Tag Archives: all kinds of prayer

INTERCESSION, FUNCTION OR OFFICE?

Prayer, ,

Let’s chat a little bit about intercession.

Some parts of the church have been taught and have begun to believe that intercession is a specialised part of prayer. They believe that intercessors are people who have been called to a special ministry; they are anointed to be “intercessors” in an office called “intercession”. They are the specialists who dig into the unseen realm to find out what’s going on there.

When crises arise in the family, church, or country, we must call in the “intercessors” to deal with the situation. They will discern and “pray against” the evil spirits causing the problem. They will “take authority” over principalities and powers and command them to leave “in Jesus’ name”. They will pull down their strongholds and and take them captive to obey Jesus!

How Biblical is this teaching and practice? Is intercession a separate office or function in the church, together with apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers?

First, nowhere in the New Testament, not even in Paul’s masterful description of the way the church functions, in Ephesians 4, are intercessors part of Jesus’ gifts to the church.

Ephesians 4:11 NLT
[11] “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.”

This group of people Jesus “gifted” to the church are to train the members of the church to use their spiritual gifts for the good of all.
They all work together to move the church as a whole towards spiritual maturity.

Ephesians 4:12-13 NLT
[12] “Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. [13] This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.”

Instead of an office or spiritual gift, intercession is listed as an integral part of the “all kinds of prayer” that Paul urges all believers to pray.

Ephesians 6:18 NIV
[18] “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 Lord’s people.”

Paul specifies to Timothy some of the “all kinds of prayer” he is to pray for all people…

1 Timothy 2:1 NIV
[1]” I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people… “

It seems, then, that prayer is the general description of our interaction with God, and “all kinds of prayer” the various ways and purposes for which we engage with the Father.

What is intercession, and who are the intercessors?

An intercessor is one whose specific function is to act as a mediator or go-between, between God and people, to stand in the gap and represent people to God.

A true intercessor must have access to the Father as well as to those he represents. He must understand both parties he represents. He must make a valid case for the one he represents. He must seek God’s favour on behalf of those he represents.

There are examples in Scripture of people standing in the gap for others before God. In fact God is looking for those who will comply but…in Israel’s case,

Ezekiel 22:30 NLT
[30] “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.”

Sadly, God was obliged to judge Israel because there was no one fit for the task of interceding for them.

Who, then, are the intercessors God has appointed to represent us before Him?

Only two in all of Scripture qualify, Jesus for us and the Holy Spirit in us.

Jesus qualifies to intercede for us because He will never die again. Unlike the earthly high priests in Israel’s religious syistem, Jesus is our eternal intercessor.

Hebrews 7:23-25 NLT
[23]” There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. [24] But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. [25] Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.”

Jesus qualifies to represent us to the Father because He is one of us.
He came to earth as a true human, born of a woman and born to live and die under God’s law to free us from its curse.

Galatians 3:10 NIV
[10]” For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

Galatians 3:13 NIV
[13]”Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”

Jesus experienced life just as we do.

Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV
[14]”Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. [15] For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. [16] Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Jesus qualifies as our intercessor because He shed His blood for us.

Jesus is qualified to intercede for us because He presents His own blood to the Father as an atoning sacrifice for sin.

1 Timothy 2:5-6 NLT
[5] “For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. [6] He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.”

The Holy Spirit intercedes in us because He takes our bungled prayers and reinterprets them to the Father. He helps to us understand and regulate our walk in righteousness on earth.

Romans 8:26-27 NIV
[26″In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. [27] And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”

Can you see, then, that Jesus and the Spirit are the only ones who hold the office of intercessor. This is their ministry on behalf of humans who would otherwise have no right to approach the Father. Jesus stands before God for us; the Holy Spirit represents us to God because He is in us.

All of our “intercession” is part of the “all kinds of prayer” we are to pray as partners with God in His work of perfecting His saints for their role in glory.

How important it is for all God’s people to play our part according the Word and not, first, addiing to Scripture what is not there and, second, wasting time and energy in useless rituals that achieve nothing instead of encouraging all God’s children to partner with Him in managing the earth as He decreed.

Through prayer, we commune with the Father, we speak, He speaks, we learn to discern His will, and we partner with Him, again, through prayer, in His, work of administering His kingdom on earth.

Did You Know (1)

Apologetics, , ,

DID YOU KNOW (1)

…That intercession is not a “spiritual gift”?

It’s amazing to me that intercession has become the special ministry of a select few instead of the privilege of every child of God. What is even more astonishing is that it is now, according to some, both a title and a calling. Is there any verse or passage in Scripture that confirms this idea? I have yet to find one.

In fact, the Bible says the opposite. Prayer (and intercession is one kind of prayer) is the honour and privilege of all God’s children.

I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger and disputing (1 Tim 2: 8).

The Greek word for “men” here is aner which refers specifically to males. Does this mean that only men may pray? Paul affirms in Gal. 3:28 that there is neither … male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. We assume, therefore, that prayer is the privilege of all God’s children regardless of colour, culture, or gender.

Although people of every religious persuasion “pray”, there is no true prayer outside of God’s family. Prayer is the way God’s children who are flesh and blood and live physical lives in a physical world, interact with the Father who is spirit and dwells in the unseen realm.

Prayer is the only way in which we can communicate with Him. Physical we may be, but we have His Spirit within us. We relate to God spirit to spirit as His sons and daughters. Our spirits communicate with His Spirit who interprets our prayers to the Father.

Prayer is a mystery. Through intercourse with God, which the Bible calls “prayer” we participate in the realm of the unseen, hearing the voice of the Spirit within us and responding with or without words to the one who knows us more intimately than we know ourselves. We participate in the “groaning” of the universe which, like the human race is also under the curse of sin, awaiting the completion of the redemption Jesus accomplished on the cross.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies…

…In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans (Rom. 8:22-23; 26)

It seems, then, that prayer is far more intense than simply talking to God. Prayer is the child’s participation with the Father in our role as “rulers” over His creation and the outworking of His purposes to bring about the restoration of all things.

Prayer is the role of God’s sons and daughters who are members of His family and citizens of His kingdom. Prayer enables us to work with Him to carry out His will on earth and bring in His eternal kingdom. Prayer is not the attempt of worshippers, as the pagans do, to manipulate God to do what we want or to appease Him through fear so that he will not destroy us.

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children (Rom. 8:15-16).

Does any other religion, including the cults which have corrupted the truth, offer an intimate relationship between their god and his devotees as father and children? In what way do pagan deities offer their devotees the opportunity of participating with them in the fulfilment of their eternal purposes? Do pagan gods have any plans? Where is their religion taking them?

Of course, there are no answers to these questions. There is only one God in whom all history is wrapped up and makes sense. God not only began history – He will also conclude history as He determined in the beginning.

Rev. 5:1-9 describes the scene in heaven where the scroll of history could not be opened until the Lamb stepped forward. No one knows the meaning of history outside of Jesus. He is the only one who can interpret history according to God’s purposes.

Prayer is the all-encompassing way in which we commune with God. Prayer has many facets – what Paul calls “all kinds of prayer” – and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests (Eph. 6:18a). He enumerates the “all kinds of prayer” in his instructions to Timothy.

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone… (1 Tim. 2:1).

Did you notice that intercession is included in the “all kinds of prayer” and that all God’s people are to engage in intercession as part of our resistance to the enemy?

Why, then, is intercession singled out and made a ministry for some when we are all instructed to pray for all people, and especially for God’s people (Eph. 6: 18b)?

Prayer in all its facets is the privilege and obligation of all God’s people because it is the way God has ordained for us to have personal and intimate fellowship with Him.

Scripture is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my first book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

ISBN: Softcover – 978-1-4828-0512-3,                                                                              eBook 978-4828-0511-6

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or Kindle version, on www.takealot.com  or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

Do you like this post? Then buy your own copy of my book, Learning to be a Disciple, which is also available from www.amazon.com or www.takealot.com in South Africa. You can also order a copy directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com

Watch this space!

My latest book, The Heartbeat of Holiness, will also soon be available

All Kinds Of Prayer

Bible Study, , , ,

ALL KINDS OF PRAYER

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 Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, 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 (Eph. 6:18-20).

Here’s a little gem on prayer for us today.

Prayer is a mystery, isn’t it? “Prayer” plays a part in every religion and yet, in every religious system that worships a man-made god, not the true God of revelation and of the Bible, the pray-ers’ empty words go nowhere and dissipate into the air. Who hears them? Certainly not the non-existent god they worship and certainly not the devil who masquerades as their god!

Prayer in the Bible is very different. It is based on the solid relationship between the Father and His children. God is no creation of human imagination. He is alive and real and has fully revealed Himself to us in His Son, Jesus. He has removed the barrier of sin through Jesus and invited us to be reconciled to Him and to come back into His family as His beloved sons and daughters.

The hallmark of any real relationship is communication. People who love each other talk to each other. The gods don’t talk; they cannot. However, God talks. He has reopened the lines of communication between Him and us. He talks to us in many ways and has invited us to talk to Him. He has also reassured us that He will respond in whatever way is appropriate, for our best and for His glory. Answering our prayers is one way in which He will show the world what He is like.

In this passage of Scripture, Paul indicates that there are different ways of communicating with God. One of the most important ways is by worshipping Him. Expressing to Him our adoration and appreciating Him for who He is and what He does, enables us to focus on the true God, one who is  Creator, sovereign and supreme in the universe, and yet who has come down to our level in the person of His Son to be with us. We did not make Him; He made us.

Every other so-called “god” reflects the ones who created them. They are takers, not givers, demanding, cruel and unpredictable like the ones who invented them. The God of the Bible, the Father of Jesus is a lover and a giver. He gave His only Son to save us from the predicament we created for ourselves.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness (2 Pet. 1:3).

Jesus assured His disciples, during a teaching session on prayer (Matt. 6:5-8), that the Father knows what we need before we ask Him. We have no need to worry about the everyday practical details of our lives because our Father has promised to take care of them when we do what He wants us to do – to live lovingly and generously towards everyone around us under His authority.

Prayer also includes participating in what God is doing on the earth. As God’s children, He wants us to be fully involved in re-establishing His rule on earth. The first pair elected to follow Satan’s suggestion and to throw off God’s authority and His way of doing things in favour of their own and landed the world in the mess it is now in. Jesus came with a message for His people. “God’s here to take charge again. He is putting right everything that went wrong when man rebelled.”

God chose Jesus to be His king (Psa. 2:1-6). Jesus has set up His government on earth again and invites anyone who will trust Him and entrust his life to him to live under His rule – His standards of love, justice, righteousness and truth which work where man’s selfish and greedy rule has failed.

God is a Father. He also loves to be included in our personal lives. He invites us to share the intimate details of our lives with Him. He knows it all, but He wants us to be transparent with Him. This allows Him to help us understand the tough times we go through and the hardships we endure so that we can co-operate with Him in His work in us to make us holy instead of rebelling and mistrusting Him and harming our fellowship with Him.

There are many more facets to prayer but all of them form part of this open, trusting, two-way communication between God and us as Father and children. The Holy Spirit is intimately involved in all of this. He is the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Jesus. He interprets our deepest heart’s cries to the Father, even when we don’t know how to pray (Rom. 8:26-27) and He shares the Father’s heart with us in response.

Paul was aware of his own need for the Father’s grace and power to help him in his difficult task of taking the message of Jesus to a hostile world. Both Jew and Gentile were against God, stubbornly resisting the good news that God loved them enough to intervene on their behalf to rescue them from self-destruction and bring them back to Himself.

“Please include me in your prayers,” he entreated. In some mysterious way, Paul knew that prayer made a difference. God acts powerfully when His people participate in what He is doing. Paul needed courage, boldness and strength to do what God called Him to do. God would give it to Him but in partnership with those who cried out to Him for help.

That’s how intimately He wants to be involved with us in our lives and in His work through us!

Scripture is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my first book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

ISBN: Softcover – 978-1-4828-0512-3,                                                                              eBook 978-4828-0511-6

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or Kindle version, on www.takealot.com  or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

My second book, Learning to be a Disciple – The Way of the Master (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing), a companion volume to Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart, has been released in paperback and digital format on www.amazon.com.

For more details, check my website:

http://luellaannettecampbell.com/

Have you read my blogs on www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com ?