Confidence in intercessory prayer

1 John 5:16a. If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. Having addressed a believer’s confidence when petitioning God for his own need of grace to trust and love, John thought it was necessary to give some instruction about intercessory prayer. First, he knew they would want to pray for people who they knew were dead in their trespasses and sins, as Paul described unbelievers in Eph. 2:1-2. The fact that they are encouraged to ask God to give them “life” indicates that these “brothers” are not believing brothers, but were brothers in a more general sense as used in 2:9-11 and in 3:16-17. If God gives them spiritual life, then their state at the time of intercession is a state of spiritual death. The multitude of sins committed in the flesh as a person indulges the lusts of the flesh and of the mind are not sins that lead to death. They may all be forgiven and the person may experience the mercy and love of God as Paul wrote in Eph. 2:4-5. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” So John encouraged them to intercede for those who were dead in their sins (brothers in general) who were in their paths, asking God to give them eternal life. Let us ask ourselves if we intercede with the confidence encouraged in this verse. John assumed that those who had been loved by God would not be so wrapped up in their own lives that they wouldn’t pray for those in need, both physically and spiritually. Notice the confidence in prayer that John also assumed. The intercessor may believe that just as God hears his prayers motivated by love for Jesus’ life to be manifested in his own life, He may also have confidence that God hears his love-provoked prayers that eternal life be given to those who are dead in sin. He said, “God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death.” I’m encouraged by this verse to intercede more and intercede more confidently for those God puts in my path, aren’t you? As soon as this podcast is over, let’s believe this verse of encouragement and pray for those the Holy Spirit brings to our minds that we know need His life.