![]() ![]() ![]() Life lived fully in awareness of this closeness makes Jesus famous. When intercession impacts us personally, its power and poignancy spread outward. “If we are going to have the right kind of fellowship and relationship with God in prayer, we have to understand that we are in His very presence.” Unbelievers mistrust this statement until they witness the results of deep faith in and love for God a life organized from the top-down, where other people matter.Ī faithful intercessor is like a human chain between the Father and his prodigals. God says, “Before they call I will answer while they are still speaking I will hear” ( Isaiah 65:24). Even when believers choose to pray only in private, there is something different about those who develop a habit of heartfelt prayer. They listen to Christians talking to God. Faith precedes this step, and where does it come from? Before believing in Christ for salvation, we see how others engage Jesus in their own lives. God is always present in our lives and aware of our needs, but we must invite him into our struggles. Doesn’t God Already Know What Everyone Needs? He spoke up for everyone: Believers who followed and then abandoned him Pharisees, Roman soldiers, and spectators. ![]() “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” ( Luke 23:34). Paul was following the standard set by Christ, who petitioned God for the sake of others even as he hung on the cross. Paul gives “thanks to God,” and finds hope “in our Lord Jesus Christ.” He asks for prayer to do God’s will, not for an easy life. Paul demonstrated that the most pressing needs and desires among God’s people start with God’s glory. Paul was moved and encouraged by prayer on his behalf. We all need intercession, even believers. “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfast hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” ( 1 Thessalonians 1:2). He told the church to pray for one another with “supplications and thanksgivings,” ( 1 Timothy 2:1), and he prayed for them too. Paul exhorted the church to pray that he would boldly declare the gospel ( Ephesians 6:19). Source : Attributed to the Latin Church Intercession in Scripture (from 2 Chronicles 20:15)Ĭreate in me a pure heart, O God. Give us peace in our time, For there is no one who fights for us but you, O Lord. ![]() Save your people, and bless the people that belong to you. Show us your mercy, O Lord, and give us your salvation. Believers are able, by this gift alone, to bring the needs of other people before God through Christ. We owe him everything and we deserve condemnation, but by his grace we are free. However, God is right, and we are sinful. Christ is one with God ( John 10:30).įurthermore, mediation suggests compromise or middle ground. But God is love, and Christ did not defy him. Christ would be the hero, defiant towards an unloving Father, not part of the Trinity fulfilling the Father’s plans for his people. This understanding makes God sound like the playground bully. That’s why we pray “in Jesus’ name” because it’s by His sacrifice that we are made righteous and can approach the throne of God.Ī modern understanding of “intercession” can include “mediation” or “standing up to” someone. The Hebrew “ paga” means “to fell,” or “attack,” but also “meet” or “make supplication.” The Greek was translated as “petition” and “intercession.” Our English word “ intercession” is derived from the Latin for “to come between,” which means both “obstruct” and “to interpose on behalf of” someone. When the veil was torn, we were given intimate and immediate access to God, but he also assigns us the responsibility of praying for other people. This is how we communicate with him, and one way he communicates with us. Prayer is an essential part of a Christian’s walk with God. ![]()
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