By Paul Covert
When I was in college, my parents owned a jewelry store. They worked six days a week, so if I wanted to see them, I had to drive to the store. A typical visit would include greeting the salesperson (my aunt, who worked part time), then going behind the counter to the break room. You guessed it! I was a college student, always hungry, and in search of snacks. Then if I got bored, I would open the showcases and try on the watches.
Can you imagine my doing that at the Jared store in the mall? They would lock me up! But I was entitled to go behind the counter because I was the owner’s son.
Similarly, believers in Christ, children of the heavenly Father, have special benefits we can enjoy and appropriate for ourselves.
Authority Roles
According to Scripture, we have several roles, responsibilities, and authorities in prayer. As I’ve begun experimenting with these types of God-given authority, it has been like pouring rocket fuel on my prayers.
Here are some of the roles God has established for us:
- Children of the King—invited to “go behind the counter.”
- Husbands and wives—significant prayer roles in a marriage covenant.
- Parents—entrusted with a God-given authority in prayer for their children.
- Spiritual fathers and mothers—for those we have invested in and those we cover with our prayers.
- Watchmen on the wall—for our churches and community.
- Warriors against evil—those elements that threaten the Kingdom.
Royalty Authority
Notice what Scripture says about the authority of a child of God: “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’” (Rom. 8:14–15).
If we are indeed princes and princesses of the King, then why not pray from that position? And what does it mean to pray from the position of a child of God?
I learned more about this in the Peoria, IL, airport. I had been speaking at a conference and was headed back to Phoenix. The weather was atrocious, and the plane was clearly overbooked. We all knew this was the last plane out for the day and some of us would not get on board.
My tension level was rising: What if I am bumped from the plane? Where will I spend the night? I don’t have a car—how will I get to a hotel? What about the events I have to address tomorrow?
In the midst of spinning out of control, I noticed a beautiful little girl, three or four years old, skipping around at our gate. Her father followed closely as she smiled and garnered attention from every waiting passenger. The darling girl was free to move about in the terminal. Unlike the rest of us, she did not have a single care in the world.
At that moment, God reminded me that He is my Father. He cares more for me than any earthly father could. I did not need to worry or fear. His words were like a holy 2×4 in my mind. He told me again that He views me as a prince in His Kingdom—and I am precious to Him.
I bowed my head and prayed as the son of a King and asked for His help in the situation. Amazing peace came. I mean, amazing!
My circumstances remained the same. But when I took my rightful position as a child of God, my prayer was much stronger and filled with more faith. My heart was at peace.
Relationship Authority
Another role I am learning to pray in is the role and authority of relationships—especially as a husband. Matthew makes clear the importance of marriage and the special position both husband and wife enjoy: “A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. . . . So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” (19:5–6).
Because of the marriage covenant between my wife and me, I believe I can pray better for her than any other person on earth. So when I pray for her, I consciously pray, “Father, as this woman’s husband and because of the marriage covenant we are joined in, I come to You in that authority asking You to________.” She often does the same for me.
We have prayed in this manner while battling cancer, optic nerve issues, and a number of other struggles. It may sound too simple to make a difference. But we have been amazed at the ways God answers prayer when we intercede for each other this way.
We can apply this same kind of insightful, authoritative praying to intercession for our children—those in our own family and those we have mentored spiritually.
Watchman and Warrior Authority
I have noticed that when I assume the role of a watchman and a warrior in the Kingdom, I pray with more faith. Matthew 6:10 points out the authoritative role of a believer in Kingdom praying: “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” We receive more insight into praying as a warrior from 2 Corinthians 10:3–6:
Though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
That’s the kind of intercession that goes to battle on behalf of others!
Sadly, most intercession in a typical prayer meeting is for health and finances. Although these are important and helpful, they’re defensive prayers. With Kingdom/warrior prayers we go on the offense to right the wrongs that are fighting against God’s Kingdom.
I have been stepping into a warrior prayer position for the American Church for some time. The truth is we have almost lost prayer in many of our churches. I am begging God to draw the American Church back to prayer for revival. Praying in the role of a warrior energizes my prayers.
I pray God also will raise up warriors and watchmen to pray front-line prayers regarding abortion, immigration complexities, rampant pornography, desperate needs of all kinds in our communities, and the mobilizing of churches to spread the gospel. We need warriors who understand the importance of the Kingdom and accept the responsibility and role to pray, “Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.”
Get in the Action!
Can you image having front row seats at a professional football game? Imagine the fun of tailgating before the game, grilling steaks and all the fixings. Now imagine that when the game starts, you decide to listen to the game on the radio instead of going inside to watch all the action.
Crazy, right? Well, not taking advantage of the roles and authority God has given us for prayer is also foolish. I draw strength from verses such as Deuteronomy 20:1: “When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you.”
I know that verse was originally intended for the Hebrews headed to the Promised Land. But I have to believe that when we pray Kingdom prayers, God will do the fighting for us as well. Tap into the power He has made available to you by praying according to the roles He has given you. Expect more victories to be won.
Give it a try! Pray with confident authority—and add a little rocket fuel to your intercession!
PAUL COVERT is pastor of prayer development at Pure Heart Church in Glendale, AZ. He is the author of 52 Creative Ways to Pray and Threshold: Transformational Prayer; Transformational Prayer Leadership. He specializes in helping churches develop prayer ministries.
