A thorough study of the bible, as well as church history, will prove that
fervent intercessory prayer preceded every notable spiritual awakening
throughout history. The reason for this is really very simple; that which
is truly born of God must be an act of faith, birthed by the Spirit.

John
3:6

…That
which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the Spirit
is Spirit!

1
Cor 1:29 NKJV

…that
no flesh should glory in His presence.

Whenever
the church, individually or collectively, becomes apathetic towards prayer
and no longer makes intercession its first priority, it is a sure sign
that the church is no longer focused on its God given mission.

Intellect
and good organization alone are not capable of birthing the supernatural. It’s
a God thing! Fervent, consistent prayer is the catalyst for
everything spiritual! Whatever is not born of prayer, no matter how it may
appear, is not born of God. If the church is truly the church, it must
have the supernatural. “These signs shall follow them that believe,”
Jesus said. (Mark 16:17)

Fervent
prayer is the divine incubation of every spiritual potential and
possibility. Without it, what could have been and should have been will
only die. To sow the things that are born of the flesh will only produce
that which is corruptible. If there is going to be a reaping of spiritual
blessing and promise, that which is planted must have a spiritual
beginning.

Intercession…
It’s A God Thing

Before
proceeding in this lesson, would you take a moment and personally reflect
on the following questions?

1. What should be the position of the church in this
   post-modern world?
2. Is the church just supposed to be content with the
   permission to exist and conduct business, or have we been divinely
   called and positioned by God in this world to be an aggressive,
   powerful force of influence and evangelism?
3. Is the “Whole
   Gospel to the Whole World” really a mandate from God or just a
   cute cliché?
4. Is it realistic to believe that God desires to give
   the church both locally and world wide an end time harvest? Does this
   include the local church and field that you serve in?
5. Do you have a world view of the harvest, or is it your
   tendency to only see the church through the needs of your local
   setting?
6. What should the church be doing while horrific
   atrocities are being wrought against humanity everyday through out the
   world?
7. Do you ever personally weep over cities and nations
   that are still untouched by the gospel?
8. Do you ever weep over your own city?

These
are all questions that I have personally been challenged by and earnestly
prayed about over the past several years. At the core of every question
however, is a glaring reality. The
church is a God thing! Because of this, everything that is spiritual and
supernatural flows out of fervent effectual prayer!

First
of all Prayer

1
Tim 2:1-5 KJV

Therefore
I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in
authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness
and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of
the truth.

The bottom line
purpose for intercession is two-fold…

1.    
For salvation to be made
available to all mankind.

2.    
For the propagation of the
only truth that has the power to liberate man.

What
a mandate from God! First of all prayer, supplications and intercession
are made for all men! Did the apostle really say that? I fear that many
churches are not actively engaged in the ministry of intercessory prayer
even though God made HIS word so clear.

The
ministry of intercession (to mediate) is the divine connection that
empowers the word we preach.  Intercession
releases spiritual authority and dominion over the unclean spirit world.
Both divine connection and spiritual authority are necessary.

A clear
understanding of both purpose and urgency is key to any effective
endeavor. No ministry in the church should feel more urgent to act than
the intercessors. Intercessory
prayer is not limited to just a few, it’s
a God thing, and should be actively and aggressively employed in
every church and in every harvest field in the world.

Intercessory
prayer must not be the plan used when all else fails; but the first order
of business before all spiritual planning!

It is
this writer’s firm conviction that the ministry of intercession is the
most neglected yet the most needed ministry of the last days. The church
will never reach its potential harvest without an active, aggressive army
of intercessors who are not afraid to engage in battle with the enemy. It
is not the preparation for spiritual warfare; it is the actual battle
itself.

In
intercessory prayer, the intercessor is in perfect alignment and unity
with God. God is literally praying through them. The intercessor simply
becomes a channel or conduit for God to flow through. True
intercessory prayer is a God thing!

Rom 8:26-27 KJV

Likewise
the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should
pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for
us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth
the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because HE maketh
intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The
Church Was Born

It has
been said that the church was born out of a seven-day prayer meeting in
the upper room at

Jerusalem

. While that is true, the process started long before. Before Jesus
ever began HIS earthly ministry, HE spent forty days and nights in fasting
and fervent prayer.

During
HIS three and one half years of earthly ministry, the scriptures record
that Jesus would go out early in the morning before dawn to pray. It is
also recorded that at times HE would spend all night praying, which was
the case before HE selected the twelve apostles. These biblical accounts
are more than recorded history of the prayer life of Jesus. They reveal a
powerful spiritual truth that the Twenty-First Century church desperately
needs to understand and practice.

NO
MAN… NO INTERCESSOR… NO HARVEST!

In the

Kingdom
of

God

, there is no substitute for fervent, daily prayer. The ultimate
expression of our faith as Disciples of Christ is found in our commitment
and consistency to prayer. As the body of Christ, the church must pray
to effectively carry out HIS ministry and advance the

Kingdom

of
God

on the earth.

Jesus,
as the Creator, understood both the natural and the Spiritual laws of the
harvest. As the man Christ Jesus, HE knew HE was called to be the
intercessor that would prevail over the powers of darkness and enable
salvation to be available to all mankind. Jesus was not complacent in HIS
responsibility, but knew that HE was called to be the intercessor that
would break the strongholds of the enemy and enable the church to be born.
Let me explain…

The
deplorable condition of a backslidden

Israel

as recorded in Isaiah fifty-nine should be a warning to us all. As bad as
their sinful condition was however, it seems that what shocked God the
most was not their sin, but the fact that there
was no man to intercede for the people and cry unto God for the
restoration of Truth. Would you prayerfully consider a few more
questions with me?

·      
Are their intercessors in your local church?

·      
If so, are they actively engaged in their God given calling?

·      

If not, why not?

·      
Could it be that God is shocked at the church of this
generation because there are very few men and women who are willing to be
consistent in their commitment to be an intercessor?

This
small writing is not an exhaustive study on the ministry of intercessory
prayer. How ever I would like to offer a few key points that need to be
understood to be an effective intercessor. When the ministry of
intercession is not active in a local church or field of labor the
following will prevail…

·      
Demonic strongholds will remain unchallenged and gain
strength.

·      
Corruption will rule over government leaders at all levels.

·      
Violence will erupt in what once were peaceful
neighborhoods.

·      
Divorce and broken homes will become the norm.

·      
Life will become devalued; forsaking the elderly and
aborting the unborn.

·      
The prayer rooms, pulpits and altars of our churches will be
bound, making evangelism extremely difficult.

·      
The minds and hearts of people will become easily deceived
by seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

·      
Healings, miracles, baptisms and Holy Ghost infillings, will
become the occasional exception and not the norm.

Unfortunately,
each of us have already seen and experienced these things. Is this God’s
will or is it the result of not heeding God’s warning by making prayer
and intercession a “First
of All” priority and plan in the church? I choose to believe
the latter. But, I also believe that God is able to reverse the process
just as quickly if the church will give itself to fervent prayer.

 2 Chronicles 7:14-15 KJV

If
my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray,
and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from
heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now
mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attend unto the prayer that is made
in this place.

Jesus
the Intercessor

Jesus
became the missing man and intercessor for the world that was destined to
hell. As an intercessor, HE opened the door of salvation to whosoever
will.

 Isaiah 59:16-18 KJV

And
he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no
intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him…

 Luke 22:41- 44 NKJV

…And
He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and
prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from
Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” 
Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And
being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great
drops of blood falling down to the ground.  

Four Key Points…

All
true intercessory prayer comes from a deep love and burden for the lost.

·      

Jesus understood HIS calling as an intercessor and knew it
was the only hope people had to be saved.

·      
HIS victory as an intercessor in the
garden
of
Gethsemane

enabled HIM to have victory at
Calvary
.

·      
HIS victory at
Golgotha

was the final battle that broke Satan’s power over everyone who
believes.

 Hebrews 2:14-15 KJV

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also
himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might
destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver
them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

·      
Intercessory prayer is the front lines of spiritual warfare
to the Church. It invades the spirit world where humans cannot go and
deals with life and death.

Intercessory
prayer is often very intense and even agonizing.

“…being
in agony, He prayed more earnestly.”

·      
The same burden that Jesus felt in the

garden

of
Gethsemane

is felt by the intercessor. From inside of the intercessor comes deep
groaning and tears, the natural language being by-passed. This is HIS
burden and the spiritual watering that is necessary for harvest.

 Psalms
126:6 KJV

He
that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed , shall
doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

·      

In intercession, the Spirit of God is literally praying
through the intercessor.

 Romans
8:26-27 KJV

…but
the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which
cannot be uttered.

“…With Groaning too deep for
words.” (The Amplified)

True
intercession exceeds the boundaries of human compassion and reaches into
the realm of Divine Love and
Burden.

·      
Only when the Holy Spirit is praying through the intercessor
is it possible to feel what Jesus felt when HE laid HIS life down to bring
a Church into this world. The intercessor is able to feel HIS passionate
love for lost humanity.

·      
The upper room at Pentecost became the spiritual birthing
room where the First Century church was born.

 Isaiah
66:8 KJV

…
For as soon as

Zion

travailed, she brought forth her children.

·      
What a promise! As soon as the church travails
(intercession), spiritual babies will be born.

Angels
are quick to assist the intercessor.

·      
Jesus needed the ministry of angels and so do we.

·      
They are sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation.
(Church)

·      
God created angels for the purpose of assisting HIM in
carrying out HIS eternal plan.

·      
God has armies of angels divinely positioned and ready to
minister for HIS Church. We are not waiting on God, God is waiting on us.

 Psalm
24:6-10 

…Who
is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in
battle …Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the
King of glory. Selah.

• “Jehovah
  Saboath” ~ The Lord of hosts, or the Lord of armies who does
  battle for HIS people. This title is used two hundred and sixty times
  in the scriptures.

God is ready. HIS angels are ready. Is
the Church ready?

 Hebrews 1:13-14 KJV

…Are
they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who
shall be heirs of salvation?

The
LORD is willing and ready to fight for the Church that will exercise their
faith through the ministry of intercession.

To conclude this writing, I
would like to share six final points to help you better understand and put
into application the ministry of intercession.

1. Intercession
is a specific calling that God gives to certain individuals in every local
church or field of labor. While everyone can intercede in prayer, there
are those HE has called specifically into a ministry of prayer. It is
their primary gift.

2. The intensity,
passion, and need to pray will at times consume the intercessor. With the
gift comes a deep burden and passion to pray. The prayer closet becomes
their most familiar place. The intercessor will not always know why they
feel like they do, they just know they have to pray!

3. The
intercessor will not always know or understand who or what they are
praying about. Praying in our own language is often times our burden.
Praying in the SPIRIT is God’s burden. Sometimes its Spirit-led
language; other times it’s groanings that are too deep for words.

 I
Corinthians 14:14

For
if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is
unfruitful.

4. When the
intercessor is engaged in either warfare or travail, it’s not just
emotion, but a deep sovereign work of the Spirit. Therefore, pure faith
becomes your prayer partner. You are ONE with HIM and in perfect unity
with God! Let the Holy Ghost pray until HE releases you.

5. Because of the
physical intensity that often comes with intercession, you must not
confuse this with your devotional prayer. Your physical body can not take
continual intercession, any more than a woman could have a baby every day.
It must be Spirit-led prayer. God will give you seasons of rest. Don’t
be alarmed or feel you have failed!

·      

Let God choose the level of emotion HE wants you to pray
with, as well as the intensity. True intercession is the Spirit of God
praying through you. Therefore, God allows you to feel HIS burden and
passion.  

·      
It will not be something you have to force. Use wisdom. The
anointing is always with you and is always ready to strengthen you when
you are needed.

·      
When you come out of your prayer closet of intercession,
come out with joy wearing a smile on your face. An unsaved world does not
understand our burdened faces.

6. The
intercessor must pray. There is no calling in the

kingdom
of
God

that Satan fears more, or God hears more!

Have you been
called to be an Intercessor?  Would
you be willing and available to pray if HE would ask you too? 
If so, would you take time to tell HIM… right Now?