Luke 5:16 (NIV) But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed...

As intercessors, we carry deep burdens in the spirit, sometimes for people we’ve never met, nations we’ve never visited, and situations we may never see resolved with our own eyes. The call is weighty, but so is the importance of staying spiritually healthy while doing this work. Jesus, our perfect example, often withdrew to lonely places, not just to war in prayer, but to be with the Father, to rest, and to be renewed. If He needed that rhythm, so do we.

One of the greatest dangers for intercessors is spiritual fatigue. It doesn’t always show up as tiredness. It can come in the form of emotional numbness, irritability, a lack of clarity in prayer, or a growing disconnection from the very people we’re called to stand in the gap for. Sometimes our dreams shift from being prophetic to just chaotic. These are signs that we need to pause and allow the Lord to minister to us personally, not as intercessors, but as beloved sons and daughters.

God never asked us to carry everything. He asked us to cast our burdens on Him. We are not the Holy Spirit, and we were never meant to be overwhelmed. There’s great power in setting boundaries in the spirit, in discerning what God has truly called us to carry versus what we’ve picked up out of guilt, pressure, or over-responsibility. The truth is: obedience and peace go together. If there’s no peace in the burden, we need to revisit whether it’s from Him.

Our renewal doesn’t come just from intense prayer; it comes from intimacy. We need personal worship that has nothing to do with warfare. We need laughter, rest, nature, music, good food, sleep, and community. These things are not “unspiritual”; they are soul care, and they matter deeply. God’s intercessors must also be God’s friends. We must learn to return to the quiet place, not to perform, but simply to be loved.

In the end, a strong intercessor is not just one who can pray long and loud, but one who is rooted, rested, and steady. A person who prays from overflow, not exhaustion. The call is holy, but so is the vessel. Take care of both.

Blessings,
Dr. Adalia Hansen
Founder of Dorcas Women and Children's Fund
Vice President of World Ministries International
Email:  ahansen.wmi@hotmail.com

Dear Prayer Warrior:

Adalia, MJ and I fly on May 19th to Kenya. We will be gone one month as I have invitations also in Israel and Liberia. We will fly from Kenya to these locations and back to Kenya before returning to the United States.

Please seriously pray for us during this time. Satan is not happy for what is being accomplished. Also, we still need additional finances. Pray for people to give for these trips because without prayers and support, we cannot go on these trips. 

Thank you and blessings,
Jonathan Hansen