Customer Reviews

Intercessory Prayer

5 star:		(67)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Simply put, intercessory prayer is the act of praying on behalf of others. I was looking for a good book on this subject and came across this one. I have to say, its just solid biblical teaching about the many aspects of prayer, and I think it will answer many of the questions people have about prayer. You can certainly tell the author has a degree in theology.

I found it to be humorous many times (which helps me keep my attention), and it definitely reaches its goal of igniting and empowering the prayer lives of those who read it. Prayers really do work, but you have to pray. And if you're like me, you don't pray enough - but if you want to add new power to your prayer life, well, this is just a great "guide" to get you on the right track! Also recommend checking out The Prayer Project: How Each One of Us Can Make The World a Better Place to Live - In a Few Minutes a Day.

I'm not sure where the previous comments came from regarding this book straying from the biblical record - it simply isn't true - or either that, they didn't read the book. Dutch Sheet's book, Intecessory Prayer is simply the most definiative AND bibically sound book on prayer that there is today - so much so, that I would call it a DEFINITAVE WORK. There are many other very good books on prayer out there, but this book provides a theologically sound explanation of prayer which almost every Christian can apply immediately, leading them to a more fullilling prayer life. This revelatory information contained in this book has lifted my prayer life to a new level - I'll never be the same. Thanks Dutch!

Dutch Sheets' book on intercessory prayer offers biblical, historical, and personal insights into the power of intercessory prayer. Without a doubt, intercessory prayer is the work of all true saints of God (1 Timothy 2:1-8). The Bible is clear on the power of prayer (Matthew 7:7-11; 21:22; Luke 18:1-8). However far too many Christians don't understand just how powerful our prayers can be. We alone contain the truth of God (John 14:6). We alone contain the true Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:16-21). And yet cults and other world religions often shame us in their zeal and in their dedication to prayer (Matthew 6:7,8).

Sheets' book outlines just what is intercessory prayer. I found it to be helpful in showing us in Scripture the power of prayer in the lives of other believers. My only drawback to the book was the heavy emphasis upon experience. Prayer is an experience but it is not so much how we feel or what we see but our faith in God and what He can do through our prayers (Mark 11:22). Being devoted to prayer (Colossians 4:2) does not always mean I feel like praying but I pray because I am a disciple of Jesus (Luke 11:1) and I want to be just like Him in all that I do (1 John 2:6).

I can endorse this book and recommend other Christians to read it. Always read a book with your Bible open and your heart set on pleasing the Lord.

I am an evangelical pastor who fervently believes in prayer, so I began reading this book with an expectant heart, but I was disappointed with the inadequate theology expressed by Sheets. Sheets writes with a humorous, engaging style, and this book is easy to read, but as I read, I became more and more uneasy with what I was reading. He does a wonderful job challenging us to have faith when we pray, which is all true. However, I kept waiting for him to deal with the issue of the will of God in prayer. It never came. Sheets does not wrestle with the issue of Jesus' statement in Gethsemane, "Thy will be done." He does not explain the meaning of praying in Jesus' name as praying in the character and will of God. He ignores 1 John 5:14. It's too bad, because he missed an opportunity to teach his readers that by getting to know God better and know His will, we could pray with greater power and faith.
As balance to this book, I would recommend the classic books by Ole Hallesby, Watchman Nee, and Richard Foster, all who believe in the power of prayer in faith, but also deal with the disappointments some people feel in their prayers and how to overcome them.

If you're looking for an academic treatise, this isn't it. The chapters read like sermons--good sermons--but do not represent the kind of study I was looking for.

I was interested in the 'how to' of intercessory prayer. Although the book gives some examples from the Authors point of view, it is difficult for me as a lay person to follow. I think it is perhaps the choice of words. In other words, it didn't really do much for me!

The gist is that God needs someone to 'release' His power on earth for Him to do things. This is because God conferred authority over earth to man at the time of creation, authority that was eventually turned over to Satan. Jesus came to bridge the gap and re-take that authority, and through His death He empowered us to do the same.

Sheets goes through all of the different kinds of ways we can pray (calls them 'annointings') and backs them up with scripture and examples from his ministry experiences. Some of his examples seem a little too Hollywood-esque however, and his interpretations of scripture sometimes seem 'forced', out of context and should be read with care.

Sheets answers all of the tough prayer questions, such as why do we need to pray more than once (bowls that fill up with our prayers that 'release' God's power when full), and why we need to pray at all if He is the Almighty God (see the gist section at the top). He addresses these and other issues in a very informal tone with a touch of humor that is very lively. Nowhere does the book ever get too dry or stale.

Overall, this book opens your eyes to the powers and opportunities of prayer. If you don't have faith that He can move mountains, don't bother. But if you want to be an ambassador of Jesus and continue His ministry of prayer to open hearts to the good news, break strongholds and whatever else it might be, it's a good training book. Like the back cover says, it gets you excited to pray with a different attitude, and you do see more clearly how your prayers affect life around you.

I was a little skeptical when I first opened this book. Just wasn't sure whether or not this was going to be an all-hype-no-meat type of book. But wow! It's totally based on scripture, totally down to earth, and totally powerful teaching. Thank you God for teaching Dutch Sheets and giving him the opportunity to share Your teachings with so many people.

This is a great, instructive resource on prayer in general - not just for those "super-spiritual" prayer warriors called to intercession. I have bought this book several times to give away and have read it twice myself. Very solid teaching that really digs in to the Word, but also very accessible and easy to read. There are many personal testimonies included as well. This book was life changing for me. I highly recommend it for anyone who needs encouragement in prayer and/or wishes to revolutionize their prayer life!

This book changed how I looked at prayer. I read it once and then our church did a weekly study on it and it changed how we pray and our prayers are now more effective and powerful because we now know why it is necessary to pray and how we are to pray. I am so glad for this book and I will read it again and do practice it daily. Thank you Dutch Sheets!