Love on Your Knees

“Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:36-38 NKJV).

There are a few women heroines in the Bible whom I admire. One of them is Anna, who prayed the heart of God for over sixty years. Anna’s story unfolds when her husband passes away after only seven years of marriage, leaving her alone in a morally bankrupt society and government. She finds herself in the clutches of the oppressive and persecuting Roman Empire, ruled by a corrupt king, and trapped in a legalistic religious system that placed burdensome laws on ordinary Jews who had little money and little political and social influence. Yet, Anna chooses not to succumb to despair but to seek solace and purpose in God’s presence within the temple.

It is here that God found Anna, a willing vessel, to faithfully pray His will out of heaven into the earth for Israel (and the world). I believe He directed and utilized her prayers to help implement His long-ago promise of sending a Redeemer. Submitting to the will of God, Anna prayed the selfless prayers of the Father until she saw their fruit. When eight-day-old Jesus was presented in the temple by Joseph and Mary for His circumcision, Anna was given the honor of announcing His arrival. It was probably not a coincidence that Anna¾whose name means “grace”¾introduced Jesus, the Messiah and Mediator of the New Covenant of grace.

Today, we would refer to the selfless prayers that Anna prayed as intercessory prayers. They are prayers that God has called all Christians to engage in, to pray to Him on behalf of others. Sometimes described as “love on your knees,” these prayers are unselfish expressions of love that reflect God’s heart for those in need. God uses all who, like Anna, will submit their hearts to Him and bear one another’s burden. He has given us power and authority to intervene for everyone in our sphere of influence. In First Timothy 2:1-2, we read, “Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men” (NKJV).

Additionally, Philippians 2:4 entreats us to “look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interests of others” (NKJV). 

Our prayers of intercession can be used to pray for anyone who needs God’s intervention, including our government and our nation (see 1 Timothy 2:1-3). Selfless prayers can be made for fellow believers who are in a struggle of some kind, for those who are in sin, and for those who need to receive Jesus as their Savior (see 1 John 5:16 and 2 Corinthians 4:3-4). This kind of intercession can cover a multitude of issues. It is not reserved for a chosen few to engage in (as some think) but is a calling for all Christians.

I believe we often overlook the immense power and authority we have to bind the enemy and to loose God’s promises. We are a dwelling place for God’s presence, a temple of the Holy Spirit who leads, guides, and directs our path. Jesus tells us that He will make His intimate thoughts known to us through His indwelling Spirit (See John 16:13-15).

The Holy Spirit stands ready to give assignments to those of us who, like Anna, are willing to submit to God’s will and pray heaven into the earth, and intercede for those who need strongholds dismantled in their lives. When I became aware of the power of intercessory prayers and the authority I have in Jesus, I started incorporating them into my daily life at home. For example, during the night, I would occasionally go into my children’s bedrooms while they were sleeping and intercede, tearing down the strongholds that I discerned as the enemy’s plan for them. While Jesus was on earth, He prayed the heart of God for others. In Luke 22:31-34, Jesus tells Peter that He has interceded for him because the enemy desired to sift him like wheat; and, of course, Jesus became the Mediator for all mankind. He never gives up on us! Even now, He lives to intercede and seek the Father on our behalf (see Hebrews 7:25 and Romans 8:34). Moreover, there are benefits to those who will pray for others; when we offer selfless prayers and bless others, God blesses us in return. According to Proverbs 11:25, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered” (ESV).

Prayer is a necessary daily responsibility that Christians are expected to fulfill to bring God’s will from heaven to the earth. God is calling us to engage in selfless prayers that challenge us, just as they did Anna. He wants us to look beyond our own needs and have sincere, selfless dialogues with Him to fulfill His purposes for others. He uses the selfless prayers of people like you and me to make a difference in the lives of others. We are all temples that are individually designed to carry the Spirit of God within us wherever we go. Day and night we are conduits of God’s grace.

Of course, what we do in our own temples is a matter of choice. Anna chose to fulfill the plans of God and pray His will out of heaven into the earth by saying what He said. We, too, must see God’s heart and become beacons of hope for those who need His intervention. Anna proves that the selfless prayers of individuals are powerful and effective, and those kinds of prayers bring victory into our homes and the lives of others.