Trust and the Pizza Delivery Principle
Maturing in intercession means being trustworthy with the secrets of God and with the confidences of those in authority you are called to pray for. As Tommi Femrite says: " We are to be like vaults where God can hide his private thoughts, knowing that they will only be released at His discretion." We also need to continually work on not taking our own worth or value from the words that we get on behalf of those we are praying for! Part of our faithfulness gets tested when we continue to get words for aleaders, without encouragement. That is somethign that leaders need to work on, absolutely no doubt of that, BUT the real issue for many of us on a prayer shield, is to remember 'why' we are doing what we are doing. Is if for 'man'? Or have we felt called by God?
As intercessors called to pray for leaders, we need to be known for our faithfulness, our loyalty and our ability to keep a confidence. Leader's who do not feel safe with their intercessors, will not ask for prayer in the areas they truly need it. When we are praying for leaders, God may give us thought and words for them or about their situation, so that we can pray with more accuracy. We need to be careful that we don't brag or name drop, about the leaders we are praying for. Nor should we invite others to 'see' or 'hear' what God has been showing us on their behalf. It can be very tempting to share somethign you've gotten on behalf of someone, with others. Always check your heart. Are you wanting to share a princple or revelation that you recieved from that prayer time? Or are you wanting someone to know who you are praying for, and what you've been praying for them?
It's always wise to remember that the prophet Isaiah rebuked Hezekiah for showing the wealth of his treasury to the king of Babylon. That self-exalting act ( Is.39) caused the prosperity of Judah's people to be carried away. As intercessors we need to be less concerned about looking good to others, as we are protecting the people that God has given us a prayer burden for. We want to be very careful about bragging or revealing to others about what has been spoken in secret place of prayer.
God may give us passages of scripture that speak directly to a leader's situation or to his/her heart. He may give us images or pictures during our prayer times that we can also share with them. The key is to give it the one is was designated for - not share it with others. Remember tho, that only God decides the timing for sharing these things, and that when do do share them, we are to share them with an open hand! In other words, when we give what we have received in prayer, we do not 'own' it - we release it and get back to prayer.
Often when I work with Intercessors who are wondering how or when to give a word to a leader, I teach them the Pizza Delivery Principle. What's that? Well, it works like this....getting a 'word' for a leader, is much like ordering pizza. Once you've place the order , the pizza delivery person brings the 'pizza' to you. Now..they don't stand around and watch you eat the pizza. They don't hang around and ask for a piece of the pizza. They don't ask you for a tip...or stand and ask if you like it. They deliver the pizza and leave. They go back for MORE pizzas, that also are ready for delivery. "Words" for leaders are a lot like that. When you get something - just give it to them. don't hang around, watching over them to see their reactions. Don't wait by your phone to see if they'll 'tip' you ( by stroking your ego). You're job is to deliver what you 'got' from the Lord. Leave them to 'taste' it and see what they think. It's not your job to hover and check on the 'pizza' - your job is to deliver it and go..
Now I once had an intercessor who said to me: "You teach on the Pizza Delivery Principle, but I've been bringing you 'pizza's' and you don't use them." ( Meaning her words/scriptures etc. weren't getting mentioned in church or in my prayer emails to my prayer shield. She was taking personal value in having her words acknowledged.) I explained to her, again, that when I receive input from my prayer shield and personal intercessors, that often I might not understand right away where a certain scripture or word is fitting into the situation or circumstance I am currently facing, BUT that I always file them away, and ask God to bring them back to mind if they are for another time. I believe I am no different than most leaders. I always appreciate anything that is given to me that has been birthed in prayer, but at the same time, not everything that is given to me 'fits' right away.
Sometimes, as intercessors on a prayer shield, we have to be willing to let the leader we are praying for, do with the 'pizza' as they will. Our job, is not to get credit or acknowledgement. Our job is to go back and keep praying and maybe...there will be another pizza to deliver later!
As intercessors called to pray for leaders, we need to be known for our faithfulness, our loyalty and our ability to keep a confidence. Leader's who do not feel safe with their intercessors, will not ask for prayer in the areas they truly need it. When we are praying for leaders, God may give us thought and words for them or about their situation, so that we can pray with more accuracy. We need to be careful that we don't brag or name drop, about the leaders we are praying for. Nor should we invite others to 'see' or 'hear' what God has been showing us on their behalf. It can be very tempting to share somethign you've gotten on behalf of someone, with others. Always check your heart. Are you wanting to share a princple or revelation that you recieved from that prayer time? Or are you wanting someone to know who you are praying for, and what you've been praying for them?
It's always wise to remember that the prophet Isaiah rebuked Hezekiah for showing the wealth of his treasury to the king of Babylon. That self-exalting act ( Is.39) caused the prosperity of Judah's people to be carried away. As intercessors we need to be less concerned about looking good to others, as we are protecting the people that God has given us a prayer burden for. We want to be very careful about bragging or revealing to others about what has been spoken in secret place of prayer.
God may give us passages of scripture that speak directly to a leader's situation or to his/her heart. He may give us images or pictures during our prayer times that we can also share with them. The key is to give it the one is was designated for - not share it with others. Remember tho, that only God decides the timing for sharing these things, and that when do do share them, we are to share them with an open hand! In other words, when we give what we have received in prayer, we do not 'own' it - we release it and get back to prayer.
Often when I work with Intercessors who are wondering how or when to give a word to a leader, I teach them the Pizza Delivery Principle. What's that? Well, it works like this....getting a 'word' for a leader, is much like ordering pizza. Once you've place the order , the pizza delivery person brings the 'pizza' to you. Now..they don't stand around and watch you eat the pizza. They don't hang around and ask for a piece of the pizza. They don't ask you for a tip...or stand and ask if you like it. They deliver the pizza and leave. They go back for MORE pizzas, that also are ready for delivery. "Words" for leaders are a lot like that. When you get something - just give it to them. don't hang around, watching over them to see their reactions. Don't wait by your phone to see if they'll 'tip' you ( by stroking your ego). You're job is to deliver what you 'got' from the Lord. Leave them to 'taste' it and see what they think. It's not your job to hover and check on the 'pizza' - your job is to deliver it and go..
Now I once had an intercessor who said to me: "You teach on the Pizza Delivery Principle, but I've been bringing you 'pizza's' and you don't use them." ( Meaning her words/scriptures etc. weren't getting mentioned in church or in my prayer emails to my prayer shield. She was taking personal value in having her words acknowledged.) I explained to her, again, that when I receive input from my prayer shield and personal intercessors, that often I might not understand right away where a certain scripture or word is fitting into the situation or circumstance I am currently facing, BUT that I always file them away, and ask God to bring them back to mind if they are for another time. I believe I am no different than most leaders. I always appreciate anything that is given to me that has been birthed in prayer, but at the same time, not everything that is given to me 'fits' right away.
Sometimes, as intercessors on a prayer shield, we have to be willing to let the leader we are praying for, do with the 'pizza' as they will. Our job, is not to get credit or acknowledgement. Our job is to go back and keep praying and maybe...there will be another pizza to deliver later!
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