Thoughts for Life: #85 A Profile of Personal Intercessors

C. Peter Wagner shares with us
from his book, PRAYER SHIELD:
In the not-too-distant past I would
not have been able to explain
what a personal intercessor was.

Over the last few years, however, I have come to realize they are the elite in the Kingdom of God.

They are the green berets, the Phi Beta Kappas, the Olympic teams of God's community.

In fact soon after forming my own team of personal prayer partners I went through a period when I was both intimidated by the intercessors and envious of them.

I recall one particular morning when I was struggling with this matter before God in prayer. I said, "Father, please give me intimacy with you like I am seeing in these intercessors. I want to be like them"

Then came one of those moments that are few and far between for me, but daily bread for true intercessors, when I clearly heard God speaking to me in response to my petition.

He first told me to take my pencil
and draw three steps, which I
promptly did.

God then showed me that the
intercessors are on the top step,
and I am on the middle step.

Multitudes are on the bottom step.

He said that the intercessors are too high to reach down and help many who are on the bottom step.

He told me that He wanted me to be one of His middle-step people who are in close touch with the intercessors, but who also will help many people move up the stairway.

He said that many whom I do help from the lower step to the middle step will then move on and pass me.

I sensed that I heard God say my task was not to minister in His throne room, but to be outside the throne room helping others to come nearer.

Those who are already in the throne room will be a major link in bringing me closer to God.

God assured me that I do have clear access to Him. He affirmed the priesthood of all believers. Access to Him is not the question, but the degree of intimacy is.

He showed me that His family is large and that He loves all His children. His perfect desire and calling for each child is to be in the place where they will be the greatest blessing to all.

Not all of His children are as yet in the place He wants them, but He seemed to assure me that I was in exactly the place where I was supposed to be, and that I was to rejoice in it rather than to fret over it.

I realize I do not always hear God as clearly as I should, but I believe that was one of the times I did. I was greatly relieved.

Not that I wouldn't like to an intercessor—I would. I would also like to be a guitar player, and airplane pilot, a major league shortstop, just to name a few.

But that is not who I am. Knowing that I am not an intercessor helps me relate to intercessors all the more creatively.

I now know enough intercessors and know them well enough to see a profile emerging. Not that every intercessor would score a "10" on each one of the items, but when the cumulative total is added up, they will score higher than most people.

The Profile

Because of the nature of this particular book, the profile is naturally biased toward personal intercessors rather than general intercessors or crisis intercessors, but in general it will apply to all.

#85 A Profile of Personal Intercessors,

in the series taken from C. Peter Wagner’s

book, PRAYER SHIELD, How to

intercede for pastors, Christian leaders

and others on the spiritual frontlines.

(pgs. 161-163) by Regal Books

Let’s pray:

Father, whether we are on the top step, or not, may we be ready to pray!

Fill our minds and hearts with the desire to support out leaders in what You've called them to do.

It is such a blessing to watch them prosper in their faith, and to see them excel in their calling.

May our faith grow, as we observe their advancement in their abilities in the Kingdom's missions.

In the lovely Name of Jesus, Amen.

Today’s Bible verses: Prov. 15:23 "A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!"

Rom. 11:29 "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."

Rom. 11:29 NIV "for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable."

Today’s quote: Rachel Held Evans - “You don’t have to turn to Proverbs 31 to find women of valor. You can turn to Sarah, Deborah, Esther, Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, Mary of Nazareth, Martha, Priscilla, Phoebe, and Tabitha too. And you can turn to the women of valor in your life and around the world who are bringing their unique gifts, insights, passions, and callings to bring hope and healing to the world. That’s what it really means to honor Proverbs 31.”

Some thoughts today: Persevere in what you're doing. Do you have things getting in your way? Draw on God's resources, and keep going!

- Recognize self doubt, and deal with it. Let God's Word re-train your mind to think like He does. Ps. 92:12-15 tells us that the righteous will flourish. Believe it, and walk it out. Feel the fear, and do it anyway!

22nd- Thursday’s post: #86 The Gift of Intercession C. Peter Wagner

24th- Saturday's post: Encouragement Matters! Cathy Baker

25th- Sunday's post: Shout HALLELUJAH! Dave Roper

25th- evening's post: Christ in the Storm David McCasland

A popular post: Breaking Strongholds in Cities
Dutch Sheets tells us, Abraham successfully interceded for a city
(see Gen. 18:22); Moses for a nation... Exiles from Jerusalem

were told to intercede for the cities they now lived in.