Intercession is a mighty weapon for God's children. One need only look at the Bible to see how men and women changed the trajectory of entire nations by getting on their knees to stand in the gap. In our modern times, intercession remains an important weapon for transforming individuals, families, businesses, countries and all manner of situations.
When we bow before the Lord as intercessors, we place ourselves in striking distance, ready to take the punishment that would have been meted out to somebody else. We plead with God to have mercy on that person as He would have on us. After all, the word states in James 5:16 - ... The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Thank God for Jesus, the Great Intercessor and Most Righteous One, who remains at the right hand of God, advocating on behalf of each of us against the accusations of satan. He remains the model we must emulate.
Although God has made room for the ministry of intercession, He expects each of His children to have a relationship with Him. This means, the prayers of an intercessor are not a replacement for an individual building intimacy with the Lord. We cannot primarily depend on the prayers of their Big Mama, the intercession team at church, or anyone else. God doesn't want His children to think they can contract out their personal prayer needs to people with a presumed "direct line" to Him. That attitude causes some to believe they don't need to put in the work and time to draw closer to God, whereby they themselves become powerful intercessors.
God has called his children to be intercessors but not prayer contractors.
Some of us don't want to obey God's instructions and rather have a prayer contractor tarry on our behalf instead. That, brothers and sisters, is wrong, no matter how convenient it seems. God expects all of us to follow His commandments and live godly lives. Failure to do so can limit not just our prayers but those of intercessors praying on our behalf. Consider the stern warning contained in Ezekiel 14:16, 18 and 20. The Lord stated that even if Noah, Daniel and Job pleaded on behalf of their nation, they would only be able to save themselves and no one else. Keep in mind that these men were beloved by the Lord. Noah was chosen as the only man to survive the flood. Daniel was so loved that God sent angels through heavenly battle lines to personally give him answers. And Job was described as blameless in the Bible. A man who held on to God despite his painful trial and came out of it with double for his trouble.
So, why did God say He wouldn't hear the intercessions from these men? Because God's people, at that time, had turned away from Him to serve false gods. They no longer believed He was all they needed and in their pride, they practiced a mix and match type of religion. They bowed to the gods of the peoples around them and went to God's Temple to worship Him as well. God was not pleased.
If God said He wouldn't listen to intercession lifted on their behalf, then we must be careful to not repeat the mistakes that created that situation. We must strive for a close relationship with the Lord, knowing that we join intercessors in prayer not seek prayer contractors to do the hard work.
Please, let us not be confused. This message is not telling people not to pray for others or intercede. No. The lesson here is that each of us needs to build ourselves up in the Lord so that we are not deprived of the blessing of intercession. Each of us has a direct line to God's ear and He wants us to use it at all times. For that to happen, we need to take steps - no matter how small - to build our intimacy with Him. Reading our Bible a little more, shedding ourselves of the sin habits that create distance from Him, and praying for others, not just our personal needs.
May the Lord help us as we grow in Him. All by His grace and to His glory, IJMN, Amen.
CLOSING PRAYER
Glorious God, I bow before Your throne. Thank You for today's gathering. Thank You for keeping the distractions from destroying our fellowship. Thank You for this grace and the many other blessings You send our way.
Take all the glory, Lord. For You alone deserve all the praise.
Help us to take today's lesson seriously. That each of us will strive to grow in You no matter what we've experienced with You already. We cry out for a second touch, and a third and a fourth and many more for You are our everything. Glory be to You oh Lord.
Guide each of today's participants. Let Your voice lead them on the path of righteousness. Be their shepherd that they will hear and answer You, not the voice of the stranger. Build in each one the capacity to stand before You as intercessors who shake the heavens. All to Your glory. Help each one to not fall into the snare of becoming or seeking a prayer contractor. Let all who have ears, hear, IJN, Amen.
LAST 10 MINUTES
Are you the sort of person running around looking for prayer contractors when things go wrong? A prayer contractor is a person who is willing to pray for you in your time of need. A person who will not necessarily pray with you. And that's the point - you're looking for someone to do the hard work for you.
If you've ever been this person, today is the day to stop.
God has called you to talk to Him. To put your trust in Him and Him alone - not some occult practice or object, and definitely not in a prayer contractor.
Sure, a prayer warrior can be very helpful in your journey toward victory but remember the journey is yours. And, it is a journey you must walk with the Lord.
Let us call on the Lord to heal our attitude and give us a perspective that locks our eyes on Him and nothing else.
Good Father. You are my God and the one to whom I come to. Lord, for every time I have taken my eyes off you and sought help from people, I repent. For every time I have sought help from things, I repent. For every time I have sought help from systems, I repent.
Lord, You are the source of everything good and I come to You for what I need and want. Just as You said I should. Lead me to godly people who will pray with me and support me in my walk with You. Let me never think I can rely on another person's grace but instead grow in You so Your grace and anointing on my life can increase to Your glory and by Your grace. That I too will become an effective intercessor for someone else. IJMN, Amen.
*From GH* - God I would like to pray specifically for my little niece, please keep her heart and soul pure. She knows “ You can’t hide from God!” ❤️ I pray with every cell in my body that you fill her with the Holy Spirit for her entire life. I am brought to tears even saying this prayer right now because it means so much to me God. Please protect her from this horrible world. Please keep her safe always. Please let her know the truth of you. Please let her come to you with prayer. Please help me be a good role model and Mentor to her once I move closer to her next month and in our weekly video bible study. God I ask this with everything I have in my heart. In Jesus Christ name I pray amen.
Good God. You who made the earth and all that is in it. Praise be to You, God who owns everything. Thank You Sovereign Lord for being almighty and all-sufficient. To You be all the glory, IJN, Amen.
Ezekiel 36:29-30 - I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will summon the grain and make it plentiful, and I will not bring famine upon you. I will also make the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field plentiful, so that you will no longer bear reproach among the nations on account of famine.
Father, the land suffers because of our wrong choices and the devil is pleased. It taunts and mocks that our God cannot bring the rains and cannot bring from the ground what is needed to feed the nations. Lord, for the sake of Your Holy and precious name, we call on You to preserve the greatness and honor of Your name. To not allow the enemy to gloat and claim that it could create famine and the chaos that stems from it.
Therefore, Lord, we call on You to do as You promised in Your word. Cleanse Your people and cleanse the land, IJMN, Amen. In Your mercy and because You protect Your very name, bring about harvest where the land has been written off. Bring food of all kinds to the hungry. Break apart that which serves to prevent food provision. All things hampering food getting to those in need are destroyed now, IJMN, Amen.
Take all the glory, Lord. Thank You for bumper harvests and miraculous provision. Hallelujah!
*From BI* - I Lift up Single parents into God’s capable hands. Lord, bless them and help them to stay strong when they feel tired and overwhelmed. May they always turn to You and Your word for guidance to train their children the way they should go. I pray for a hedge of protection around their mind, body and soul. May they be surrounded with God’s grace and favour IJMN Amen.
Good God, You are the Almighty. Nobody compares to You. Father, thank You for hearing my prayer for people that they come to a knowledge of You as You promised in Jeremiah 24:7. Thank You for giving people a desire for You. Thank You for whetting their appetites for more of You. Thank You for letting hearts clamor for You. Thank You for kindly pouring out Your Spirit on all mankind in accordance with Your word in Joel 2:28. Be glorified, Lord our Redeemer.
Now and forever more, IJMN, Amen.
2 Peter 2:9 - if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
Lord, I call on You to rescue Your godly ones from the trials they face. Jehovah, the Defender, arise. Let Your presence be felt, known and seen. Let it be known that Your children do not serve You in vain in accordance with Isaiah 45:19. Let those who gloat, taunt, and scheme experience the zeal You have for Your righteous ones, IJMN, Amen.
From GH - God I pray for the seeds planted and watered by all of your faithful children’s intercessory prayers to be fully grown and ripened in fertile soil! Let us all go forth and produce the fruits of the spirit!
“And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.””
Matthew 13:3-9 ESV
PRAYER
You know what time it is.
Pull out the names of people you're praying for today.
Write down a prayer about something you saw/heard that troubled your spirit recently.
Lift up people's needs and call on the Lord who answers prayer to answer in a big way.
Thank You for answering prayers. Thank You for blessing in abundance. Thank You for showing that the things I thought were problems are nothing. For absolutely nothing can stand in the presence of my God if He doesn't say so.
You are the God who reigns supreme in my life and in my family. Thank You for the blessings You have bestowed.
Hallelujah!
From GH - Heavenly Father, I just want to thank you so very much for guiding me through the fast and on the other side. It was not easy. I got very sick this morning. And I prayed to you and you restored me, rather quickly. Thank you for your mercies. I want to thank all the beautiful brothers and sisters in Christ who joined me for the intercessory prayer and fasting over Halloween.
Thank you for using me as your servant. I’m excited for more assignments from you. I’m trying to be more like Jesus every day, it seems impossible, but with you all things are possible.
I am astonished that Jesus fasted for 40 days, I could barely make 34 hours! It is a testament to your glory and absolute power on this earth! Glory to you forever and ever and ever. Thank you Jesus for taking that pain and dying on the cross so we could have victory through you! Amen amen amen
*From BI* - I thank You Lord for Your mercy, grace, forgiveness, love, favour, provisions, protection, guidance and discipline.
*From MFC* - Father God, You make the sun rise and fall each day of our lives. We can trust in Your goodness, just as we can trust that the sun will rise again in the morning. Lord Jesus, You are the light of the world. Thank You for the assurance that the sun will come up tomorrow and drive away all darkness in Your name, we pray. Amen.
Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is He! Psalm 99:5
*From GH* - Amen
Lord, thank You for Your grace and mercy upon my life. Despite my failures, You stand by my side. You correct and discipline and leave me convicted to seek Your forgiveness. You give Your mercy so freely and I can shout and rejoice.
So, today I thank You, Lord. Glory be to You alone!
From JL79 -
*From MFC* - Lord Jesus, I cannot begin to express how thankful I am for the things You have blessed me with. I know I am not worthy of the grace You have given me. I have sinned so much, yet You do not turn Your face away from me. Thank you Father for not withdrawing Your presence from me. Thank You for giving me a gracious heart and spirit to reflect upon this new month with thankfulness in Your abundant mercy., in Jesus Name...Amen.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! Psalm 95:6
*From BI* - Thank You Lord for all that You have done for me, all You are doing for me and all You are going to do for me.
*From AC* - Thank You Abba, for this day and new month you have made. I will rejoice and give praise to You and be glad in it. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. Thank You for being patient with me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Thank You, my Heavenly Father for the miracle You have in store for me today. Thank You for doing it in accordance with Your word and Your will.
Thank You for putting everything in place to Your glory and by Your grace, IJMN, Amen.