When Paul received his sight, he also received spiritual insight into the Person of Jesus Christ. His entire life and preaching from that point on were totally consumed with nothing but Jesus Christ— “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” ( 1 Corinthians 2:2  ). Paul never again allowed anything to attract and hold the attention of his mind and soul except the face of Jesus Christ.

We must learn to maintain a strong degree of character in our lives, even to the level that has been revealed in our vision of Jesus Christ.

The lasting characteristic of a spiritual man is the ability to understand correctly the meaning of the Lord Jesus Christ in his life, and the ability to explain the purposes of God to others. The overruling passion of his life is Jesus Christ. Whenever you see this quality in a person, you get the feeling that he is truly a man after God’s own heart (see Acts 13:22  ).

Never allow anything to divert you from your insight into Jesus Christ. It is the true test of whether you are spiritual or not. To be unspiritual means that other things have a growing fascination for you. Since mine eyes have looked on Jesus, I’ve lost sight of all beside, So enchained my spirit’s vision, Gazing on the Crucified.

Do we need any more arguments than these to become intercessors-that Christ “always lives to make intercession” ( Hebrews 7:25 ), and that the Holy Spirit “makes intercession for the saints”? Are we living in such a relationship with others that we do the work of intercession as a result of being the children of God who are taught by His Spirit? We should take a look at our current circumstances. Do crises which affect us or others in our home, business, country, or elsewhere, seem to be crushing in on us? Are we being pushed out of the presence of God and left with no time for worship? If so, we must put a stop to such distractions and get into such a living relationship with God that our relationship with others is maintained through the work of intercession, where God works His miracles.

And we remember that when we are connected, we are not required to do the work of intercession. The Spirit of God and the word of God does it for and through us. Not that we quote the word or even refer to it directly to others,, but that it becomes part of us and part of who we are and how we live. Our open heart toward others is often a miracle created by the Spirit of God as we are connected to Him….we also become connected to all He created and His love pours out through us and our connection. JDV/DJR

Beware of getting ahead of God by your very desire to do His will. We run ahead of Him in a thousand and one activities, becoming so burdened with people and problems that we don’t worship God, and we fail to intercede.

However, when we are connnected to God and His Word, His Spirit and power can run through us so that we never seem to feel burdened. When His will becomes our will…. there are no burdens.  JDV/DJR

If a burden and its resulting pressure come upon us while we are not in an attitude of worship, it will only produce a hardness toward God and despair in our own souls. God continually introduces us to people in whom we have no interest, and unless we are worshiping God the natural tendency is to be heartless toward them. We give them a quick verse of Scripture, like jabbing them with a spear, or leave them with a hurried, uncaring word of counsel before we go. A heartless Christian must be a terrible grief to our Lord.

We know we are connected when we have a heart for others, likewise we know when we are not connected…..JDV/DJR

Are our lives in the proper place so that we may participate in the intercession of our Lord and the Holy Spirit?……Probably not. It is natural for our hearts and lives NOT to be in the proper place so that we can intercede for others. However, we know that when our hearts are not in the right and proper place, the Spirit of God can make that adjustment as soon as we let go of our own will and embrace His. When we are connected to Him it feels and is so easy.  JDV/DJR