The call to intercession

    ‘An Intercessor is a man or woman or child-who fights on behalf of others. As such, intercession is the activity that identifies us most with Christ. To be an intercessor is to be like Jesus because that is what Jesus is like.

    He ever lives to Intercede.’ Dick Eastman

    Defining Intercession

    Worship is prayer and Prayer is worship. We are all called to be worshippers of God and we are all called in our walk as Christians to pray and intercede.

    Intercession is not actually prayer. "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men." 1Timothy 2-1. There is quite a clear difference between prayer and intercession. Lets look at the word "Intercede". According to Webster "intercede" means "to go or to pass between parties with a view to reconcile those who differ or contend, to mediate or make intercession; mediation." Jesus was the ultimate Intercessor and through Jesus dieing on the cross. He literally reconciled us to the Father. Intercession is a literal act of mediating between God and man.

    "I sought for a man among them who would stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land" Ezekiel 22:30. We also have examples all through the Bible of God choosing to use man to intercede on behalf of His people, His nations, His land.

    Abraham Intercedes for Sodom Genesis 18: 16-33

    Key verse: "

    And he said (Abraham) Indeed now ‘I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty should be found there?’ So He (God) said I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty." Genesis 18: 31.

    This is an example of Abraham interceding on behalf of these people by asking God to save his people.

    Moses intercedes for the children of Israel Exodus 32: 7-14

    Key Verse:

    Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God and said, "Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with mighty hand." Why should the Egyptians speak and say, He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth. Turn from your fierce wrath and relent from this harm to your people, Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants."

    As this explains what intercession is, you can see we are all called as the body of Christ to pray and intercede. There are, however, like all things, people that God has chosen to specifically use in this area. For example we are all called as a body to evangelise, yet we have evangelists specifically anointed and called to this work. God will equip us with His gifts through our lives with the tasks He has given us to do. So this in essence demonstrates the act of intercession. When we go into intercession we go into warfare. Therefore there are some principles God teaches to prepare ourselves for the battle.