02/19/2018
How do you view those who don’t know God and who have no relationship with Jesus Christ? Do you walk past them and look for a tender spot in the heart of others, or do you begin to pray for their salvation? When a fellow believer falls on hard times, do you say a quick prayer and then go about your life, or do you sincerely pray for their relief every day? We say we want to be like Jesus and yet so many of us don’t follow Him in one of His most basic characteristics... we don’t intercede in prayer for others. Jesus is the Great Intercessor.
“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”Romans 8:34 ESV
Are your prayers perfect? Do you ask God for the things of consequence in your life with flowing oration and carefully chosen words? Do you tell Him about what He has promised in His Word as if you are holding Him legally accountable? Well, if you are thinking these things then quiet yourself, and listen to what Jesus and the Holy Spirit are praying on your behalf. That’s right... your pride in prayer and self-assured piety is being hammered out and reformed before the throne of God. Jesus is sweeping away the formality and drawing a picture for God of what you are keeping hidden in your heart... of what is being covered up by your conceit. Jesus is the Great Intercessor.
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”Romans 8:26-27 ESV
If you are a parent there have probably been times when your child has said something that required you to intercede and translate what they said into what they meant. Jesus does that for us all the time! He listens as we pray and cringes until at last He steps in and says “Father, he really meant to say...” we think we know exactly how to ask but quite often our words fall short. Jesus is the Great Intercessor.
Then there are the times when our heart is breaking, and we are speaking to God as we should; we are baring our souls, and humbling ourselves before God. Our tears are wetting the ground before the throne, and we don’t have the strength to pick ourselves up. It is in times like these that Jesus intercedes for us in power and strength. He stands before God and lifts up our need in a way that we are too weak to attempt. Jesus is the Great Intercessor.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”Psalms 147:3 ESV
And there are those who know in their hearts that they would like to have a relationship with God and His Son Jesus Christ... but don’t know how to take that next step; how to pray. They stutter, and stumble to find the words, until at last Jesus steps forward and allows their heart to give their spirit voice. He leads them in prayer and perfects it before the throne. He massages hard hearts and heals the wounds that are impediments to our pilgrimage. Jesus is the Great Intercessor.
“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”Hebrews 7:25 ESV
Have you ever sat next to someone in church and watched the tears stream down their face? Have you wondered what was breaking their heart, or troubling them so mightily? What did you do? Did you quickly look down and say a quiet little prayer that God would help them? Did you place your hand on their shoulder and say “There, There”? Did it make you feel good that at least you had spiritually done something?
Well, the next time you are in that position, or perhaps know of a problem someone is having, or see a person who needs to find Jesus, or a soul facing any number of calamities or hardships... pray for them! Not the kind of prayer that makes YOU feel better because at least you made God aware that they were there, but the kind of prayer that is founded on a sincere love for them. Pray the kind of prayer that you would like for Jesus to pray for you if you were in their shoes. Intercede in prayer alongside Jesus... who I guarantee is interceding for them at that selfsame moment. This person might be a vile sinner, or a suffering saint... it doesn’t matter; sinners can be saved, and saints lifted up. Jesus doesn’t worry about getting His hands dirty or mixing with the lost; He doesn’t look for a person’s saintliness before interceding for them... and isn’t that wonderful? Have you looked in the mirror today? I mean, have you really looked?
If we want to be like Jesus we need to do those things that He does... we need to learn from His actions. If we can do that... then it is enough. Are you doing enough as you intercede in prayer for others?
“It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master...”
Matthew 10:25 ESV
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who intercedes for me before your throne. I thank you for His lessons in intercession that guide my prayers for those around me Father. Help me to know the words to speak as I lift up my neighbor. Let your Holy Spirit guide me in my prayers as I bring sinner and saint alike before you. Give me a heart to focus my eyes as I look into the hurt and needs of those who are lost to you, or that seek your face. Help me when I strain to see in the dark places of a sinner’s soul. Give me clear vision in the night so that I can find those fetters that are binding them, and keeping them from you. Circumcise my heart Father, and give me a burning need to serve those around me in prayer. Sinner or saint; friend or foe... help me as I pray for them Merciful Father. Let your Holy Spirit dwell in me as my prayers of intercession inoculate those who are ill with you Word, and those sick with sin with the gospel of Jesus.
Great are you Merciful Father, and greater yet is the grace you pour over us. Your Son Jesus is our Great Intercessor... teach me to that my being like Him might be enough. Holy, Holy, Holy art thou Lord God Almighty! Praised be your name forever!
Rich Forbes