The Ministry of Intercession

by Andrew Murray

From Introduction:

"I have been asked by a friend, who heard of this book being published, what the difference would be between it and the previous one on the same subject, With Christ in the School of Prayer. An answer to that question may be the best introduction I can give to the present volume.

Any acceptance the former work has had must be attributed, as far as the contents go, to the prominence given to two great truths. The one was, the certainty that prayer will be answered. There is with some an idea that to ask and expect an answer is not the highest form of prayer. Fellowship with God, apart from any request, is more than supplication. About the petition there is something of selfishness and bargaining—to worship is more than to beg. With others the thought that prayer is so often unanswered is so prominent, that they think more of the spiritual benefit derived from the exercise of prayer than [p2] the actual gifts to be obtained by it. While admitting the measure of truth in these views, when kept in their true place, The School of Prayer points out how our Lord continually spoke of prayer as a means of obtaining what we desire, and how He seeks in every possible way to waken in us the confident expectation of an answer. I was led to show how prayer, in which a man could enter into the mind of God, could assert the royal power of a renewed will, and bring down to earth what without prayer would not have been given, is the highest proof of his having been made in the likeness of God’s Son. He is found worthy of entering into fellowship with Him, not only in adoration and worship, but in having his will actually taken up into the rule of the world, and becoming the intelligent channel through which God can fulfil his eternal purpose. The book sought to reiterate and enforce the precious truths Christ preaches so continually: the blessing of prayer is that you can ask and receive what you will: the highest exercise and the glory of prayer is that persevering importunity can prevail and obtain what God at first could not and would not give."

Genres: Prayer, Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, Christian Non Fiction, Theology, Faith

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1897

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Murray was Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Murray became a noted missionary leader. His father was a Scottish Presbyterian serving the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa, and his mother had connections with both French Huguenots and German Lutherans. This background to some extent explains his ecumenical spirit. He was educated at Aberdeen University, Scotland, and at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. After ordination in 1848 he served pastorates at Bloemfontein, Worcester, Cape Town, and Wellington. He helped to found what are now the University College of the Orange Free State and the Stellenbosch Seminary. He served as Moderator of the Cape Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church and was president of both the YMCA (1865) and the South Africa General Mission (1888-1917), now the Africa Evangelical Fellowship.

He was one of the chief promoters of the call to missions in South Africa. This led to the Dutch Reformed Church missions to blacks in the Transvaal and Malawi. Apart from his evangelistic tours in South Africa, he spoke at the Keswick and Northfield Conventions in 1895, making a great impression. upon his British and American audiences. For his contribution to world missions he was given an honorary doctorate by the universities of Aberdeen (1898) and Cape of Good Hope(1907).

Murray is best known today for his devotional writings, which place great emphasis on the need for a rich, personal devotional life. Many of his 240 publications explain in how he saw this devotion and its outworking in the life of the Christian. Several of his books have become devotional classics. Among these are Abide in Christ, Absolute Surrender, With Christ in the School of Prayer, The Spirit of Christ and Waiting on God.

Reviews

[Rebecca Wattier · Rating 5 out of 5]

On my reading schedule I planned to read this book in four weeks. It has taken me nearly five months. The content is not complex but the way it is put together has been something that needed to seep deep into my heart. As I read, the Holy Spirit convicted and prompted me in a way few books have ever done. This book will be something I read over and over again, and recommend to those wanting to learn more about prayer as well as those struggling to pray. The author describes intercessory prayer in such a way that your heart begins to crave it. His thoughts are bathed and wrapped in scripture, which I believe brings power to his words, but he also provides very real life and practical advice as to how to overcome the challenges in prayer. There are several chapters too for those feeling like they are helpless to connect in prayer, he makes sure to point out that it is not an uncommon struggle. Buy it, read it! You won't regret it.

[Debbie Wentworth Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aimed at Christian leaders but encouraging for any Christian, The Ministry of Intercession leads Christians into praying more. Andrew Murray, a great Christian preacher of the past, stresses the importance of prayer, how much the church neglects prayer, and how to increase your prayer time. He teaches from scripture and uses some anecdotes and quotes for others. I don't know that this would technically be considered a devotional book, but I used it as one. The end of the book did contain a devotional booklet.

I highly recommend this book.

[Sarah Elizabeth Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second read through

Andrew Murray always manages to trouble my heart as well as minister to it. He makes emphatic statements about what Christians struggle with that simply don't seem to true to me, and in the early chapters of this book his enthusiasm approaches dangerously near to the Vending Machine God. But the later chapters, particularly the ones where he speaks of the types of prayer exemplified by Christ and Paul, provide the necessary balance. There are frequent statements in this work that I would disagree with, yet it was well worth rereading. Surely that says something about the enduring quality of the message.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still processing this valuable, challenging book. Review forthcoming.

[Anne Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with all of Andrew Murray books, this is an in-depth study on the power of intercessory prayer. I have read many books on prayer and this one is both powerful and practical. A must read for anyone wanting to make prayer more central to their Christian walk.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as the most recent of three books on prayer, praying for my adult child away at college. The other two were Tony Souder's "Pray for Me," about praying for the next generation, and Stormie Omartian's "The Power of a Praying Parent." Unlike the prior two books, this one wasn't focused on praying for one's children particularly, although the topics and prayers could certainly be applied to children as well. Each of these three books had different emphasis and strengths, and different topics. (Andrew Murray is not the tennis player Andrew Murray, but of an older generation, 1828-1917.)

I chose to reread Andrew Murray's "The Ministry of Intercession," having read and enjoyed it some number of years ago. ("Intercession" is the part of prayer in which the person praying asks on another's behalf.) This time I read it, though, I found the focus so different from my own focus on my children that it was harder to absorb. That's not necessarily a bad thing. The topics were important ones to pray over, and not ones that I would've automatically thought about - praying for the government, church leaders, the Holy Spirit to be active in the lives of Christians. I've prayed over such things in the past, and I found it a fitting time for me to expand my prayers to include them again. And yes, although I've prayed many things over my children, I don't know that I've prayed recently for the Holy Spirit to be active in their lives. Good reminders.

I love Andrew Murray's many books on prayer and the emphasis that he had on it in his ministry. I love the way he speaks of drawing near to Jesus, and I've loved his books ("Abide in Christ") ever since my teen years. Reading Andrew Murray books is often an act of worship, of loving God.

I know that prayer and scripture should fuel our Christian volunteering and service, but I've often thought that if/when I ever grow so old and so infirm that I'm no longer able to serve, that "the ministry of intercession" may become my ministry.

This book took a little longer to read because there are 31 days of "Helps to Intercession" at the end, which were intended to make such prayer a habit. I'm afraid I still find myself rushing through prayers rather than lingering in them and enjoying God in the process. Sigh.

I remembered from before what an impact Murray's first chapter had on me, about the verse, "And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor." - Isaiah 59:16. It astonished me that there are things that God Himself marvels over, and one of them is our lack of prayer, when He is so powerful and so good to us. Very bad things tended to happen in the Bible during those times when there was no intercessor, no one to pray.

I also remembered the powerful chapter about the sin of not-praying, focusing on the verse, "God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you." - 1 Samuel 12:23. There are doubtless many people whom I've failed in this way.

I did have one caveat in recommending the book. Murray occasionally comes across a little more strong than I would in the way he phrases things. For instance, he spoke of prayer being "the one power on earth that commands the power of heaven." Um, no. The only power in prayer is in the God Who graciously answers. We don't command Him. We request of Him. But, given Murray's other statements throughout the book, I don't imagine that he really thought we commanded God, either. I don't know why he chose that word. After all, Murray also said, "His wisdom and His righteousness - indeed, His love - dare not give us what would do us harm if we received it too soon or too easily."

I also found this quote problematic: "Defeat is always a sign of the loss of God's presence." I disagree, because what of the strategic "defeat" of Jesus on the cross, through which our pardon was purchased? Of course someone might answer that wasn't truly "defeat" at all, that it was an intended, planned, strategic loss, which is true. But there might be other strategic losses that appear to us to be defeats, when they are actually not, but are for the advancement of God's kingdom. The truth is that we don't know. We cannot see or understand everything.

And one quote I'm uncertain about: "Discouragement must bring defeat." Must it always? I'm not so sure. There have been times I've been discouraged, only to see in awe what He does with the situation in grace, when I was not in a frame of mind to ask or receive anything. Of course, others were praying, too, so nothing's conclusive, but God is always free to do more than we could ever ask or imagine.

Favorite Quotes:

".... a question of whether the call of God for our time and attention was of more importance than that of man. If God was waiting to meet us and to give us blessing and power from heaven for His work, it was a shortsighted policy to put other work in the place that God and waiting on Him should have."

"We will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word." - Acts 6:4

"Prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." - Acts 12:5

"Intercession is the most perfect form of prayer, in that it is the prayer Christ prays on His throne."

"Blessed is the man who has made that 'I have nothing' the motto of his ministry... When the desolation of hungry souls in the midnight darkness comes upon him, intercession appears to him as his only hope, the one thing in which his love can take refuge."

"Do let us learn that in the darkness of midnight - at the most unlikely time and in our greatest need - when we have 'nothing to set before' those we love, we have a rich Friend in heaven, the Everlasting God and Father, who is waiting to be asked for help." Murray was commenting on Luke 11:5-8

"His wisdom and His righteousness - indeed, His love - dare not give us what would do us harm if we received it too soon or too easily."

"Remember the marks of the true intercessor, as the parable taught us: a sense of human need, a Christlike love in the heart, a consciousness of personal impotence, faith in the power of prayer, courage to persevere in spite of refusal, and the assurance of an abundant reward." Also in comment of Luke 11:5-8

"... there is a part of you that may appear perfectly innocent and legitimate, but it depletes your interest and your strength to such an extent that it must be pruned and cleansed away."

"When the pressure of work for Christ is allowed to be the excuse for our not finding tie to seek and secure His own presence and power in it as our chief need, our sense of absolute dependence on God is not right."

"Law demands; grace bestows."

"... your inability to walk the Christian walk joyfully is a sign of [spiritual] disease."

"Simply confess that you cannot bring yourself to pray as you should, because you cannot give yourself the healthy, heavenly life that loves to pray, that knows to count on God's Spirit to pray in us."

"The great reason for our lack of faith is our lack of knowledge of God and our weak communication with Him."

"The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." - Romans 8:26

"Do not think that grieving Him is a necessity."

"He knew that too much contact with men could cloud the fellowship with God."

"His [Jesus'] own prayer life enables Him to teach others how to pray."

"Our Lord taught us to pray in secret, in simplicity, with our eyes on God alone, in humility, and in the spirit of forgiving love."

"I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me." - Micah 7:7

"He delights in hearing prayer and answering it."

"... that prayer was neither a duty nor a burden but the natural turning of the heart ot the only place from which it could possibly obtain what it sought for others."

"In all His instructions, our Lord Jesus spoke more often to His disciples about their praying than their preaching."

"I dwell ... with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit ... to revive the heart of the contrite ones. - Isaiah 57:15

"To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word." - Isaiah 66:2

"Men would gladly have a revival as the outgrowth of their agencies and progress. God's way is the opposite. It is out of death, acknowledge as the desert of sin, confessed as utter helplessness, that He revives. He revives the heart of the contrite one."

"The more we study and try to practice this grace of intercession, the more we become overwhelmed by its greatness and our feebleness."

"I beseech you, brethren ... for the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me." - Romans 15:30

"You cannot do better than to pray as Jesus prayed."

"Pray in the assurance that He is faithful."

"Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with me." - Isaiah 27:5

"The church may be seeking to evangelize the heathen and be giving up her own children to secular and materialistic influences."

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a powerful, scriptural, and always relevant discussion of the urgent need for and training in intercessory prayer. Murray makes the point that this is expected of every Christian as we seek to follow Christs example, and that much failure in missions and ministry results from prayerlessness. There are practical tips given for every kind of barrier or difficulty that prevents prayer, and I found myself unable to read more than a chapter at a time without stopping to ponder and put into practice the teaching.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

You need to read this! Whether you are a teen or in you're nineties, whether you are a new convert or a minister, whether you struggle to start a prayer or you are a prayer warrior.
Andrew Murray was a man lead by God, and he was blessed in the writing of this book. No matter what denomination you come from, it is impossible that you can read this book without learning at least one important lesson on prayer. Not only does this book teach and challenge, but it is hopeful, comforting, and uplifting to the soul.

[Leah Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book that greatly challenged my perspective on prayer! This book + the Spirit’s working in my heart through these words have truly changed how I view prayer!! Loved this and will recommend it to all and hope to reread it throughout my lifetime! It was killer!

[Ben Beauchamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

So convicting! This has had me thinking a lot about what kind of faith I have (or don’t have) that God would really act based on my prayers. I want to grow in that faith and in faithfulness to go to Him.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every year I try to read a book on prayer, this has been one of the better ones that I have read. Andrew Murray has a great way of breaking things down, being very Biblical in his presentation but being practical at the same time.
This will go on my list of books to reread.

[Caroline Speights · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book changed my prayer life 🧎🏼‍♀️

[tarah]

Our theology isn’t totally aligned so needed to use discernment while reading. It also tended to be repetitive. But even still, some solid nuggets and takeaways.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent book on prayer

[Milla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so very rich. Almost too rich for me - I kept getting bogged down. But whenever I came back to it, I found myself greatly encouraged to pursue God in prayer.

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the continuation from the previous book about school of prayer. Some of the content basically the same in verses and explanation, just with more expanded and detailed. You would also found a simple yet helpful tract by the end of the book which explained what and how to pray in a simple way.

[Mikejencostanzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know when you take a series of classes by a favorite professor, and you get to know their stories, their favorite themes, even their personality quirks? In reading “Intercession” by Andrew Murray, I got to “take another class from this favorite teacher.” Lots of welcome review, and some rich new material. One favorite takeaway from “Intercession” is Murray’s helpful explanation of the channel prayer takes: We pray TO God, THROUGH Christ, BY the Spirit.

I also love his insightful teaching on Romans 8:26-27. This is the classic passage picturing the Holy Spirit helping us pray “with groanings too deep for words,” which I had always assumed is a special gift for those in an abyss of deep sorrow. Murray says — No, NOT just in despairing times, but WHENEVER we pray! “Prayer is just the breathing of the Spirit in us… In your ignorance and feebleness believe in the secret indwelling and intercession of the Holy Spirit within you... He will help your infirmities in prayer.”

How about cases of defeat in spiritual work? “Just as pain is ordered in nature to warn of some hidden evil in the system, defeat is God’s voice telling us there is something wrong.” Murray applies it to the church: “Can we deny it that the lack of prayer is the sin on account of which God’s presence and power are not more manifestly seen among us?” Convicting, and thought-provoking.

And finally, a beautiful reminder of Christ as our spiritual physician. An earthly doctor works on his patient from without, bringing healing so that the patient may become INDEPENDENT of his aid. But Christ, our heavenly physician works on us from within, bringing healing such that we may become MORE DEPENDENT upon him. What a beautiful and powerful contrast!

I enjoyed this opportunity to sit at the feet of this favorite professor yet again, and continue to look forward to “taking more of his classes”!

~Jen

[Elise Schiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of several books on prayer that I have read this year. I appreciated Murray’s Biblical exposition as to how prayer is a ministry, and why every believer should pursue this ministry in their personal lives. This book was incredibly convicting for me and has been a great resource on the power of prayer—specifically intercession for others—and how it is vitally important to a Christian’s spiritual life.

The one hang-up I had for this book was an insertion that Murray had on God’s power and that He can be impeded by our sinfulness (this is on page 40). I don’t believe that God is in any way hampered by our will. I do believe that we, in our sin and refusal to obey, may block ourselves from receiving a good gift that He has for us—but not that it is His inability to give it to us. This could be nit-picky, but I think wording can be extremely important to your overall message. I don’t know Murray’s theology apart from this book and I potentially am reading into this short passage on this page. I may need to do some further reading on his views surrounding this specific topic to fully grasp his point of view.

Besides that, this was a solid read! I really liked the 31 day prayer guide at the end as well. I might come back to this someday and take a month to pray through all his points.

[Jeff Schofield · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reason I started reading this book was two-fold. One, I have enjoyed reading other books by Andrew Murray and have greatly appreciated the way he conveys his passion for Christ in his writing. Second, I was looking for a book on prayer that was more focused on the motivation behind prayer and would be a source of encouragement and challenge. I really enjoyed this short but focused dive into understanding the intercessory nature of prayer and Murray’s call for the church and its people to engage more deeply and consistently with prayer. I appreciated how often Murray brought me to engage with the Bible as I read through the different chapters. There was a deep passion for the Word of God in his writing and his desire for us all to engage with Jesus in prayer. This book challenged some of my misunderstandings and wandering away from the simple truths of praying in the name of Jesus. He motivated me to not only pray more, but to engage on a deeper level with Jesus as I pray. What I appreciated most about his writing was that it presented a beautiful picture of a life thoroughly engaged with the heart of Christ. Murray simply sought to present the heart of Jesus to me and let the Words of Christ work in me. My prayer is that I will be more engaged in prayer. That I will continue to see prayer not as a necessary addition to the journey, but the lifeline of this journey connecting me with the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.

Read more here - https://encultivate.com/ministry-of-intercession

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

More Intercession Is Needed

I liked this book because it is a very rare voice amidst todays modern world views. It is a voice that needs to be heard.

I recommend this book to anyone who is searching for meaning and purpose in life amidst all these confusing world views. I also recommend this book to encourage leaders, teachers and students who want to intercede for and with others. Many church leaders have neglected intercession, and they must wake up to this neglected task. I also recommend this book to people who are searching for meaning and purpose in life amidst all these confusing world views.

I give this rating because we need to renew our calling to be intercessors in this world that is in turmoil. Without being intercessors life will not change.

[Benjamin Fipokolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

No such book has encouraged me and shown me the need to pray
And has challenged me to actually pray. (And how to pray)
The prayer items at the end of the book are what I’ll use this year (2024) every month to just have a guided meditation prayer and meditation but incredibly shows you how you ought to pray and be consistent
What a privilege indeed
The book will show you the need especially for intercessory prayer and guide you on how to go about it, must say, you will want to join and be part of this that seems to to be complex and sometimes seems as though is for the few elite or for the elite Christians but no, Murray well explains even how a simple Christian if I can use that those words can actually play a part in this with the help of the Holy Spirit.

[Julie MacKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need to be challenged and encouraged to pray more, this is the book for you. Each chapter deals with a different topic related to prayer, and they all encourage and inspire towards more prayer. The version I read has another part at the end of the book called ‘Pray without ceasing’ which has a topic for prayer for every day for 31 days. Along with the topic, it also has a part on ‘how to pray’ every day. The challenge is to spend ten minutes in intercessory prayer every day for a month using this guide. It is a good guide to follow to get you going in intercessory prayer.

[Abigail G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every chapter of this book contained profound facts on the reality of the necessity yet great lack of intercession. For most points that he made numerous scripture references were quoted. There was no condemnation expressed towards those who pray less rather a general exhortation that applies to every member of. The body of Christ that while we fail at prayer now we can bit by bit succeed in living everyday before God in prayer.

[Lillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this book was written more than a century ago, everything the author says about the lack of intercession in the church is just as true--perhaps more so--today. At the beginning, it almost sounds like a modern "name it and claim it" theology. However, he is talking about intercession, not generally asking for things for yourself. While he does say to pray for all needs (such as healing), the main focus is on interceding for others to be saved. All too often, I think, our intercession is focused more on the physical and material (healing, provision, protection) and less on salvation. We should be more concerned about the eternal than the temporal welfare of those we pray for.

[Matthew C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murray's writings don't come across as overly sophisticated. Those looking for an esoteric "secret" to successful prayer will be disappointed. However, those seeking exhortations that remind us of Biblical promises from a man who practices what he preaches will be deeply benefitted by The Ministry of Intercession. Truly Andrew Murray writes with no guile. His ethos is manifest and he is thus to be trusted in his admonitions.

[Mike MacDonald]

You have wanted to do it, but didn't know how. Here is how and why

Like me, you've known that "I'll pray for you" were the most powerful promise you could give to a hurting believer. Unfortunately, we rarely know what that looks like it how to carry it out. This book will come as close as you will ever see to carrying it out. I highly recommend reading this and going about your unceasing work.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be mandatory reading

This book took me a couple of months to get through. Mostly because I took the time to look up almost every verse. This book is a hundred times ears old but more relevant now than ever. Hi little I knew about intercessory prayer. Even after all these years.

[Krystan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good balance to the book I read by James Goull on Intercessory prayer. Still, said to have faith and believe in the working of The Spirit but it was less Charismatic in it’s presentation without loosing the truth of the ability of the Spirit to move as He chooses when we pray as God commands. Going through the 30 days of prayer slowly now

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have read on prayer. Chapter 10 is an absolute treasure, to be read and re-read over and over. Opened my eyes so much more to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. I recommend reading it slowly - I enjoyed reading a chapter a day as part of my Quiet Time. Gave me time to think about it, pray, and really absorb the rich messages.

[David Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ministry of Intercession

Although written in a antiquitated style and grammar, this book is a Christian classic that anyone interested in a deeper and stronger faith should read. Andrew Murray was a missionary to South Africa whose life and ministry served as example of a fuller Christian life.