Thoughts for Life: #16 What Is Intercession?

Alvin Vandergriend- When we move from petition (praying for ourselves) to Intercession (praying for others), we are shifting the focus of prayer. We need to pray for ourselves so that we may receive all that God intends us to have. We also need to pray for others as an ace of self-giving love. (Google image, Family praying together)

The dictionary defines intercession as "acting between two parties; begging or pleading on behalf of another; mediating." An intercessor is a go-between, representing one party to another. In intercession, believers go before God and make requests on behalf of others.

Jesus' story about the friend-in-the-middle portrays the role of the intercessor. This friend-in-the-middle has a friend-in-need who comes at midnight, and he has a friend-with-bread. Unable to meet the need of his midnight guest, this host goes to his other friend and pleads boldly and shamelessly till he receives what he needs. What he receives he carries back to his friend-in-need. He is a go-between.

The position of the friend-in-the-middle is the position of an intercessor, who pleads with one who has much on behalf of one who has nothing. In other words, intercessors labor before God—the Friend-with-bread—and plead with Him on behalf of those who need the bread of heaven.

In the ongoing work of God, intercessory prayer is of prime importance. People desperately need our intercessory prayers. Many people are hurting. Many families are dysfunctional. Many churches are stagnated. Many neighbors are living lonely, isolated lives. The majority of people in North America do not have a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And they need far more that we are able to give them.

They need what only God can give. And God chooses to give His good gifts in response to the intercessory prayers of His people. That's where we come in. We can be friends-in-the-middle to God's lost and hurting world.

(pp. 46, 47 in Love to Pray- 40 Day Devotional for Deepening Your Prayer Life by Alvin Vandergriend)

Let's pray-

Father, when friends or family members come to us for help at a "midnight hour," help us to see their need is met by reaching out to those we believe can be of help.

May we be quick to come to You for guidance in how best to answer their request for help.

We praise you that You are our all-sufficient giver of every good gift, so we know that You'll provide what someone needs in answer to our prayer for them. We confess in our lack of persistence for others in the past, and ask that You help us commit ourselves to pray on the behalf of our families, friends, neighbors, fellow workers, church members, and others.

As we think of folks who have needs that we know of, may we write down their names and needs and be faithful to daily pray for them until their needs are met. We pray this is the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.

Today's Bible verses-

Luke 11:5-8 "Then [Jesus] said to them, 'Suppose one of you has a fr8end, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

(v. 7) "Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' (v.8) I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs."

Philippians 4:6 (CSB) "Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Today's Quote-

What Does Philippians 4:6 Mean When it Says, "Pray about Everything"?

Whitney Hopler- "What “pray about everything” means in this verse is to develop a state of mind in which we are turning everything in our lives over to God. Even though we can’t practically verbalize prayers about everything in our lives, we can live in such a way that we’re aware of God’s constant presence with us and we’re trusting God to help us moment by moment."

Words of wisdom-

- When we recognize someone's worthiness to speak into our lives, and we hesitate to obey their instructions, it becomes a sign of our own unwillingness to submit to advice. Until we willingly submit our need of obedience to the Lord Jesus, our whole attitude of life needs to become one that's submitted to Him, even if it comes through friends, family and spiritual leadership.

Our Ambassador to Israel, Michael David Evens' comments:

"David knew what it was like to be hated and to have deadly enemies. Yet in the moments when he could have despaired, instead he prayed and God gave the victory."

2 Samuel 22:4-7 "I call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; In my distress I called upon the LORD and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears."