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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