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The world is a broken place. A really broken place. Thus, many people – even many Christians – wonder if intercessory prayer actually works.
But Tony Campolo isn’t one of them. He knows for a fact that intercessory prayer works!
Years ago, Tony was slated to speak at a Pentecostal college chapel service in Pennsylvania. Before the service began, eight men escorted Tony into a back room, had him kneel, placed their hands on his head, and began to pray for him.
Tony thought that was a good idea, at first, but the longer they prayed, the more fatigued they became. The more fatigued they became, the more they began to lean down on Tony’s head. The more they leaned on him, the more Tony began to wonder if it was such a good idea.
To make matter worse, one of the men wasn’t even praying for Tony. The well-intentioned gentleman was praying for some guy named Charlie Stoltzfus. Tony remembered the prayer. “Dear Lord, you know Charlie Stoltzfus. He lives in that silver trailer down the road a mile. You know the trailer, Lord, just down the road on the right hand side.”
Tony remembered thinking, “Do you really believe you have to remind God where this Charlie guy lives?”
But the intercessor continued. “Lord, Charlie told me this morning he’s going to leave his wife and three kids. Step in and do something, God. Bring that family back together.”
The men finally finished their praying and Tony shared his message. After the service was over, Tony excused himself, pulled onto the Pennsylvania Turnpike to return home, and saw a hitchhiker on the side of the road.
Here’s what happened next in Tony’s words:
“We drove a few minutes and I said, ‘Hi, my name’s Tony Campolo. What’s yours?’ He said, ‘Charlie Stoltzfus.’ I couldn’t believe it!
I got off the turnpike at the next exit and headed back. He got a bit uneasy with that and after a few minutes he said, ‘Hey mister, where are you taking me?’ I said, ‘I’m taking you home.’ He narrowed his eyes and asked, ‘Why?’
I said, ‘Because you just left your wife and three kids, right?’ That blew him away. ‘Yeah! Yeah, that’s right.’ With shock written all over his face, he plastered himself against the car door and never took his eyes off me.
Then I really did him in as I drove right to his silver trailer. When I pulled up, his eyes seemed to bulge as he asked, ‘How did you know that I lived here?’ I said, ‘God told me.’ (I believe God did tell me.)
When he opened the trailer door his wife exclaimed, ‘You’re back! You’re back!’ Charlie whispered in her ear and the more he talked, the bigger her eyes got.
Then I said with real authority, ‘The two of you sit down. I’m going to talk and you two are going to listen!’ Man, did they listen! That afternoon I led those two young people to Jesus Christ.’”
And that’s why Tony Campolo doesn’t wonder if prayer works. He knows it does!
Resource’s Origin:
The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg. Zondervan, 1997, Pages 104-105.
Topics Illustrated Include:
Authority
Family
God’s Plan
God’s Will
Marriage
Miracle
Pentecostal
Prayer
(Resource cataloged by David R Smith)
