serving God through intercessory prayer

 

Intercessory prayer is prayer made to God on behalf of another. It could be prayer offered to God by a group for an individual; by an individual for a group; or by an individual for another individual.

EXAMPLES OF INTERCESSORS

Abraham

Intercessory prayer started in the Old Testament. The first recorded intercession was made by Abraham, who “stood in the gap” (a metaphor used in the scriptures to describe intercession) for Sodom and Gomorrah. He stood before God to plead that He would not annihilate them. He used the character of God as his proof that God should not pour his wrath on the people.

            In intercession, the onus is on the intercessor, (which is like a lawyer in a spiritual law court seeking an injunction in favour of his client) to prove his case. This is done by the use of spiritual constitution- the truth of God’s word, which attests to his nature.

Job

Another example of an Old Testament intercessor is Job. He prayed for his friends, averting the wrath of God from them. In this situation the prayer of Job for his friends preceded his own release of healing. The bible records that God restored the fortune of Job after he prayed for his friends. Praying for his friends was a key to his own restoration.

Samuel

Samuel the prophet concluded that he would be sinning against God if he fails to pray for Israel. For Samuel, interceding or Israel was not an option but an obligation. It was part and parcel of his prophetic authority in Israel. Samuel’s sphere of authority as a Judge and Prophet includes all of Israel.

            You own everyone under your authority prayers of intercession just as Samuel owed the Israelites. Husbands, you owe your Family. Bosses, you owe your subordinates. Leaders, you owe your followers. Don’t commit the sin of omission by failing to pray for those under your authority.

Daniel

Another example of intercession in the Old Testament was Daniel. Daniel argued with God based on words of prophecy in the scriptures. Daniel found a promise in the Bible that was yet to be fulfilled in the life of the Israelites- the promise of their return to their former land. The intercession of Daniel was coupled with fasting to press home his demand. It also involves identification with the sins of the Israelites and thereby seeks forgiveness for their sin of idolatry. (This was the reason that caused God to send the Isrealites on exile in the first instance.)

            Daniel’s example modeled how to intercede for a land or a people. IDENTIFY WITH THEIR SINS AND CALL ON GOD FOR MERCY IN ALLIGNMENT WITH HIS TIMING.

Nehemiah

Nehemiah had the passion to see the walls and gates of Jerusalem rebuilt and he also included fasting with his prayers of intercession just like Daniel did. Also like Daniel, he identified thoroughly with the sin of Israel which had resulted in their woes and he sought God to change the situation of the Israelites. Passion for a course therefore is a requirement for effectiveness in intercession.

Elijah

Elijah is another example of a passionate intercessor. The Bible recorded that he prayers were fervent, meaning that it was loaded with intense passion to see God make a change in Israel. 

Moses

Moses interceded for the Israelites in order to avert the wrath of God. He was willing to give up his life for the welfare of the Israelites. He put their welfare and comfort above his. This definitely is a prerequisite for an effective intercessor. Moses was a first class intercessor. An intercessor must have a selfless mindset - an attitude of taking others interest as more important than his personal interest. Moses was in the class Jesus Christ himself who gave up his life for the benefit of the whole humanity to curry the favour of God on our behalf.

 

SERVING GOD

            Serving God as an intercessor involves having your prayers used by God to bring his will to pass on the earth and in the life of others. A perfect example of this in the New Testament was Epaphras. He prayed that the Colossians should stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. It goes to show that if something is God’s desire or will, the intercessor should pray for the fulfillment of such in the life of others.

            An intercessor could also be used by God to pray preventive prayer, just as Jesus (the ultimate intercessor) prayed for Peter- that his faith would not fail.

If God does not need us to stand in the place of intercessory prayer, the plea- your kingdom come, would not be included in the Lord’s Prayer. God wants us to focus our praying that his desires and decisions come to be fulfilled all around us.

Are you concerned about the will of God and not just your own will? Are you permitting yourself to be used by God (just like Epaphras was used) to pray that his will be done on earth? Can God depend on you to get his will done? Will you engage more in praying that his will be done in another person’s life?

In The Lord’s Prayer we see the phrase- “let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” So our intercessory prayer serves God in that it is the channel for making his will done on earth. His will includes peace and the abundance of life.

Before Jesus was born, Prophetess Anna was prayed.  Before Peter was miraculously released from prison, the church prayed. Before Barnabbas and Paul went on their missionary journey, a prophets-teachers team prayed and fasted for them. Before appointing spiritual leaders in the churches they founded, Paul and his team prayed and fasted towards it. And before the Israelites were restored to their native land, Daniel prayed. All these good things happened not just because God wanted them to happen, but because some people cared enough to intercede on behalf of others that the will of God be done. Do you care like they do?

Start serving God today by making sure that his will is done (enforcing his will like as a spiritual law enforcement officer) through intercessory prayers. The reward is sure. He surely rewards those who seek that his will be done.

 

 

Conclusion

To serve someone means to help them achieve what they want. If God wants something, you can help him get it by being involved in his plans and purposes through prayers of intercession. Stay strong in intercession. Serve God via intercessory prayers. God’s peace is with you.