We began to meet as a ‘cell group’ around 1990. Over the previous couple of years all of us, three couples: Ann & Ted, Brian & Rosemary, and Gerard, my husband and I had gone through a Life in the Spirit Seminar and were part of a prayer group which met weekly, but we wanted more. We decided to meet in Ann and Ted’s home every Sunday evening to see if we could go more deeply into our spiritual lives and found ourselves on a journey with the Lord where each one of us was dependent on, and also very important to, every other member of the group.

We found that when we worked as a group we were given a variety of gifts which were a blessing not only to us, but also to others who sometimes came to join us; sometimes for prayer for themselves. One of our group, Ann, had a gift of pictures which very often seemed to show the way the Holy Spirit was moving us individually and as a group. She was also often able to use this gift when we were praying, either with each other or with a visitor and invariably her picture led us to the place where, it transpired, we were intended to be.

Gift of pictures pointing God’s direction

Over the years this gift developed and for the past few years she and Ted have become intercessors for us and for many others. It has sometimes been remarkable how her gift of pictures has seemed to point to the answer of their prayer. Some pictures have been profound, others general day-to-day pointers, some we are still discerning, but all prove to be enlightening.

The word gifts, in which I would include pictures, dreams, words of knowledge, and prophecy as well as intercession have always seemed to me to be the most remarkable of all the gifts and to have someone who can so often impart what the Lord is saying when they are interceding for us is a great blessing. Ann & Ted pray for us every day and bring to the Lord any part of our work in which we are seeking his direction. They then take some time just to be silent and listen to see if they feel the Lord is speaking. If Ann receives either a picture or a dream which she feels is for us (this can be almost immediate but often is much later) she calls and lets us know and then we begin to discern in prayer whether we believe the Lord is indeed speaking. Of course, she very often feels there is no response at all. Occasionally, the picture is for someone for whom Ann & Ted have not been praying. Then, unless something else happens to make her let that person know, she will simply continue to pray for them and will include them in our prayer on a Sunday evening

Pictures come gently

It’s not often possible to give examples of these occasions: they are personal and when they’re for other people we certainly couldn’t make them known generally. Even when they’re for us, they are often another small step on the way to something bigger and to voice them can almost make them seem nondescript. These are words and directions given us by the Lord; they come gently, however profound, and very rarely, if ever, are they accompanied by flashes of lightning! However, for the person to whom they are directed they are uplifting and encouraging and draw them closer to the Lord.

God’s idea or my idea?

There is one example which I can share from my own life. I work part time in ministry and part time in paid employment and have been feeling drawn to full time ministry but was concerned about the financial implications. Was this my idea or God’s? Ann & Ted took the situation in prayer and some time later and, significantly, immediately after a situation at work which made me feel that full time ministry was probably the way forward, Ann called to tell me of a picture she had received for me in prayer. She had seen me at the base of a tall mountain which I was beginning to climb quite purposefully. Houses began to pop up directly in my path until there were so many that I could find no way through them. I stopped to think and then began to circumvent the houses to continue my journey upward. Ann then felt the words ‘Not yet’ had been spoken and I stopped climbing. I had been working in the housing sector so houses being the barrier was meaningful to me. The words ‘Not yet’ gave me a reassurance that now was not in the Lord’s timing and I continued to wait and pray.

I can’t stress enough the value of having someone whom you know will pray for you and for whatever situation you want to bring to the Lord and, much more than that, someone who will take the time to listen in prayer for God’s direction. It’s encouraging, reassuring, and uplifting and keeps our minds concentrated on finding the Lord’s way rather than our own. Our own lives are extremely busy and there never seems to be time to give what feels like enough prayer to ensure we are still following the Lord’s path. Having people who are prepared to give this time for us, and who have been given such a fantastic gift by the Lord, is a blessing indeed.

To see intercessors of this kind at work always brings to mind that text: ‘If you give a cup of water to a holy man, you will get a holy man’s reward.’ The blessing they pass on is as much their own as it is for those for whom they pray. We are blessed indeed to have them.