Intercession

I have had the privilege of having a grandmother in my life who was a prayer warrior.  She wasn’t always the easiest person to understand, but she was the most loveable.  I always loved going over to her house because she would share stories and songs about Jesus, and spending time with her gave me a sense of peace because she had that sense about her.  A sense that she knew where she was going in life, and also in death, and she was at peace with it.  She knew her God and He knew her. 

My Grandmother used to pray every morning (quite loudly in fact) about the needs of her children, grandchildren, her local church as well as her local community and government.  She would start with a simple song of praise to the Lord which would escalate into much deeper aspects of worship.  It usually would end in an expression of tears of gratefulness or joyous laughter and thanksgiving.  She would then begin with her petitions and requests.  She modeled intercession for me at an early age, little did I realize what a profound effect this would have in my own prayer life later on.

1 Timothy 2:1-6 (NCV)

¹ First, I tell you to pray for all people, asking God for what they need and being thankful to him.  ² Pray for rulers and for all who have authority so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives full of worship and respect for God.  ³ This is good, and it pleases God our Savior,  ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to know the truth.  ⁵ There is one God and one mediator so that human beings can reach God. That way is through Christ Jesus, who is himself human.  ⁶ He gave himself as a payment to free all people. He is proof that came at the right time.

The Intl. Standard Bible Dictionary defines intercession like this:  "to strike upon," or "against"; then in a good sense, "to assail anyone with petitions," "to urge," and when on behalf of another, "to intercede"  A similar idea is found in enteuxis, used as "petition," and in the New Testament "intercession." The English word is derived from Latin intercedo, "to come between," which strangely has the somewhat opposed meanings of "obstruct" and "to interpose on behalf of" a person, and finally "to intercede."

Intercession in my experience has been an amazing tool to see the handiwork of God at work on behalf of other people.  God truly wants to work in the lives of His people to bring about His good purpose.

Intercession is about taking up a battle on behalf of someone else, desiring to see God move and show Himself strong on their behalf.

What does intercession look like to me as an individual?  I take on the commitment to pray and join with my fellow prayer team members on this adventure.

I first must spend time with Jesus. Talking with Him daily and spending ‘honesty’ time with Him.  It is easy for me to pray ‘wrote’ prayers and speak to Jesus in the 3^rd person.  It's more challenging to speak openly and honestly about my needs and hurts in a way that is transparent and real.  This is what He wants from me.  As I empty myself out, I honestly ask Him to fill the void in me with Himself. 

As I begin praying for others and present their needs before the Lord, I find that the battle first starts in the mind where the enemy attempts to rob me of God’s blessings by either keeping me from praying or by attempting to make me feel guilty or unworthy to receive God’s blessings by clouding my mind with anything but prayer and not praying as I have committed to do.  These are distractions.  Distractions are one of the greatest tools in the enemy’s toolbox because it can disable one from moving forward in prayer.  I have to resolve that prayer must first be an attitude before it can become an action.

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.  Attitude, to me is more important than facts.  It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.  It will make or break a company…a church…a home.  The remarkable thing is we have the choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.  We cannot change our past…We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.  We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude…I am most convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.  And so it is with you…we are in charge or our attitudes.”  Charles Swindoll

Overcoming external distractions can be simple as long as I recognize where the distraction comes from, it comes from the enemy. My job is not to engage the enemy, but to recognize that the battle over the enemy has already been won by Jesus on the cross,  I proclaim victory above the enemy's best efforts and ask for the Lord's peace to settle over my mind so that I can continue to pray.

Another form of distraction is internal physical affliction.  This is where the enemy has permission to touch our physical body with some type of affliction.  It can vary from headaches, skin irritations or hives, or other types of physical afflictions. This mirrors what happened to Job and his response which was unwavering when it came to his tumultuous distractions.

Job 2:3 (NCV)

³ Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? No one else on earth is like him. He is an honest and innocent man, honoring God and staying away from evil. You caused me to ruin him for no good reason, but he continues to be without blame.”

If  you may have noticed this is not a passive ministry, but don't let this discourage you from praying. Anything worth having is worth fighting for.

On a spiritual front we are in a turf war with Satan.  He and his demons do not just roll over and give up just because we have decided to show up on the scene.  They are deeply rooted in this earth and it’s systems and laws, they have been here oftentimes for many generations.   They lay legal claim and right to anything that has set itself against the stated purposes of God.  When we return to God's order and desire the things of God once again and make the claim for His kingdom in the enemy's territory we are merely proclaiming the truth of the gospel, "the battle is the Lord's".

The Old Testament has an example of this in an amazing way in Judges 6 & 7 and this relates directly to intercession.

In Judges 6 there is a man named Gideon.  *Gideon was up against a much larger force than he could ever possibly defeat. These Midianites had for 7 years robbed him and his nation at harvest time. The word “Midianites” is identified by the Hebrew root word Midyan for “strife” and “brawling.”

“Strife” is a red flag to anyone with discernment. It travels with “confusion” and “every evil work.”

Gideon’s army, reduced to 300, were set around the camp of the enemy. On a signal from Gideon, they were to move “as one” and break clay pitchers that had torches inside them and shout “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”

When they did so, the enemy panicked and fell upon one another with swords, mistaking each other for the enemy. Strife turns on itself if you surround it in unity with the right people.

Specific Insights

1.       LEAN TIMES: God reduced Gideons’ army to 300 men. Why? “Lest Israel claim glory for itself, against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ ” (Judges 7:2)  Don’t be surprised if the tree is pruned before harvest or if you are being reduced to absolute leanness before breakthrough. “When you are weakest you are strongest.”

2.       LET GOD USE YOUR MOUTH: This remnant had trumpets. Trumpets have to do with preaching, prophesying, announcing or proclaiming something. God wants to put an utterance in your mouth that will change the situation.

3.       EMBRACE BROKENNESS AND HUMILITY: The remnant smashed clay pitchers with torches inside them. Clay speaks of our natural man- we are made from earth. We are vessels of clay and need to humble ourselves so we can be broken in areas of our lives we are hindering the light of Christ from being seen.

4.       LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE: The torches shined in the night once the clay container was shattered. This is the light of Christ seen in us when the natural stuff is broken off. A trumpet AND a light is better than a trumpet and no fire – passion, illumination and manifestation of the Spirit in our lives.

5.       GOD WANTS TO PARTNER WITH MAN! When the remnant attacked they shouted “The sword of The Lord AND of Gideon.” God wants you to know that while HE DID IT, it was done in partnership WITH YOUR FAITH. The Holy Spirit wants to work “with” you, not work “for” you.*

The purpose of intercession is to partner with Jesus and bring His light to bear in our personal lives and our prayer lives for the benefit of others, thereby advancing the Kingdom of God.  We encourage and we build up.  We allow ourselves to be broken so that in our weakness, the light of Christ may be strong through us.

I would encourage anyone who has developed a prayer life with Jesus to ask the Lord if this ministry is right for them.  It is not easy, but on the other hand it is not hard either. However, with that being said it is not one size fits all.  Each person could have an aspect to intercession that may be different or more focused than another, that is the diversity in the body of Christ at work.

For me intercession is one of the most personally satisfying and rewarding ministries I know of.  Men are especially needed to partner with others in this vital prayer ministry.  If we desire to see change in our families, communities or our nation we need to make this call to pray a priority.  After all, we are specifically called to pray for each other.

Romans 8:26-34 (NCV)

²⁶ Also, the Spirit helps us with our weakness. We do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself speaks to God for us, even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain.  ²⁷ God can see what is in people’s hearts. And he knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit speaks to God for his people in the way God wants.

²⁸ We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. They are the people he called, because that was his plan.  ²⁹ God knew them before he made the world, and he chose them to be like his Son so that Jesus would be the firstborn of many brothers and sisters.  ³⁰ God planned for them to be like his Son; and those he planned to be like his Son, he also called; and those he called, he also made right with him; and those he made right, he also glorified.

³¹ So what should we say about this? If God is for us, no one can defeat us.  ³² He did not spare his own Son but gave him for us all. So with Jesus, God will surely give us all things.  ³³ Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one, because God is the One who makes them right.  ³⁴ Who can say God’s people are guilty? No one, because Christ Jesus died, but he was also raised from the dead, and now he is on God’s right side, appealing to God for us.

↓ Click Here to listen to the song

I’ve Got My Armor On

(Kevin Prosch)

        I’ve got my armor on, I’m walking in the light

        I’m serving the Lord with all of my might

        It has come to our attention there are giants in the land

        I’ve got the fear of the Lord and His sword in my hand

        If we are Your sons oh hear our call

        And let your fire begin to fall

            For our God will do a perfect thing

            As we hear the sound of abundance of rain

            As we lift our voice and watch and pray

            Yes the Captain of the Host will fight again

        There’s a cry of war within the camp

        There is no fear of death within our midst

        He has placed around us a hedge of thorns

        And He is pouring out the oil of joy

        If we are Your sons who believe Your name

        Release the power of Your flame

            For our God will do a perfect thing

            As we hear the sound of abundance of rain

            As we lift our voice and watch and pray

            Yes the Captain of the Host will fight again

    Copyright © 1989 Mercy Publishing. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.

*©2014 Lance Learning, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Special thanks to Lance Wallnau for his input.
The music above is copyrighted by the respective artists, and is demonstrated here for educational purposes only.