Friday 27 April 2018

INTERCESSORY PRAYERS: THE RIGHT APPROACH


Have you ever wondered why God came down heavily upon those who complained in the wilderness after they came back from their voyage of the Promised Land? Sometimes, it seems reasonable to complain or murmur and many times God forgives such and at times He did punish those who complained. Low level Christians murmur and complain when things are not right, middle level Christians stay silent, they recognize God’s sovereignty over the affairs of men and will submit to fate not faith. It takes a matured Christian not to complain, not to resign to fate but to respond to situation and circumstances through intercession.

Who is an Intercessor?
Intercessors are not primarily those who are preoccupied with their own personal lives. They are neither depressed nor anxious about their own lives as much as they desire the will of God done. Intercessors cherish the privilege of standing before God as the utmost in their lives. Such a privilege they will never surrender to anything else no matter how threatening even their lives could be. Our Lord Jesus Christ has shown intercessor in John 17 as He himself faced impending death; He decided to intercede for His disciples. There are times for personal prayers but much more there are times for intercessory prayers.
Intercessors are not only praying for few minutes and cast their mind off, no, as they attend to their daily assignments, their hearts are connected to God for petition to remind God of His word, His mercy, His power, His love etc. Nothing delights the heart of an intercessor as much as the dealings of God upon him/her. He sees God honouring him with answered prayers, divine delights and unique revelations. Intercessors are those who stand in the gap for others.

Benefits of Intercession
One of the profound advantages of being an intercessor is God’s mark on one.
Ezek 9:4-6 “ and the Lord said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it." 5 To the others He said in my hearing, "Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. 6 Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were before the temple.”  I have come to know this through a practical life experience. Intercessors are dear to the heart of God.

Intercession shows our obedience to God  
(1 Tim 2:1,3)Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. Intercession therefore fulfills the biblical mandate God has given us.

Intercessory prayers lead to revelation
As we found out with the Abraham, God knew Abraham to be an intercessor and God had to reveal to him what He was about to do. Abraham did not disappoint God, he pleaded with God concerning the righteous people in Sodom and God replied every request he made. Gen. 18: 16-33

Conclusion
Each of us must remember James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. It is the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man that avails much. Intercessor must maintain, the righteousness God gave them through Jesus and must be quick to confess their sins if they sin.  
According to William Martin, 1878, In the warfare that is raging. …God needs people brave and true: May He then depend on you?  May the Lord depend on you? Loyalty is but His due; Say, O spirit, brave and true, That He may depend on you.

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