1. Intercessors, Wake Up!
Intercessors, Wake Up!
Tuesday May 10, 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.
Are you awake?
Ephesians 5:14 For the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,
“Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead and Christ will give you light.”
Main text: Acts 12
Acts 12 shows the church in three conditions. All through history, the church has found itself in one of these three conditions.
The church, under persecution. (Powerless)
A powerless church is a victimized church.
Mark 9:14-16
2. The church, at sleep in prison. (Comfortable)
The church is comfortable. Sometimes even in bad conditions, bound with golden chains.
3. The church, awake and powerful through intercession. (Alert)
This is when the church busies itself with Godly purposes, and superimposes the kingdom of God on the earth. Earthly forces bow to the heavenly, gates open of their own accord, the will and counsel of ungodly rulers are frustrated.
James 5:13-18 NLT Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.
QUICK MENTION:
The Need for Intercession
Intercession is a kind of prayer, so it brings the general benefits of prayer. But it also brings its own unique blessings.
It gives strength (Luke 18:1)
It is activates blessings (Matthew 7:7)
It is commanded as a duty (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:16)
Intercessors have influence with God. (Genesis 18:22-33)
Intercessors have power over situations. (James 5:16)
Aids to The Intercessory Lifestyle
Increased Knowledge
We usually enjoy this we are good at. Learn how to pray and you will enjoy praying.
a) Increased knowledge about God
Psalm 48:1; 145:3;
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.
How you praise God shows how well you know Him.
2 Peter 1:2
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
How you pray to God also does how well you know Him.
Habakkuk 3:2 NLT —
I have heard all about you, LORD.
I am filled with awe by your amazing works.
In this time of our deep need,
help us again as you did in years gone by.
And in your anger,
remember your mercy.
Daniel 11:32
b) Increased Knowledge about Prayer
Luke 11:1 NLT —
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
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.
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 achild, 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 shal, know even as I also am known.
PRAYER: Father as I study Your word, grant me understanding. May I know you better and better every day. May I know Jesus and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering.
2. Reliance on the Holy Spirit.
We became sons of God through the work of the Holy Spirit. Everything else we will become in the Lord had to be accomplished by the same Holy Spirit.
John 1:12-13 NLT — But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
Acts 1:8 NLT — But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
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.
3. Practiced faith
Nothing grows faith better than knowledge of God's word. Practical and activated knowledge, not the mere memorization of Bible verses.
Knowledge that has been put to use, that has been shown to work grows faith.
Our greatest work is done through prayer.
Prayer prayed right, will move God, to whom we pray;
It will move men for whom we pray;
It will change situations about which we pray;
And it will encourage and energize us, the ones doing the praying.
We will get up from proper prayer, strengthened to work, hopeful about the future and confident in the outcome.
We must not have prayed well if these things do not happen.
PRAYER: Lord, I believe you. Help me put my faith to work so I can see You demonstrate Your power in my life.
4. Seeking God's glory rather than our own desires
The calling of an intercessor is a selfless one.
Selfish people cannot be intercessors.
Proud people will need to humble themselves in order to be successful as intercessors.
We will be called upon to pray against our own personal interests and desires.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 NLT — 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. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.
We will be called upon to pray for our enemies' wellbeing.
Matthew 5:43-44 NKJV — “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
Luke 6:27-28 NLT —
“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.
28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.
Intercessory lifestyle requires faith in God's power, God’s wisdom and God's care. 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.
True intercession will grow your faith.
True intercession will grow your character into godliness.
PRAYER: Father, change my heart. Give me a new heart, 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.
Diverse Prayers.
Prayer for the Youths
2 Timothy 2:22
Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
Pray for young people to receive wisdom to flee from youthful temptations.
2. Ask the Lord to give them an appetite for the company of godly people.
Psalm 45:7
You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than You companions.
3. Pray that God will give young people a love for righteousness and a hatred for wickedness.
4. Pray that the anointing of God may flow upon them without any restriction; that their joy in every situation will be proof of God’s approval of them; that their lives may serve as a good example for their contemporaries.
Prayer for Mothers
1 Chronicles 4:9-10
There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because His birth had been so painful.
10 He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh that You would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain.” And God granted him his request.
1 Samuel 1: 27-28 NKJV
“For this child I prayed and the Lord granted me my petition which I asked of Him.
28 “Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.” So they worshiped the Lord there.
Pray that God will give mothers the strength to pray for their children;
2. The wisdom to bless them and not curse them even when those children have done hurtful things.
3. Pray that mothers will have the courage to give their children over to the Lord as Hannah gave Samuel to the Lord.
Prayer for Men
Matthew 13:24-26 NKJV
Another parable He put forth to them saying: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 “but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 “But when the grain sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.”
Pray that God will wake men up in the church, in the homes and in the society.
2. Pray that men will be made into mighty intercessors, preventing the enemy from doing havoc in their families and communities.
Prayer for Fathers
Colossians 3:21 NKJV
Fathers do not provoke your children lest they become discouraged.
Pray that God will give fathers the patience to deal with their children, to be gentle with them when they are in error.
2. Pray for wisdom to know how to encourage their children.
Prayer for public speakers
Proverbs 18:21 NLT The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.
Ask God to give us the wisdom to declare life into dead situations.
2. Pray for grace for us to not use our tongues to merely discuss problems, but to use them to decree righteousness and God's will. ”
Prayer for the global church
Matthew 6:18
Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Pray for the body of Christ that the will of God will prevail over enemies of the church both from without and from within our ranks.
2. Pray for strength that no one will be weary but all will believe that God is able to keep us.
Prayer for Ministers
2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 NLT Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask that you pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. 2 Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer.
Pray that the true word of God will flow without any resistance;
that God will deliver his servants from every attack... whether they be temptations to compromise, or attacks against their minds, health, family or finances.
Prayer for Young Ministers
1 Timothy 4:12 Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.
Pray that God should give them wisdom in conduct to match their boldness.
That as their anointing increases, may their character also grow more and more to be like that of the Anointed One.
Prayer for the next generation of intercessors
Matthew 9:37-38 He said to His disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 “So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields.”
Pray for the next generation of intercessors.
2. Ask God to raise them to be strong and many.
3. Ask God to continually purify their hearts so the corrupting influence of the world will never derail them.
4. Pray that they will value their access to and influence with God more than anything this world has to offer.
