Mwaramutze disciple of JESUS CHRIST! Boker tov ( עִברִית) heir by grace. Bless the LORD and do not forget any of his blessings! He " Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s." (Psalm 103:2--5, NKJV)
JESUS CHRIST and the HOLY SPIRIT: The First Intercessors
The purpose of intercession
What is interceding
All called to intercede
"1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, [...] 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of GOD our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one GOD and one Mediator between GOD and men, the Man CHRIST JESUS, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (1 Timothy 2: 1-5, NKJV)
Years back, long before I embarked on the path of maturity, you would have asked me "what does interceding means?", I would have answered you that it is " praying for others or for any other subject than yourself". If that's also what you say, don't worry, this definition is not wrong. According to language dictionaries, to intercede is:
To use your influence in someone's favor.
Intervene to separate adversaries or act as a mediator.
Intervene to bring people together, to reconcile them or to facilitate the conclusion of a case.
Therefore, we (Christians) rightly say that intercession prayer is a prayer addressed to GOD on behalf of others or on behalf of others' interests. This definition is correct. But for me, it is not enough. I will explain why, but first let us understand what intercession is for GOD, or at least what kind of intercession GOD accepts.
1. JESUS CHRIST and the HOLY SPIRIT: the first intercessors
"Who shall bring a charge against GODs elect? It is GOD who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is CHRIST who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of GOD, who also makes intercession for us." Romans 8:33-34 (NKJV).
" Likewise the SPIRIT also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the SPIRIT Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." (Romains 8:26, NKJV).
Speaking of prayer, we commonly say that to intercede is "to pray on behalf of another or for any other subject than ourselves." At a minimum, the intercessor must know GOD and know what GOD can do all about. In the Bible, there are several models of intercession and intercessors. But if we really want to understand what intercession is, I believe it is best to start at the beginning: GOD, the Word (JESUS CHRIST) and the HOLY SPIRIT.
JESUS CHRIST and the HOLY SPIRIT are the first intercessors (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 9:15, 1Timothy 2: 5-6, Romans 8:26-27, John 15:26, John 16:13, John 14:26, John 17:9-10; John 17:16, John 17:20-21) JESUS intercedes for our salvation. The HOLY SPIRIT intercedes with us for the manifest fulfillment of GOD's will on earth. The HOLY SPIRIT prays through us. Without our readiness to pray, he will not pray. I insist, without our readiness to pray, the HOLY SPIRIT will not pray. He is the coach, 🙂 he will not pray for you. He is also your teammate. As such, he may occasionally take over. But he will never replace you. GOD wants us to pray. The number of verses in the Bible encouraging us to pray proves it. JESUS himself said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7, NKJV). He also said, "Whatever you ask in faith through prayer, you will receive" (Matthew 21:22).
In my article No Excuse for Idolatry, I quoted verses that clearly show that GOD abhors idolatry. In fact, it says, "Cursed is the man who makes a graven image or a cast image, an abomination to the LORD" (Deuteronomy 27:15). It is absolutely unbiblical to pray to dead people (including Mary and the apostles), angels or statues.
JESUS does not address the HOLY SPIRIT when He intercedes and the HOLY SPIRIT does not address JESUS when He intercedes. They both address themselves to GOD the FATHER. This does not mean that we cannot mention them when we pray. But let us understand that the one who answers prayers is GOD the FATHER. The FATHER created the way, sent the truth, and gave life (John 3:16, John 17:2). JESUS, the SON is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:16). The HOLY SPIRIT is the one who guides us on the way, instructs us in the truth, enables us to keep and manifest this life (John 14:26, John 16:13). Having a book but not being able to read or understand it is like not having a book. Your life will not change until you read and understand what is written. A teacher can teach you how to read and what is written, but he will not read it for you. He will read it with you from time to time, but you will have to read it yourself.
2. The purpose of intercession
⇒ " I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me." (John 5:5, NKJV)
⇒ " Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the SPIRIT is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of GOD." (Romans 8: 27, NKJV).
JESUS prays for us because he knows that the FATHER wants our salvation. In truth, he does not pray that we will simply and instantly be answered. Nor does he pray that we will get everything we want or believe we deserve. By the way, our desires are not always good, our motives are not always sincere and very often we mix up our needs, desires and duties. Moreover, we have only a limited knowledge of what Love and Truth really are. And let's not forget that our days on earth are numbered. Are we really aware of the blessings, consequences and outcome of our choices? No, of course not. So why would GOD, who is Love, Truth, Holiness, Justice, eternal, infinite, unchanging, faithful, omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent, answer each of our prayers?
JESUS does not pray that we be "simply and instantly" answered. He prayed that we would be answered in the will of the FATHER. He prayed that every time we ask, whatever is in the will of the FATHER, we will be answered.
Where is the will of the FATHER? ⇒ In his word (Logos, Dabar, Emeth, Rhema & Aletheia).
Who is JESUS? ⇒ The Word made flesh (John 1:4, John 1:14, Revelation 19:13 ).
🙂 I dare to believe that you remember the articles JESUS, my Truth and GOD never lies.
JESUS prayer is in accordance with GOD's will; asking the FATHER to make possible and accessible what he wants for us. In response, the FATHER answered his prayer by making Salvation possible and accessible through JESUS. There is nothing that the FATHER can deny the SON because there is nothing that the SON can ask that is contrary to the will of the FATHER. Because the SON offered himself as a sacrifice for us, there is nothing the FATHER can refuse us when we ask in the name of the SON. But for that, we need to know who the FATHER is, what he wants and who the SON is. That is where the HOLY SPIRIT comes in 🙂
We need the help of the HOLY SPIRIT to understand, preserve and manifest what we have received through the intercession of JESUS. Like JESUS, the HOLY SPIRIT knows the will of the FATHER. He will therefore lead us, instruct us and intercede with us in accordance with his will. But, unlike the intercession of JESUS, the intercession of the HOLY SPIRIT is conditioned to the disposition of our hearts. In case you haven't noticed, this verse begins with "And GOD who searches (examines) hearts". Which " hearts" was the Apostle Paul referring to? Does GOD need to examine the heart of the HOLY SPIRIT? Just in case you forgot, the HOLY SPIRIT is GOD, just like the FATHER and the SON. Do you see what I am getting at? It is our hearts that GOD examines. In other words, it is not enough to ask what GOD wants. We should ask with a good heart. What is a good heart? => A heart that loves GOD, loves himself and his neighbor (Matthew 22: 37-39). => A heart willing to repent, to know and obey GOD. It is a heart that wants graces and blessings in others' life. It is a heart that wants to see as GOD sees, hear as GOD hears and do as GOD does.
3. What is interceding
⇒ "The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s; But the earth He has given to the children of men." (Psaumes 115:16, LSG).
Speaking of prayer, is it true to say that to intercede is "to pray for others or for any other subject than myself"? YES. Is this sufficient? For me, NO. Today you would ask me what is interceding? I would tell you => serving GOD through our prayers. => Praying that his will be for men, in men and through men. It is really important to keep this in mind when praying for someone or a nation that has done wrong. I am a black African woman. If I look at how many countries, black Africans have at least once in the history of things to reproach them with, I will not be able to intercede for anyone. Being a Christian does not make me an amnesiac and naive person. Even less a judge of the world. Being a Christian means I choose to follow JESUS and trust GOD for judgment. It does not mean that I support what is wrong and pretend it's good. It means I will choose GOD: His will, His word, His way, His time for judgment.
Unlike the devil, GOD does not intervene uninvited in the affairs of men. GOD's only choice is His will. So let us pray that the good, the pleasing and the perfect may be revealed, understood and accomplished (Romans 12:2). Our goal is not to pray but to be answered. GOD's will may not match our will at this time, but it will always match our needs. GOD is our creator, he knows better than us what we really need. In my quotes I say "Intercession begins with GOD's will and not the (apparent) needs of men. His will for Men, in Men and through Men."
4. All called to intercede
We can all cook, but not all of us will be chefs, restaurant owners or brigade leaders. Intercession is not reserved for the "hyper-spiritual". We are all called to intercede. We will not all pray the same way, for the same subjects, or at the same time. Some are more prophetic, more protective than others. Some will pray longer, more often than others, because they are called to the ministry of intercession, while others are called elsewhere (Isaiah 62:6-7). The truth remains that we are all called to intercede. The question is not "Does GOD want me to intercede? " but "For whom and how does he want me to intercede? " You don't need a great revelation, a word of knowledge, or a prophecy to pray for someone. Start praying based on the general wills (of GOD) in the Bible (salvation, knowledge, faith, forgiveness, protection, deliverance, health, wisdom, prosperity, family, fertility, etc.). GOD is looking for intercessors (Ezekiel 22:30), be one. Remember: there are no "little prayers."➡➡ There are only sincere prayers, in accordance with His will and made with faith.
** Mwaramutze = Bonjour en kirundi (Burindi)
** Boker tov ( עִברִית) = Bonjour (bon matin) en hébreux