-27 beautifully describes this intercessory work of the Spirit:
“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. 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.”
Sowing in Tears and Reaping in Joy
The Day of Pentecost was not just about dunamis power but also about the transformational power of prayer.
The psalmist declares, “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” (Psalm 126:5) Some are called to sow in tears, while others are called to reap in joy. Whether sowing or reaping, what matters most is our obedience to God’s will.
As I look back over the years, I am humbled and amazed at how God has faithfully moved where I have ministered overseas. I partially attribute much of this to the foundation of praying in the Spirit, laid early in my ministry.
The Day of Pentecost was not just about dunamis power but also about the transformational power of prayer.
Today, let us ask ourselves, “Will we say in our hearts, ‘Lord, count me in. Raise me up to be one of Your intercessors in Your Kingdom’”? I pray that God will raise you up, use you mightily, and grant you the joy of both sowing in tears and reaping in His perfect time.
Rev Deborah Tan is called into Ministry in 1969. She graduated at Bible Institute of Malaya in 1972 and served as an assistant pastor for four years. She studied in Singapore Bible College and graduated with a Bachelor degree in 1986. She did part-time lecturing in BIS for few terms. She was involved in short term ministry overseas. Next, she returned to co-pastor a church for six years. For the past sixteen years, she is involved in teaching pastors and workers for pioneering works overseas besides teaching in their bible school program.
