11/15/2025
When God is working in another’s life do we get in His way? Are we one of those people that is referred to as a “fixer”, but who lets Himself get out of control on a regular basis? Do we find that in our attempt to repair a situation we come between God and the miracle He is about to perform? Do we let our own will and intellect overreach its bounds? Well, if so, then get ready to be corrected... and to quite possibly hurt the very soul we are intending to help.
“Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.”
John 21:21-22 KJV
There is a popular poster that reads “lead, follow, or get out of the way!” but when we are dealing with Jesus, and God, only they can lead, and if we aren’t prepared to follow then they will ask us to get out of the way! If we are uncertain about what we are meant to do then we should go to your knees in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. Pastor Oswald Chambers wrote these words about such occurrences...
“It takes a long time to realize the danger of being an amateur providence, that is, interfering with God’s order for others. You see a certain person suffering, and you say—He shall not suffer, and I will see that he does not. You put your hand straight in front of God’s permissive will to prevent it, and God says—‘What is that to thee?’ If there is stagnation spiritually, never allow it to go on, but get into God’s presence and find out the reason for it.” - Oswald Chambers
God seeks out intercessors, but to personally intercede where the Lord doesn’t need or want us to do so is very dangerous. So, as an intercessor we should first and foremost pray as the person who is seeking intercession asks (unless it is against scripture) and then wrap our requests with the plea that God’s will be done. Stepping into another person’s spiritual life by using our own reasoning and intellect is asking for trouble, we are removing ourselves from the role of intercessor and inserting ourselves as counselors or fixers... these are very different things. If we feel led to counsel or repair a life then we must be certain that the Holy Spirit is leading us in that endeavor.
“Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.”
1 Samuel 12:23-24 KJV
The Lord will use us on occasion to fix a life, but we need to be certain that we are being instructed to do so and that we aren’t interfering with His efforts that are ongoing. Pastor Chambers speaks of feeling God’s desire for us, and the danger of counseling without His permission in this way:
“When we are consciously being used as broken bread and poured-out wine, there is another stage to be reached, where all consciousness of ourselves and of what God is doing through us is eliminated. A saint is never consciously a saint; a saint is consciously dependent on God.” - Oswald Chambers
And when we are used by our Heavenly Father, and not by your own will or intellect, we will also be blessed along with the brother or sister for whom we are interceding...
“But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”
Jeremiah 29:7 ESV
Inserting ourselves into God’s business is a trap that is easily fallen into. We want to please, and our God is so great in His ability, that we might make the false assumption that He wishes to heal someone, or increase them, and that we can help Him, but sometimes that isn’t His intention at all. Quite often God chooses the underdog... the least favorite or likely from a human perspective. This is a mistake that we face in using our own intellect… Our reasoning would be to select the strong when God’s plan is to lift up the low. The Lord desires the lowly man who can pray over the wise man who is quite possibly lost in self-assuredness.
“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:26-29 ESV
It is difficult to discern the will of God, especially by employing our own intellect. Quite often our logic and His are moving in different directions. Sometimes we let our emotional response to a situation get in the way of God’s plan. To avoid such instances, we need to tune ourselves to the will of God, and if we should ever find that we are attempting to take the lead, or that we are playing out of sync with Him, we should seek Him in prayer immediately. How embarrassing the situation is when God asks us “what are you doing?” or “what is this to you, haven’t I told you before to follow me?” Lest we be embarrassed and corrected we need to obey God’s Word to the letter, and to seek His will before we chart our course.
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for allowing me to intercede in the lives of others through prayer. Thank you too for directing me when it comes to physically helping people from time to time. Holy Father, teach me to follow your will in each of these moments, and to know intuitively when to act, and when to fall-in behind you and watch as you lead. When I find myself following, you are always teaching me about yourself, and for this I am grateful. When you are about to perform a miracle in the life of one of your children, woe be it for me to complicate that matter by getting in your way, or even worse, that I should try to capture the glory that is rightfully yours. I pray that my intentions in intercession are always successful in representing the desires of the needy to you, and that I never step into the midst of a miracle that you are working on their behalf. Help me Father to support your efforts when you ask, to take the lead when you desire, and to step back and watch when you are about to do something amazing and awe inspiring. You are greater than I can imagine, and the complexity of your will is far beyond my ability to understand, so help me Lord to know my little part in it (if I have one), and to witness in awe your mighty handiwork. Far be it that I would think myself wise as I stand before you. Let me praise you always and lift you up before all men as I cry out “Holy, Holy, Holy, this is my God Almighty who is perfect, wise, and good in all things!”
Amen!
Rich Forbes