Intercessory Prayer

December 13th, 2012 by JDVaughn Leave a reply »

. . . men always ought to pray and not lose heart —Luke 18:1

 

You cannot truly intercede through prayer if you do not believe in the reality of redemption. Instead, you will simply be turning intercession into useless sympathy for others, which will serve only to increase the contentment they have for remaining out of touch with God. True intercession involves bringing the person, or the circumstance that seems to be crashing in on you, before God, until you are changed by His attitude toward that person or circumstance. Intercession means to “fill up . . . [with] what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ” (Colossians 1:24), and this is precisely why there are so few intercessors. People describe intercession by saying, “It is putting yourself in someone else’s place.” That is not true! Intercession is putting yourself in God’s place; it is having His mind and His perspective.

As an intercessor, be careful not to seek too much information from God regarding the situation you are praying about, because you may be overwhelmed. If you know too much, more than God has ordained for you to know, you can’t pray; the circumstances of the people become so overpowering that you are no longer able to get to the underlying truth.

Our work is to be in such close contact with God that we may have His mind about everything, but we shirk that responsibility by substituting doing for interceding. And yet intercession is the only thing that has no drawbacks, because it keeps our relationship completely open with God.

What we must avoid in intercession is praying for someone to be simply “patched up.” We must pray that person completely through into contact with the very life of God. Think of the number of people God has brought across our path, only to see us drop them! When we pray on the basis of redemption, God creates something He can create in no other way than through intercessory prayer.

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December 19, 2011 (Reprise Journal Entry from 2011)

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, this devotional suggests that I make the decision about  who needs  compassion and who does not. I am not certain I am capable of making  that kind of decision. In fact my history says I am not even remotely (and never will be) capable of making that kind of distinction. When people are in  need I suspect I must simply trust You to lead me to my calling.

And God says…”That is  exactly right, when you encounter people in need of Me; you are to rely on Me to respond through you. You are not capable of making those kinds of  distinctions. Trust in Me and simply be available. Trust  in Me with all your heart  and I will make your path straight. When you have absolutely no idea what to say or do for a person that needs Me, simply trust Me and place yourself on My  alter. Let Me deal with them through you; simply be available. Acknowledge Me  in all your ways, and I will make your paths straight.”

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