Intercession
Our pastor was sharing with us about another church that put out a prayer meeting invitation to their congregation. The day arrived for the prayer meeting and only a couple of people showed up. His question to our pastor was “Why do so many attend your prayer meeting?”
Perhaps, the answer is to teach and greatly emphasize the importance of intercession. Do we truly know how important intercessory prayer is? If we did, we would have packed prayer meetings.
What is intercessory prayer? Quite simply, intercessory prayer is the act of praying on behalf of others. Intercession is not new to us. The Bible has many cases of people standing up for others before God.
The Children of Israel cried out to God so they could be released from the bondages of Egypt. Exodus 2:23… Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
Abraham took the initiative to intercede before God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. He cared enough to do it, even though he knew how wicked Sodom and Gomorrah was. Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord Genesis 18:22. Unfortunately, there were not any righteous men and all perished except for Lot, and his two daughters.
Moses also stepped in and prostrated (Deuteronomy 9:25) himself before the Lord, forty days and forty nights so that God would not destroy the nation of Israel because they were a “stiff neck people” and God wanted to destroy them. (Deuteronomy 9:13-14).
• Deuteronomy 9:25 “Thus I prostrated myself before the Lord; forty days and forty nights I kept prostrating myself, because the Lord had said He would destroy you.
• Deuteronomy 9:13-14 “Furthermore the Lord spoke to me, saying, ‘I have seen this people, and indeed they are a stiff-necked people. Let Me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.’
Jesus Christ, the greatest intercessor who died for our sins and rose for our justification, now lives to intercede for us before God. The greatest example of intercessory prayer in the Bible is in John 17, where the Lord poured out His heart for His disciples. “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours (John 17:9). But that was not all! “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; (John 17:20). And that's us! We are included!
All in authority - Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence, 1 Timothy 2:1-2
Ministers (Preaching in Philippians 19) - For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, Philippians 1:19
The Church - Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you, Psalms 122:6
Fellow Countrymen - Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved, Romans 10:1
The Sick - Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, James 5:14
Enemies - And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace, Jeremiah 29:7.
Those Who Persecute Us - But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, Matthew 5:44.
There is an erroneous idea in contemporary Christianity that those who offer up intercessory prayers are a special class of “super-Christians,” called by God to a specific ministry of intercession. The Bible is clear that all Christians are called to be intercessors. All Christians have the Holy Spirit in their hearts and, just as He intercedes for us in accordance with God’s will, we are to intercede for one another. (Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27). This is not a privilege limited to an exclusive Christian elite; this is the command to all. In fact, not to intercede for others is sin. “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you” (1 Samuel 12:23).
Nowhere in any biblical request for intercession is there any indication that only a certain group of people could intercede. On the contrary, those who seek others to intercede for them can use all the help they can get! The idea that intercession is the privilege and calling of only some Christians is without biblical basis. Worse, it is destructive.
As you can see from the list below, we are a hurting and suffering Church and we have many that are in need of intercessory prayer.
Rejection - Un-forgiveness - Addictions - Unsaved Family - Disease - Illness - Jealousy
Hatred - Living In Sin - Unloving Spirit - Anger Widows - Condemnation - Gossip
Abandonment - Violence - Lust - Pride - Shame - Idols - Passive - Slanderers - Broken Heart
Backbiting - Confusion - Rebellion - Depression - Slumberous - Bitterness - Fear
Pride - Despair - Curses - Covet - Stubbornness
God calls all Christians to be intercessors. It is God’s desire that every believer be active in intercessory prayer. What a wonderful and exalted privilege we have in being able to come boldly before the throne of Almighty God with our prayers and requests!
There is a great spiritual battle being waged on the earth today as has been in the past. The enemy is using his entire arsenal with the single intent of destroying us all. It is our responsibility to ask God to give us strength to intercede on behalf of the needy. I would think that this would include everyone, as I have not met anyone who doesn’t need someone to intercede on their behalf.
My question to you this day is this: What sacrifice are you willing to make to pray for your family, your friends, and others so that you can take back the ground that Satan has taken from them? God expects us to intercede as others did in the Bible. Are you willing to pray morning, noon, and night? Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone and join a weekly prayer group to intercede? Are you willing to make a difference for those people in need or will you choose to ignore what God calls us to do? It is your choice! …“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight…John 18:56.
When you combine intercessory prayer with the spoken (Rhema) Word of God, His Word shall not return void. So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11.
Amen.
