2. Intercessors, Train Up
GWBS Intercessors, Train Up!
Tuesday May 24, 2022
Today is not so much a teaching as it is a wake up call, an alert, a provocation. I desire to stir us up, to wake up the sleeping giant in us. For those of us who were not sleeping, I hope we will be re-energized and rededicated to the things God called us to.
Colossians 4:2
Devote yourselves to praying with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
The Lord told me to raise intercessors.
Raising Intercessors means to wake them up.
Raising intercessors means to train them up.
Raising intercessors means to fire them up.
Raising intercessors means to send them up.
2. TRAINING
Romans 8:26 NLT — And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
We must all enroll in the school of prayer, no matter how long we have been praying.
God wants to teach us again and again, deeper and deeper, more and more about prayers.
1 Corinthians 13:11-12
When I was a child, I spoke as a child. I understood as a child, and I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now, we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall, know even as I also am known.
THE NATURE OF A TRUE INTERCESSOR
Who he is and who he is not; what he has and what he does.
Intercede: Intervene on behalf of another, mediate, act as an intermediary, negotiate, conciliate, act as an honest broker, entreat, plead.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ.
And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “ Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
An intercessor is a negotiator.
Abraham (Genesis 18:23-33)
Moses (Exodus 32:30-32; Numbers 13:11-24)
Jesus for His disciples (John 17:9-25)
Jesus on the cross (Luke 23:34)
Jesus on the right hand of the Father in heaven (Hebrew 7:25)
Operates in the ministry of reconciliation: man to God, and not God to man.
He is focused on God’s Name and glory.
An intercessor believes that the best deal anybody can get from God, is for God’s will to be done in that person’s life.
A true intercessor will never negotiate with God, against God’s will.
A true intercessor will never seek to compromise God’s will or God’s glory for anybody’s benefit.
A true intercessor must be a man or woman of great faith in God.
Negotiators always try to get the best deal they possibly can.
A true intercessor knows that the best deal anybody can get from God, is for God’s will to be done in that person’s life.
A true intercessor will never negotiate against God’s will.
A true intercessor will never seek to compromise God’s will or God’s glory for anybody’s benefit.
A true intercessor must be a man or woman of great faith in God.
He has influence with God because God has unlimited influence over him.
He is not strong with God, but rather God is strong in him. Not my will but yours be done.
Luke 22:41-42 NKJV
And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed.
42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me: nevertheless, not My will but Yours be done.”
NLT
He walked away, about a stone’s throw and knelt down and prayed,
42 “Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.”
The lifelong battle of an intercessor is the battle of surrendering his will to God's.
Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.”
Jesus is the greatest intercessor. If we are to follow in His steps, we must do exactly what He did.
Not a prayer-contractor, like Balaam.
Numbers 22:6-7
Please come and curse these people for me because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse.
7 Balak’s messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel. They went to Balaam and delivered Balak’s message.
He is focused primarily on God’s purpose and glory and not on the interests of those who ask him to pray. A prayer-contractor wants to do well for his clients in order to build his brand. He will go in whatever direction is popular, to increase his followers. Ultimately his motivations are selfish.
Balaam was a seer, camouflaging as a prophet. A seer often uses his gifts to get gifts, (for personal gain.)
A prophet speaks for God even when it costs him.
God reveals His secrets to his servants the prophets.
Every true prophet is an intercessor.
An intercessor must be prepared to forego recognition, thanks and appreciation from men.
Matthew 6:5-6
And you, when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut the door, pray to you Father who is in the secret place: and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
The ministry of an intercessor is a thankless one.
God will constantly orchestrate situations wherein you will pray and fast for people when they are in trouble, only for them to forget about you as soon as they are relieved.
This is God’s way of purifying your heart, otherwise you will not be able to pray secretly without gloating.
The only person an intercessor seeks to please is a righteous God who will not forget your labor of love.
There are no bragging points for intercessors. They have no titles before their names.
Those seeking to build a brand will not thrive for long in this ministry.
Encouragement for weary Intercessors:
If people do not appreciate all your hard work in intercession, be encouraged, you are doing it right. You are in God’s secret service. God promised to reward you.
Galatians 6:9
So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.
If you are being celebrated, be careful.
Luke 6:26
What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds,
For their ancestors also praised the false prophets.
An intercessor is called to be a double agent.
He is called to represent the interests of both parties in the negotiation.
He stands as both a prophet and a priest.
As a prophet, he represents God before men.
1 Peter 4:11
Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God Himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others, then do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen.
As a priest, he represents men before God.
1 Peter 2:9
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation. God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
1 Timothy 2:1-2
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf and give thanks for them.
2 Pray in this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.
A true intercessor is more of a prophet than a priest.
An intercessor practices to become a good listener. Quick to listen slow to speak
James 1:19-20 NKJV
So then, my beloved brethren, let everyone be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
NLT
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry.
20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
He has no personal agenda of his own to publish. He listens so he can learn.
He listens to God, so he can know what is on God’s heart for the people.
He listens so he doesnt misrepresent God.
He listens to people so he can know their unique place, needs, concerns and anxieties.
He does this, so that he is not simply going through the motions, and shadowboxing in the place of prayer.
Have you ever had someone pray for you and you find it difficult to say amen, because they were praying for things that do not matter to you, or which you do not even agree with?
You feel like they did not get you, because they have not listened to you.
Listening is one of the most difficult skills to master.
An intercessor is called to be a mediator, not a gossip or a judge.
Matthew 5:9 NKJV
Blessed are the peacemakers.
For they shall be called the sons of God.
Intercession will often not make sense.
It will go against our natural instincts. Animals act on their instincts. Intercessors are called upon to forego instinct and to trust God at a higher level.
You will be called upon to pray for the wellbeing of some people whose deeds you find reprehensible. Your human instincts would be to pray down the fire of God on them; to gloat when they get into trouble and to spread the news of their failings.
Remember, animals act on instinct, but those who are led by the Spirit shall be called the sons of God.
Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
A true intercessor uses his social media for spiritual enrichment, for himself and others.
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink, whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
The mess you observe on social media becomes prayer points you present to God on man’s behalf. What you post on social media are God’s words to you, bringing a solution rather than contributing to the noise.
A true intercessor knows when to be quiet and when to speak.
Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7
For everything there is a season,
A time for every activity under heaven.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
He knows His audience. Some things are best reserved for your private time of prayer before God. He knows that some godly requests will anger and create unnecessary opposition if said in people’s hearing. So he prays longer privately and shorter publicly.
A true intercessor practices self control, especially in the use of his tongue.
An intercessor guards his mouth like a soldier guard his rifle. Your words are powerful, not to be toyed with. God created everything and sustains everything by His word. Hebrews 1:3; 11:3
A wise intercessor will be careful about his words because he knows they are powerful.
He is careful not only about his spoken word, but also about his written word on the internet.
James 3:1-12
Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church for we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 Indeed, we will make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. 3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole world on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. 7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.
10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water out of a salty spring.
PRAYER: Holy Spirit, You are my helper, my standby. I confess I do not know how to pray. Teach me how to pray. Give me the power to pray. Make praying easy for me. Make praying enjoyable for me. Help me overcome all distractions. Make me a mighty intercessor.
PRAYER: Father, change my heart. Give me the heart of an intercessor. May I be more concerned about your glory than I am about my own desires. Help me to devote myself to prayer. Make my mind alert and my heart thankful in the place of prayer.
