The Power of Intercession
Isaiah 59:15-17 So truth fails, And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him That there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, And wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; And His own righteousness, it sustained Him. For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
Intercession is important to understand. Jesus LIVES to make constant intercession:
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
To be Christ-like is to be an intercessor. Literally everyone is called to be an intercessor. The measure you actually intercede is the measure you are Christ-like. Jesus lives to make intercession!
The ministry of intercession is service to God and man. God looks for intercessors, and mankind desperately needs intercessors. All of creation is actually groaning that the intercessors would be revealed!
Romans 8:19-23 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
This passage is really talking about intercessors. To intercede is to talk to God about a situation that needs to be addressed. It is to "step into the conversation".
Intercession is the privilege of family. The throne room of God is highly ordered. Not just anyone can step into this place and talk to the Ancient of Days. It is only the blood of Jesus that bought our entrance.
Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Intercession MUST be the power behind EVERY ministry office and calling. Everyone who is in the family of God is supposed to be an intercessor. A good apostle is primarily a good intercessor. A good evangelist must first be a good intercessor. Without intercession as the engine, no teacher or pastor can truly operate in power.
This is one of the best stories of evangelism, prophecy, and teaching, by one of the first apostles, and it begins with intercession:
Acts 2:1-7, 14, 37-38, 41 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? ... But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words... Now when they heard this (Peter's evangelistic testimony) , they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ... Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
Three thousand souls in one day is some power evangelism, but it was born out of steady intercession. That is what Jesus instructed His first pastors, prophets, apostles, teachers, and evangelists to do: wait and intercede for a while before you even try to "do the stuff"...because the true stuff IS intercession!
The pastoring, prophesying, teaching, sending, and saving is simply the fruit of intercession that will blossom in agreement with God after the seeds of intercession have been planted.
Intercession is simply talking to God about what needs doing and tarrying for the answer! It is abiding, and it happens in truth by the Holy Spirit:
John 15:1-4 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
Intercession is an activity all believers must grow in order to bear more fruit. In fact, any attempt to bear fruit... to do the ministry stuff...apart from intercession runs the great risk of being done in lawlessness. Lawlessness is operating in the spiritual realm apart from the abiding Jesus insisted upon.
False prophets prophecy out of their own heart. The FRUIT of their prophecy...not whether it was true, but rather the response it produces in the prophet and the hearer... reveals whether the prophecy was born out of the place of intercession... first stepping in to the conversation with God..or if it was done on the fly and God's name was just "stamped" on it.
Matthew 7:15-16 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
Fruit that comes from abiding... with intercession being the means of obtaining the fruit... produces MORE abiding! The seeds in an apple produce apple trees. The seeds in oranges produce orange trees. The fruit that comes from someone who actually intercedes...who actually abides...produce more of the same abiding in both the minister and the recipient of the ministry!
Good fruit drives you deeper into the conversation with God, it doesn't replace His divine instruction with some person's idea of what you should do.
Prophecy born out of abiding will produce more abiding in the hearer and the prophet. Evangelism born from intercession...Acts 2 evangelism...doesn't result in followers of Peter, it results in followers of Jesus! The good fruit of evangelism born from a zealous interaction between the evangelist and the Savior adds people to the Lord, not a teacher, denomination, or particular fellowship.
Acts 5:14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
Lawlessness is one of the biggest problems in the end time Church. Lawlessness IS the spirit of the antichrist! Many IN the Church, because they won't first take their place as intercessors, but would rather spend their time in more "high profile" positions (they want to be seen as powerful before men more than seen before God), will actually lead the people in the end time churches astray by their lawlessness:
Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
True power comes from tarrying with God. Intercession is not a one way street. Intercession is a conversation WITH God, not at Him. It is the calling...the mandate... on every believer, because intercession is the point of salvation.
All of creation is groaning that the sons of God would be revealed in their casting off of the conversations the world is having with each other, and that they would get alone with the one who has the power to change the world FIRST, and then going about being the change they prayed for SECOND. These are the two greatest commandments: fall in love with God first since He has the power to help people, and help the people second.
Mark 12:30-31 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Many are tempted to skip the first and jump right to the second. This is the spirit of the Harlot: doing the stuff of the Bride without first abiding in loyalty...covenant relationship... with the Groom. It takes God to love people. Subscribing to anything less is arrogance, because it presumes the agent of change has the power to change. We don't have the power. We have the privilege to intercede for change. God has the power. We have the privilege of interceding on behalf of the situations that need the power to the one who has the power.
Prayer IS humility, and humility is greatness in the kingdom that will never end!
Luke 24:46-49 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
We must remember this "interceding first" plan is the only formula for the kingdom to come. The church doesn't need to engage "the intercessors", it needs to join them!
Daniel was one of the most powerful prophets in his day. He was one of the greatest governmental leaders in church history. He was one of the most righteous men in all of Babylon in His day, but Daniel saw himself as an intercessor first, and all the rest flowed out:
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
Intercession is important to understand. Jesus LIVES to make constant intercession:
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
To be Christ-like is to be an intercessor. Literally everyone is called to be an intercessor. The measure you actually intercede is the measure you are Christ-like. Jesus lives to make intercession!
The ministry of intercession is service to God and man. God looks for intercessors, and mankind desperately needs intercessors. All of creation is actually groaning that the intercessors would be revealed!
Romans 8:19-23 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
This passage is really talking about intercessors. To intercede is to talk to God about a situation that needs to be addressed. It is to "step into the conversation".
Intercession is the privilege of family. The throne room of God is highly ordered. Not just anyone can step into this place and talk to the Ancient of Days. It is only the blood of Jesus that bought our entrance.
Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Intercession MUST be the power behind EVERY ministry office and calling. Everyone who is in the family of God is supposed to be an intercessor. A good apostle is primarily a good intercessor. A good evangelist must first be a good intercessor. Without intercession as the engine, no teacher or pastor can truly operate in power.
This is one of the best stories of evangelism, prophecy, and teaching, by one of the first apostles, and it begins with intercession:
Acts 2:1-7, 14, 37-38, 41 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? ... But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words... Now when they heard this (Peter's evangelistic testimony) , they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ... Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
Three thousand souls in one day is some power evangelism, but it was born out of steady intercession. That is what Jesus instructed His first pastors, prophets, apostles, teachers, and evangelists to do: wait and intercede for a while before you even try to "do the stuff"...because the true stuff IS intercession!
The pastoring, prophesying, teaching, sending, and saving is simply the fruit of intercession that will blossom in agreement with God after the seeds of intercession have been planted.
Intercession is simply talking to God about what needs doing and tarrying for the answer! It is abiding, and it happens in truth by the Holy Spirit:
John 15:1-4 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
Intercession is an activity all believers must grow in order to bear more fruit. In fact, any attempt to bear fruit... to do the ministry stuff...apart from intercession runs the great risk of being done in lawlessness. Lawlessness is operating in the spiritual realm apart from the abiding Jesus insisted upon.
False prophets prophecy out of their own heart. The FRUIT of their prophecy...not whether it was true, but rather the response it produces in the prophet and the hearer... reveals whether the prophecy was born out of the place of intercession... first stepping in to the conversation with God..or if it was done on the fly and God's name was just "stamped" on it.
Matthew 7:15-16 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
Fruit that comes from abiding... with intercession being the means of obtaining the fruit... produces MORE abiding! The seeds in an apple produce apple trees. The seeds in oranges produce orange trees. The fruit that comes from someone who actually intercedes...who actually abides...produce more of the same abiding in both the minister and the recipient of the ministry!
Good fruit drives you deeper into the conversation with God, it doesn't replace His divine instruction with some person's idea of what you should do.
Prophecy born out of abiding will produce more abiding in the hearer and the prophet. Evangelism born from intercession...Acts 2 evangelism...doesn't result in followers of Peter, it results in followers of Jesus! The good fruit of evangelism born from a zealous interaction between the evangelist and the Savior adds people to the Lord, not a teacher, denomination, or particular fellowship.
Acts 5:14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
Lawlessness is one of the biggest problems in the end time Church. Lawlessness IS the spirit of the antichrist! Many IN the Church, because they won't first take their place as intercessors, but would rather spend their time in more "high profile" positions (they want to be seen as powerful before men more than seen before God), will actually lead the people in the end time churches astray by their lawlessness:
Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
True power comes from tarrying with God. Intercession is not a one way street. Intercession is a conversation WITH God, not at Him. It is the calling...the mandate... on every believer, because intercession is the point of salvation.
All of creation is groaning that the sons of God would be revealed in their casting off of the conversations the world is having with each other, and that they would get alone with the one who has the power to change the world FIRST, and then going about being the change they prayed for SECOND. These are the two greatest commandments: fall in love with God first since He has the power to help people, and help the people second.
Mark 12:30-31 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Many are tempted to skip the first and jump right to the second. This is the spirit of the Harlot: doing the stuff of the Bride without first abiding in loyalty...covenant relationship... with the Groom. It takes God to love people. Subscribing to anything less is arrogance, because it presumes the agent of change has the power to change. We don't have the power. We have the privilege to intercede for change. God has the power. We have the privilege of interceding on behalf of the situations that need the power to the one who has the power.
Prayer IS humility, and humility is greatness in the kingdom that will never end!
Luke 24:46-49 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
We must remember this "interceding first" plan is the only formula for the kingdom to come. The church doesn't need to engage "the intercessors", it needs to join them!
Daniel was one of the most powerful prophets in his day. He was one of the greatest governmental leaders in church history. He was one of the most righteous men in all of Babylon in His day, but Daniel saw himself as an intercessor first, and all the rest flowed out:
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
Comments
Post a Comment
I appreciate your comments.