By far one of the most encouraging and uplifting aspects of my Christian journey has been hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit. His voice has brought clarity and direction when there was confusion in my life but ultimately it has transformed my life to be more like Jesus. As I write this article, it is my prayer that my story wouldn't just resonate with you but would encourage you to seek after His voice and have the confidence to pray this simple prayer “Lord speak to me.”

Prayer is a fundamental practice for many of us. Throughout our Christian walk, we are reminded of verses such as, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.” -2 Cor. 1:20 or 1 John 5: 14-15, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him”.

What happens when the healing doesn’t come? What happens when our loved one doesn’t accept Christ? What happens when our prayers that have been prayed in faith don’t come to pass, what then? How do we maneuver through the complicated emotions in a way that draws us closer to Christ rather than pushes us further and further away?

“When Ethelred, the Saxon king of Northumberland, invaded Wales, and was about to give battle to the Britons, he observed near the enemy a host of unarmed men. He inquired who they were, and what they were doing. He was told that they were monks of Bangor, praying for the success of their countrymen. "Then,' said the heathen prince, 'they have begun the fight against us; attack them first.’” -Austin Phelps

For many Christians there is a strong association between prayer and engaging in a kind of spiritual battle. Have you ever heard the term ‘prayer warrior’ before? Perhaps you know someone who you might consider a ‘prayer warrior’, someone who you know actively prays and someone you would call if you had a specific prayer need. In some churches people like this are sometimes called ‘the intercessors’.

Where do we get these terms and what do they mean? How is intercessory prayer different from other forms of prayer? This is the topic I hope to explore in this blog post.