The Intercessory Prayer

There's been much talk about instability in most parts of the world today. When you watch carefully into today's world, there are lots of negative things happening. The world and everything in it is constantly changing. In a flash of a moment disease and calamity of every kind can strike. Terrible things are happening, some of which are because of political instability. According to the Bible there shall be wars and rumors of wars. Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines, and pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places and so much more bad news (Matthew 24: 6-11). But in the midst of these warnings, Jesus said: "See that ye be not troubled..." (Matthew 24:6). Why did Jesus say you should see to it that you're never troubled, despite the negative things you see and hear of? Now, it's one thing to be foretold that what you're witnessing today has been foretold. It's quite another thing not to be troubled by it!

But, if Jesus tells you not to be troubled, then that He would also give you the means not to worry. After all, He promised that He would never leave you nor forsake you! (Hebrews 13:5). But how can you possibly live in a world of chaos and obey His command not to worry? As a student of the Bible, have you noticed that Jesus never demands anything without equipping you to do it? He has given you His Word so that you may increase and expand your faith to change things to suit you. He has made everything you need available so that you can change things in your world. He has already prepared the way and fought the battle on the cross for it. In fact, as you continue reading Matthew 24, you will find the answer: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35). Wow - that is real power. In fact, He upholds all things by the Word of His Power! Hebrews 1: 3. He is holding up all things by His Word.

In other words, His Power is His Word! His Word brought the universe into existence, His Word brought the Kingdom of God to earth, and He 'walked the talk' by putting His Word in action all the way to His resurrection! Every single word He ever spoke came to pass. He does not produce any power that is not already inherent in His Word! That means that every promise He has for you, His child, is equally true. "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father..." (Revelations 1:6). Even though Jesus has made us Kings and Priests unto the Father, I want to share with you about the priestly ministry only, as far as the prayer of intercession is concerned. We shouldn't pray only for ourselves but our nation and world as well. After all, Jesus said, "...all things are yours" (1 Corinthians 3:21). There are even places in the world that forbid the preaching of the Gospel but God has called you and I to stand in the gap to change things.

Are you also aware that ministers of the Gospel are imprisoned in certain parts of the world for preaching the message of salvation? "Why did God let it happen?" This is the question most people ask rather than "why did I let it happen?" As a Christian, you must realize that it is your to responsibility intercede for others. "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD" (Ezekiel 22:30-31). From what we just read, God wanted the prayer of a "single soul" to change His mind for a nation but He found none. So let's make it a point to pray more for others than even ourselves.

We're also to make it an habit to pray for lost souls around the world because God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). Proverbs 11:25 says, "Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered." This means that the one you prayed for wouldn't be blessed while you are not. It puts it simply: you will be enriched and watered as well. This is just too big, I tell you. But do you know that there are believers who are always praying for peace and security in the world? Yes! They pray earnestly, because they want the well-being of the world. "I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth" (Isaiah 62:6). Never be silent because Christianity is for talkers! You can't really get a hold of what belongs to you if you don't open your mouth to claim it.

If you've been interceding for people and the world at large, God richly bless you! The world is where it is because of you. God's Word says, "Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'" (Joel 2:17). Jesus even continues to make intercession: "Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save complete those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them" (Hebrews 7:23-25). I want to share with you one of the greatest miracles that took place as a result of an intercessory prayer.

"So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating." When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying" (Acts 12:5-12). The scripture is above human perception. Notice this miracle took place as the church interceded for Peter in prayer. Today, if you'll go down on your knees and intercede, pray for peace and the well being of your nation and the world at large, you will change things! What is wealth in a world without peace? God expects us to intercede for people and our world at large. Let's examine some scriptures about the prayer of intercession. "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18).

Now you're of a higher advantage if you pray in tongues because the Bible admonishes us here to pray in the Spirit at all times. That's praying in tongues! If you don't know or would like to learn about tongues speaking, you can learn about it from one of our articles. The Apostle Paul says, "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words" (Romans 8:26, ESV). I really love this translation of the scripture. The fact is that as human beings we don't know how to pray properly! That's why we were given the gift of tongues so that we may have a perfect communication with the Father (God). Notice the scripture says "...the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words." Hum! This means those groaning are bigger than words, they carry the dynamite of God!

No matter how articulate we seem to be, we're still limited as far as we pray in our understanding. The King James Version says, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity." While we are waiting in hope, challenges and temptations may come but the Spirit is a helper of our weakness. It not only strengthens us, but helps us in prayer. We know not what we should pray for as we ought. We often do not know, in our ignorance, what is best. This is especially true in the times of the greatest trial. It was even an experience of our Lord in extremity (John 12:27-28) and of Paul (Philippians 1:22, 23). Now notice this: But the Spirit itself, The Spirit himself. Observe the climax: The creation groans; we ourselves groan; the Spirit himself groans. The Spirit within us intercedes by groaning which are his, in that they are prompted by the Spirit. It is neither in himself, nor in the substance of the Eternal and Blessed Trinity that he groans, but in us because he makes us groan.

When Bible said the Spirit helps us pray with groanings which cannot be uttered, it meant speechless groanings! You see, when you pray in tongues, you may be praying for things you don't even know about, you may be interceding for somebody. The Spirit knows everything about you so He prays to God on your behalf. On this account He acts as a searchlight! I love the way the Amplified Bible puts it, "And He (God) Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the Holy Spirit what His intent is, because the Spirit intercedes and pleads before God in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will" (Romans 8:27). Recently, a man who died in Ghana happened to find himself in heaven and came back to life. He said as he was there, he saw groups of angels so he asked them why they had gathered in groups. When he got to one of the groups, he was told they were there to answer the prayer of the righteous.

No wonder the Apostle Paul said, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels" (1 Corinthians 13:1). In other words, there actually tongues of angels. As we speak in tongues, we're giving angels command. I'm not saying you shouldn't pray if you don't speak in tongues but I encourage you to pray in tongues. So there are a particular group of angels in heaven who are just there to hear our prayers. One thing you've got to know is that God has given the world to us and whatever we choose to allow will happen. When we sit by doing nothing, something will surely happen and take notice we wouldn't like what will happen. God has given us the power to rule the world. As one preacher said, "it appears as if God would do nothing until we pray." I love this statement so much! There are actually angels in heaven who are in wait to hear the righteous man's prayer.

So we ask, who's the righteous man or woman? We have a wonderful article about we being the righteousness of God. I encourage you to read it. 1 Timothy 2:1-3 says, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour." Any chaotic activity that takes place in a nation depends on the decisions that those in authority take and execute; that's why Bible admonishes that prayers and intercessions be made for those in authority. Doing this will create an atmosphere of peace and happiness. In verse 3 it says, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour."

That means it's God's will that we pray for our leaders and God's word says, "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" (1 John 5:14-15). So let's believe and pronounce our prayers answered, for it's God's will and He'll always answer when we take Him at His Word! Finally, may the Spirit of the Lord rest upon you more abundantly. Remember you're an offspring of God (Acts 17:28), so you carry the very nature of God. Just as God spoke and creation came into being, you can also speak and create a suitable atmosphere for yourself and the world at large.

Rule Your World!