The doctrine of intercession.

[AGTG]

I am going to lay out a very simple line of logic based upon scriptures regarding intercession.

First, every believer should make intercession for the brethren (emphasis mine):

1 Timothy 2
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,

Second, we don't always know what to pray for because our scope of vision is so myopic. Or, as Lou would say, we're blind without Jesus giving us sight:

Romans 8
26 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. 27 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.

So we can see two simple truths: Verse 26 shows we're too blind to know what to pray for ourselves at times, so the Spirit helps us. Verse 27 shows that God takes intercession to whole 'nother place with us as He will help us intercede for the saints according to His will.

Praise God for making provision for our weaknesses when it comes to intercession! This is beautiful. God has made it simple for us. The only thing that remains is our freewill.

I say that because experiencing the Spirit interceding through us can be hard to bear. There's an anguish in Father God's heart for His people and His creation that will manifest in a powerful emotional response within our own hearts. That's not exactly comfortable.

Now I'm not talking about working up an emotional response based upon our own feelings here. I'm talking about God's heart manifesting within ours and His Spirit praying out what He wants to pray. This can arrest one's heart and drive them to their knees to cry out on behalf of someone they don't even know, have never met, and have no love in their heart for. Even if our minds can't articulate what God wants, the very groaning of the Spirit through us is enough.

It's kinda like praying fervently for someone you really love and care about. We know that can come easily because our souls are knit together with theirs, but it's Father God's soul who is knit with His children that manifests. It can be painful to experience, but if we are willing to lay down our lives and submit to Father God's will in this, He will use us to pray out His purposes. We come into agreement with His heart and will.

David Wilkerson spoke of such intercession. It's an anguish that overwhelms you and drives you to cry out to God. Here he is speaking on this anguish:

I share these simple ideas to encourage anyone reading this to submit to Father God to be used in such a way. Are we willing to allow God to break our hearts for what breaks His heart?

And even now, at such an hour, knowing what's going on around our world, now is such a time to submit in this way to God. The Body is being persecuted and attacked in such great measure.

Consider this scripture:

1 Cor. 12:26a
26 If one member suffers, all suffer together;

Is this scripture true? We know it is. But is it true in our hearts? Are we living this out? Are you willing to suffer the anguish of Father God's heart for the benefit of a brother or sister across the world?

[Lou Newton]

God's call for us to sorrow over the sin we see around us

I am going to lay out a very simple line of logic based upon scriptures regarding intercession.

First, every believer should make intercession for the brethren (emphasis mine):

1 Timothy 2
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,

Second, we don't always know what to pray for because our scope of vision is so myopic. Or, as Lou would say, we're blind without Jesus giving us sight:

Romans 8
26 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. 27 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.

So we can see two simple truths: Verse 26 shows we're too blind to know what to pray for ourselves at times, so the Spirit helps us. Verse 27 shows that God takes intercession to whole 'nother place with us as He will help us intercede for the saints according to His will.

Praise God for making provision for our weaknesses when it comes to intercession! This is beautiful. God has made it simple for us. The only thing that remains is our freewill.

I say that because experiencing the Spirit interceding through us can be hard to bear. There's an anguish in Father God's heart for His people and His creation that will manifest in a powerful emotional response within our own hearts. That's not exactly comfortable.

Now I'm not talking about working up an emotional response based upon our own feelings here. I'm talking about God's heart manifesting within ours and His Spirit praying out what He wants to pray. This can arrest one's heart and drive them to their knees to cry out on behalf of someone they don't even know, have never met, and have no love in their heart for. Even if our minds can't articulate what God wants, the very groaning of the Spirit through us is enough.

It's kinda like praying fervently for someone you really love and care about. We know that can come easily because our souls are knit together with theirs, but it's Father God's soul who is knit with His children that manifests. It can be painful to experience, but if we are willing to lay down our lives and submit to Father God's will in this, He will use us to pray out His purposes. We come into agreement with His heart and will.

David Wilkerson spoke of such intercession. It's an anguish that overwhelms you and drives you to cry out to God. Here he is speaking on this anguish:

I share these simple ideas to encourage anyone reading this to submit to Father God to be used in such a way. Are we willing to allow God to break our hearts for what breaks His heart?

And even now, at such an hour, knowing what's going on around our world, now is such a time to submit in this way to God. The Body is being persecuted and attacked in such great measure.

Consider this scripture:

1 Cor. 12:26a
26 If one member suffers, all suffer together;

Is this scripture true? We know it is. But is it true in our hearts? Are we living this out? Are you willing to suffer the anguish of Father God's heart for the benefit of a brother or sister across the world?

Thanks so much Jeff. This is a sobering message, and well should be. I was struck by the truth of these words of David:

I LOOK AT THE WHOLE RELIGIOUS SCENE TODAY,

AND ALL I SEE ARE THE INVENTIONS AND MINISTRIES OF MAN AND FLESH.

IT'S MOSTLY POWERLESS. IT HAS NO IMPACT ON THE WORLD

AND I SEE MORE OF THE WORLD COMING INTO THE CHURCH AND IT IMPACTING THE CHURCH,

RATHER THAN THE CHURCH IMPACTING THE WORLD.

The truth of these words are so true and so sad.

Grace to you,

Lou Newton
Bond servant of Jesus

[Blane]

Intercession through fervent prayer is a high calling

I've come to learn over the years that God always calls in one or more intercessors whenever He raises up a work or a ministry. They often work behind the scenes and pray in the middle of the night, or whenever the Spirit compels them to pray. The enemy works tirelessly to derail and destroy every true work of God. Sometimes it's in subtle ways, like sowing dissention among brethren, or moving the ministry away from the true gospel of Jesus Christ into legalism and works.

Thanks for starting this thread, Jeff. Great thread topic. I look forward to hearing David's video clip later today.

Blane

[Lou Newton]

Jesus is a man of sorrows

This anguish that Jeff and David are speaking of does not just come with intercession. I have felt that same sorrow, that was far beyond my ability to bear from prophecy, or revelations from The Lord Jesus.

John speaks of this sorrow that is from coming to know Jesus on a deeper level:

Philippians 3
10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Isaiah 53
. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

We do not understand what our Creator and our Savior went through to save us. He was mocked and killed by His own children, The same ones that He had blessed over all others.


He had labored for all the ancient days of the creation. He made everything that men needed to have life abundantly. He had cared for them and preformed miracles for them down through the ages. He had watched men persecute and kill the few that served Him and prophesied the messages that he gave them. These men even wrote these down for all to be able to read.

He went into great detail of how He would die for man. But when he came no one recognized Him without Him preforming miracles to make them believe. Most would not even believe even with the miracles.

I do not understand His suffering until something happens in my life that causes me great pain. Then He speaks to me and shows me how much worse His pain was because His children did much worse to Him.

For I deserve any pain I get, but Jesus was totally righteous and did not.

Suddenly I am overcome with such sorrow I can not bear it. And I say, Lord Jesus, is that what it was like ?

These moments bring change to a man's life.

Grace to you
Lou Newton
Bond servant of Jesus

[Jules]

Thanks so much Jeff. This is a sobering message, and well should be. I was struck by the truth of these words of David:

I LOOK AT THE WHOLE RELIGIOUS SCENE TODAY,

AND ALL I SEE ARE THE INVENTIONS AND MINISTRIES OF MAN AND FLESH.

IT'S MOSTLY POWERLESS. IT HAS NO IMPACT ON THE WORLD

AND I SEE MORE OF THE WORLD COMING INTO THE CHURCH AND IT IMPACTING THE CHURCH,

RATHER THAN THE CHURCH IMPACTING THE WORLD.

The truth of these words are so true and so sad.

Grace to you,

Lou Newton
Bond servant of Jesus

Amen, Lou, Amen.

Thank you for sharing this clip, Jeff. It very much hit my heart.
I am so guilty. I have all the time for what I want to do, but
fall so short when it comes to prayer time in my closet.