#397 - Joby Martin // What Would Change If God Said Yes - The Daily Blade: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson

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Podcast Summary

The Daily Blade: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson
Episode #397 – Joby Martin // What Would Change If God Said Yes
Date: July 9, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the vital role of intercessory prayer in the Christian life, inspired by Philippians 1:3, where Paul expresses gratitude for others through prayer. Pastor Joby Martin challenges listeners—particularly men—to reflect on the breadth and depth of their prayer life, emphasizing the transformative impact of praying for others with intention and intensity. The discussion calls listeners to move beyond self-centered, routine prayers and ask: “If God said yes to all my prayers last week, how different would the world be?”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Intercessory Prayer Defined and Illustrated

Text Reference: Philippians 1:3 (00:20)
- Paul models “prayer of intercession”—praying for others, not just mentioning them, but earnestly seeking God’s work in their lives.
Reflection: Joby distinguishes between “praying for people” vs. “praying about people.”
- “Praying about people… you’re actually mentioning is that God would change those people so they would be more likable to you.” – Joby Martin (00:45)

2. The Importance of Spiritual Brotherhood

Community in Prayer:
- The necessity of having close Christian brothers (“mat carriers,” “foxhole brothers,” “king’s table”) who actively pray for one another.
- “You need some people praying for you—who is actually praying for you right now?” – Joby Martin (01:19)

3. Jesus as the Ultimate Example

Story of Gethsemane:
- Jesus, facing the cross, seeks prayer support from his closest disciples.
- “If Jesus Christ needed somebody to pray for him then, who in the heck do you think you are to think that you can make this life without having people pray for you?” – Joby Martin (02:07)

4. Examining Personal Prayer Lives

Self-Reflection:
- Listeners are prompted to assess the quality and depth of their prayer life.
- Are spiritual struggles tied to a lack of sincere, personal, fervent prayer?
- “If you are not spending serious, personal, personal time in prayer, then you are missing out on your relationship with Jesus.” – Joby Martin (02:25)

5. Challenging the Scope of Our Prayers

Thought Experiment:
- “What if God said yes to all of your prayer requests from last week? How would the world be any different?” – Joby Martin (02:41)
- Are we praying big, world-changing prayers or just routine requests?
- Examples of shallow prayers: for food, travel safety, or sports teams.
- Are we interceding for others' needs, global concerns, hardships, etc.?

6. The Biblical Invitation to Bold Prayer

Access to God’s Presence:
- Through Jesus’ sacrifice, believers are invited to approach God boldly.
- Reference to James 4:8: “Draw near to me and I will draw near to you.”
- “When Jesus… says, it is finished, an earthquake cracks… tears the curtain… a holy invitation for God’s children to come before him and make our request known to him.” – Joby Martin (03:28)
- Reference to 1 Peter 5:7: “Cast all your cares upon me, because I care for you.”

7. Actionable Encouragement

Pray for Others, Not Just Yourself:
- Even if unsure who to pray for: begin with your family, church leaders, and hosts.
- “Pray like everything depends on it, because it does.” – Joby Martin (04:10)
Aim: Become the kind of men Paul describes—those who consistently, joyfully pray for one another.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“Praying about people is that you’re praying to God… but what you’re actually mentioning is that God would change those people so they would be more likable to you.” – Joby Martin (00:45)
“If Jesus Christ needed somebody to pray for him then, who in the heck do you think you are to think that you can make this life without having people pray for you?” – Joby Martin (02:07)
“If you are not spending serious, personal, personal time in prayer, then you are missing out on your relationship with Jesus.” – Joby Martin (02:25)
“What if God said yes to all of your prayer requests from last week? How would the world be any different?” – Joby Martin (02:41)
“Pray like everything depends on it, because it does.” – Joby Martin (04:10)
“May we be the kind of men that pray for one another. Amen.” – Joby Martin (04:54)

Timestamps for Important Segments

00:20 – Introduction to Philippians 1:3 and intercessory prayer
01:00 – Difference between praying for vs. about people
01:19 – The need for “mat carriers” and spiritual brothers
01:50 – Jesus in Gethsemane and the essential nature of asking for prayer
02:25 – Personal reflection on private prayer life
02:41 – The challenge: “What if God said yes to your prayers?”
03:28 – The biblical invitation to prayer (James 4:8, 1 Peter 5:7)
04:10 – Who to pray for and the call to fervent prayer
04:54 – Final call to be men of prayer for one another

Episode Takeaway

Listeners are urged to radically re-examine and elevate both their personal and communal prayer lives. The episode ends with a passionate reminder that truly effective Christian living is sustained by bold, intercessory prayer—prayers that have the power to change not just personal circumstances, but the world.

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Transcript3 lines

[00:01]
A
Welcome to the Daily Blade. The word of God is described as the sword of the spirit, the primary spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil. Your hosts are Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson, and they stand ready to equip men for the fight. Let's sharpen up.
[00:21]
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All right. Day four in our study in the book of Philippians, we're in chapter one, verse three. Paul says this. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making my prayer with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. This type of prayer that Paul is talking about here is called the prayer of intercession. Intercession just simply means to pray for other people. So let me ask you this, men. Who are you praying for? Are you praying for people or are you praying about people? Do you know the difference you see praying about people is that you're praying to God and you're mentioning their name, but what you're actually mentioning is that God would change those people so they would be more likable to you. Who were you praying for? Let me ask you this. This might be even more important. Who do you have praying for you? As you know, one of the drums that Kyle and I beat over and over and over is, you need men in your life. You need mat carriers. You need the king's table. You need foxhole brothers. And one of the reasons that you need them is because you need some people praying for you who is actually praying for you right now. And one of my favorite places to go here is when Jesus goes to the garden of Gethsemane on the night that he was to be arrested, he goes before his father. Gethsemane means the place of crushing. He feels the weight of the sin of the world on his shoulders. He goes before his Father and he says, father, if there be any other way, let this cup pass from me. The cup that he's talking about is the crucifixion. The cup represented the full wrath of God that had been stored up against sin and sinners by a just and holy God. He says, father, if there be any other way, let this cup pass from me. Yet not my will, but your will be done. And in those moments as he's sweating drops of blood because he is praying with such intensity, he goes, jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, goes and gets Peter, James, and John and says, boys, will you come. Come with me a little farther and watch and pray. So if Jesus Christ needed somebody to Pray for him then. Who in the heck do you think you are to think that you can make this life without having people pray for you? So let me ask you seriously, how's your personal, private prayer life? And if you say it's lacking, then be honest. Is that why your spiritual development is so stale? I mean, maybe you are disciplined to listen to sermons and even read your Bible, but if you are not spending serious, personal, personal time in prayer, then you are missing out on your relationship with Jesus. One of the things that you're going to see bleed through the book of Philippians is Paul's serious and intense prayer life. And one of the things to notice is that Paul does not spend all of his time just praying for himself. One of the questions I like to ask at 11:22 is what if God said yes to all of your prayer requests from last week? How would the world be any different? I mean, are you praying big, bold, audacious, earth shaking kind of prayers, or do you just simply pray weak, rote, memorized prayers? Do you just thank him for the day and pray that your food will nourish your body and pray that your team wins and all the lights turn green? I mean, if God said yes to all of your prayers last week, would your friend's marriages still be on the rocks? Would your friends, prodigals, still be running away? Would your friends be cured of cancer? Would there still be starving children around the world? Would there still be war and famine? I mean, what are we actually praying about? Because the Bible has this unbelievable invitation. James, the brother of Jesus in James 4, 8, says, Draw near to me and I will draw near to you. Do you understand that? Because of the cross and resurrection of Jesus, because of the blood of Jesus, you and I are invited like children into the king's chambers to make our request known to him. When Jesus pushed up on his nail pierced feet and he says, it is finished, an earthquake cracks right through the middle of Jerusalem, right through the middle of the holy of holies. And it separates, it tears the curtain. It separated the people of God from the presence of God, from the top to the bottom as a holy invitation for God's children to come before him and make our request known to him. The apostle Peter will say it this way, cast all your cares upon me, because I care for you. So, men, let me ask you, who are you praying for? And if you don't know who to pray for, pray for me. Pray for Kyle. Pray for your family. I mean, pray for them with such intensity, with such fervency Pray like everything depends on it, because it does. And Paul says, I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making my prayer with joy. Men. May we be the kind of men that pray for one another. Amen.
[05:26]
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Thank you for listening to today's episode. Before you go, if you want to help, equip other men for the fight, share this podcast around and leave us a five star rating and review. Stay sharp.