Beware of thinking that intercession means bringing our own personal sympathies and concerns into the presence of God, and then demanding that He do whatever we ask. Our ability to approach God is due entirely to the vicarious, or substitutionary, identification of our Lord with sin. We have “boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.”Spiritual stubbornness is the most effective hindrance to intercession, because it is based on a sympathetic “understanding” of things we see in ourselves and others that we think needs no atonement.

We have the idea that there are certain good and virtuous things in each of us that do not need to be based on the atonement by the Cross of Christ. Just the sluggishness and lack of interest produced by this kind of thinking makes us unable to intercede. We do not identify ourselves with God’s interests and concerns for others, and we get irritated with Him. Yet we are always ready with our own ideas, and our intercession becomes only the glorification of our own natural sympathies. We have to realize that the identification of Jesus with sin means a radical change of all of our sympathies and interests.

Vicarious intercession means that we deliberately substitute God’s interests in others for our natural sympathy with them. Am I stubborn or substituted? Am I spoiled or complete in my relationship to God? Am I irritable or spiritual? Am I determined to have my own way or determined to be identified with Him?

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May 4, 2015

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, Dave and I agreed that we really did not grasp the significance or the issue of vicarious intercession as outlined by Oswald Chambers. Clearly, if we follow our own ideas, sympathies, or preconceived notions of what is good for others we will miss the mark. However You have also been teaching us that is the case for everything we examine, or act on in this life, is it not? You have been teaching us to surrender our own ideas, thoughts and actions on every topic to You. That we are not to use our own un-surrendered notions as the basis for anything we do or decide not to do. It is our understanding that You would have us live a life day by day, hour by hour and minute by minute that is concentrated and focused on being surrendered to You, connected to You,  and curious about how You will live through us and meet all our needs.  You have shown us that through this process of being surrendered and connected, we will receive the strength and power that allow us to be obedient. And when we are not obedient, You provide the love, grace and mercy to fill the gaps.

And God says…”Trust in Me with all your heart and do not rely on our own ways and means and I will make your paths straight. Delight yourself in the Lord and I will give you the desires of your heart. Seek first the kingdom of God, which is Jesus and I will provide everything else you need for this life…..”

“When you are surrendered to Me it means you trust Me to meet your needs. You trust Me to be the God of your life. When you give up (surrender) your own notions of what you and others need for your lives, and trust Me with the ways and means, you are living a life of faith. You understand that My ways are not your ways, and while you may not understand the outcomes, you do trust Me to be God in your life and in the lives of others.”