INTERCESSORS

Text: Exodus 17: 1-15, Daniel 9:2-19, Acts 12:1-15
 
Intercessors are those who take the situations of other people to God in prayer. They seek the face of God on behalf of others, that is intercede for them.

'Interceding' is an act of love and this is Christ like. It means to have concern for others, share their burden and take it to The Lord in prayer for solution. It could also be defined as 'acting as a mediator between the concerned and God'. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Ultimate and greatest Intercessor; He closed the gap between us and God and keeps interceding for us in heaven even till now.

Romans 8:34 says, "Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life, is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us". Also in Hebrews 7: 24-25, "But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because He always lives to intercede for them". If Jesus is the greatest intercessor, He expects us to follow His example. Jesus, apart from bearing the sins of many, also made intercession for the transgressors as recorded in Isa 53:12.

The Holy Spirit is also an intercessor as recorded in Romans 8:26-27, "In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness for we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."

 

Brethren, it is the will of God that there are intercessors. The Bible says in Isa 59:16, "And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor". God wondered why there was no intercessor. He actually lamented as implied in Ezekiel 22:30, "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it but I found none". The Bible revealed to us through Gen 18: 23-32 how Abraham tried to intercede for Sodom and Gomorrah when God wanted to destroy it. The Bible says in Gen 18: 22-23, "The men turned away and went to Sodom but Abraham remained before The Lord. Then Abraham approached Him and said will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?" The conversation continued between God and Abraham till verse 32 which says "when The Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left and Abraham returned home." It is not out of place to intercede. Gal 3:29 says we are offsprings of Abraham and if he interceded, then we ought to intercede.

 

Generally intercessors intercede for individuals, ministers of God, the Church, Nations, people in authority, leaders, families, lost souls, the unreached, the saints, loved ones, captives, the sick, those being persecuted and many others. Intercessors could be a group of people, a whole family, a church or individuals. Sometimes people can request that intercessors lift them up in prayers as Apostle Paul requested in Eph 6:19 -20, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. For which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should." He also requested that saints should be prayed for as well. Paul requested for prayers from some Christians in Ephesus and also in Colosse. In Col 3:2-4 Paul instructed, "Devote yourselves to prayers, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us too that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should."

There are examples of individuals, in the Bible, who interceded. Daniel, Moses with Aaron and Hur and the church as intercessors

DANIEL (Daniel 9:2-19)
Daniel interceded for Jerusalem against desolation. The Bible says in Daniel 9:3,"So I turned to The Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting and in sackcloth and ashes." Daniel pleaded through verses 2-19 with God, confessing and asking The Lord to turn away His anger and wrath from Jerusalem. Daniel said in verse 17, "Now our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake O Lord, look with favour on your desolate sanctuary. Verse 19 says, "O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive!, O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your name." Daniel really interceded against impending doom and desolation of Jerusalem. You can be an intercessor; stand in gap for your nation, and nations of the world for peace and for the spread of the gospel.

MOSES (Exodus 17:1-15)
While Joshua was fighting for Israel against the Amalekites, Moses stood on top of the hill with the staff of God in His hands, Aaron his brother and Hur went with him to assist. Moses not only held up the staff but he was also interceding and pleading with God for success and victory. As long as Moses hands were up, Joshua prevailed but anytime his hands were down, the Amalekites prevailed. Aaron and Hur were in support of Moses holding up his arms anytime he was tired. Brethren, you can intercede for someone for victory and success. You can join a group of people to intercede.

THE CHURCH (Acts 12: 1-15)
King Herod thought it would be pleasing to the Jews to kill Peter after he had killed James the brother of John. So he imprisoned Peter with the intention of killing him after the Passover celebration. The church rose up to intercede for Peter through prayers, and the Bible says in Acts 12:5, "Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." The night before Herod was to bring Peter to trial, an angel of The Lord appeared while Peter bound with two chains slept between two solders and a light shone in the Cell. After the angel's interaction with him, the chains on his wrists fell off. The angel led him out of the prison. Even the prison door opened by itself and Peter was set free, then the angel disappeared. People were amazed how Peter was miraculously set free. In the following morning, a thorough search was made and King Herod had to cross examine the guards and ordered that they be executed. God Almighty responded instantly to the intercessory prayers made by the church and Peter was set free. The church has a lot of roles to play. Intercessory prayers offered on behalf of fellow church members is one of them. May The Lord empower his church. Amen.

Brethren, use the gift The Lord has given you to serve others faithfully. You can be an intercessor. To become one, you must be selfless and have a loving spirit that reaches out to others. You must have concern for others even when your own heart may have reasons to become self-preoccupied. You must have burden for people and love to pray for families, church, nations of the world and of course yourself.

Interceding brings you closer to God and makes God to draw closer to you. It also enables you to adopt a holy living since you will have to seek the face of The Lord constantly. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Ultimate intercessor. He will be very pleased if you are one of those doing what He is doing in heaven on earth.

PRAYER-Father in Heaven, thank you for choosing me and bringing me to light. I love to be a blessing to others through intercessory prayers - praying for peace and for the spread of the gospel to nations of the world. Help me, O Lord and grant me the enablement to be a great intercessor. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.