"Have you ever taken a lens or magnifying glass and focused the rays of the sun through it onto a piece of paper? The paper turns brown, then black, as the concentrated heat acts upon it, smoke appears, and finally the paper bursts into flame. This analogy describes what we as intercessors are called upon to do by focusing the power of God on people and situations through prayer. We do not have any control over His power, and we cannot direct it of ourselves; but we can bring those things for which we intercede within range of this power through our prayers. We should then make ourselves available to God as a 'lens' of prayer, through which He can focus His grace onto these things, so that His power is at maximum intensity. As we do this, we shall see the effects of this power, leading ultimately to the pure pentecostal fire of the Holy Spirit burning within the situation that we have brought before God in intercession. As well as magnifying the Lord before the world, we are also called to magnify the world before the Lord, and, through our prayers, offered in accordance with His will, to set it on fire with His love, grace, and peace. We are instruments in the hand of our God: instruments, moreover, whom He asks to cooperate freely with Him in the building up and extension of His kingdom. Is there any task that could be more satisfying and fulfilling?"A dirty lens, or one that is poorly ground, is not very efficient at focusing the sun's rays. We cannot expect to be effective 'focusers' of God's power from the moment we begin our intercession. It takes time for a lens to be ground out of a piece of glass, and it will take time for God to form us in accordance with His will, so that our intercession may be correct and pleasing in His sight. Just as a dirty lens needs to be washed clean of accumulated grime, so we too need to be cleansed of our sins and faults by the mercy of God before we can operate effectively in this ministry. This is not to suggest that a slightly dirty lens cannot focus light, or that we cannot intercede if there is still sin in our lives (or else no one would ever be able to intercede); but we should be prepared to turn away from this sin, so as to be able to intercede more effectively."
[This post is entirely quoted from Peter Grant's book The Power of Intercession: Effective Prayer for the Needs of Others, end of Chapter 5]
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