Current Message - Intercessory Prayer
Date: 5/4/12
TKC Ministries - Leon Hagins
Those of us who have a relationship with God , and by relationship I mean you commune with God. It’s more than just attending your local church. It’s a personal relationship with the creator of the universe , and those of you who have not experience this , you are missing one of the most beautiful and extraordinary experiences a human being can have. So those of you experiencing this relationship you can all relate to the wonderful feeling when God speaks to your heart , or leads you to someone , or introduces someone to you , or perhaps it could be online , or the radio or TV. What ever the message God can get it to you. And best of all you can tell right well that it’s from God. Because if you try the spirits , as the scriptures say (1 John 4:1) , then you can discern if it’s of God or not. My motto is , if you can match it up in the scriptures , and see God’s character in what you are being led to do , then I’d say it was from God.
Well I recently experienced such an incident a few weeks ago.
I was searching the Lord , wanting do more for the kingdom. My spirit was very troubled about all the lost souls in the world. I always feel that I should be doing so much more for the Kingdom. I was feeling my website, the free gifts , tracs, postcards , business cards, etc. , just wasn’t getting enough done for the Kingdom of God.
I was searching online , under such topics as ’end times’ ’last days’ etc. , when I cam across a woman of God……
(her website is “wingsofprophecy.blogspot.com“)
who was literally searching God for the same reason I was. She had been interceding in prayer for someone , and the Lord spoke to her spirit and said “what you are doing right now is what I want you to continue to do. Pray for those who don’t know me , pray for those who won’t even pray for themselves, pray for those who don’t even think about a relationship with God , pray for those who are ready to bust hell wide open , and don’t even realize that’s where they are going.
This woman of God also stated that we have all seen those programs of those individuals who have seen and been to hell………it’s not a
place where you would want your worst enemy to go. Another point she said the spirit led her to, was instead of always talking to a person about God , start to also talk more to God about the person.
After I listening to this woman I thanked God for leading me to her site , and videos , and I can’t express the great joy it brought to my spirit concerning this intercessory prayer. Praying for others was something Jesus spoke to us about. Matthew 5:44 , Luke 6:28
Another point this woman of God reminded us of was the power of prayer. These are all points we know about but sometimes we need to be reminded of them. These principles are not new at all , but they need tweaking and tuning up every now and then. To me it was like the old Batman TV series when the Caped Crusaders were fighting their arch enemies , when they struck a blow , big bold letters would come across the TV screen like ……..BAM! POW! WHACK! Sometimes the good Lord just drops something right in your lap , and many times it’s something that is right in front of your face. Something as simple as prayer……and anyone can do it , you don’t need a special license for it , it can be done anywhere , even if you are at a job where they don’t want you proclaiming the name of Jesus…you can say a simple prayer to the Good Lord in a whisper.
In this age of blessing and prosperity we have a tendency to get away from some of the main duties we have as we proclaim our alliance with Christ. One of these duties is prayer. With this in mind I decided to go through the scriptures and look at some of the ones concerning prayer , especially intercessory prayer.
Genesis 18:17- 33 - In this passage of scripture The Lord accompanied by two angels pays Abraham a visit and informs him that he has had enough of the wickedness taking place in the city of Sodom. God sends off two angels to the city of Sodom to destroy it.
As the bible states , Abraham drew near to God ( came close to God to plead with him as one would a friend. ref. Dakes. Bible pg. 24 )
Abraham first asks God will he destroy the righteous with the wicked? He then asks God if there are fifty righteous (to act in an upright and moral way) people in the city will he spare it?
God responds that if there are fifty righteous in the city he will spare the city.
Next Abraham asks about there being forty righteous in the city , then 30 , 20 ,and last 10.
God agrees to spare the city for the sake of ten. However we all know how the story went…..there was not even ten righteous , and the city was destroyed. The only ones delivered were Lot , his wife and two daughters. Unfortunately Lot’s wife perished because she was disobedient.
Please note that God appeared to Abraham in the form of a man. This is yet another example of God being on this planet in the form of a man.
When the word intercessor comes up , our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ , certainly comes to mind , as he bridged the vast gulf that had been fixed betwixt God and man , after the fall of man in the garden of Eden. Isaiah 53:12 , 59:16 , Hebrews 7:5
Yet as we read the scriptures we find another well known intercessor , and that is the man called Moses.
In this next passage of scripture , Moses cries out to the Lord and begs him to remove the plague of frogs that had covered the land Exodus 8: 12-13 - And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharoah: and Moses cried unto the Lord because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh. And the Lord did according to the words of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.
Exodus 8:28-31 - In this passage of scripture Pharaoh begs Moses to entreat the Lord to remove the swarm of flies he sent upon the Egyptians. Moses entreats unto the Lord and the Lord did according to the word of Moses. Exodus 10:18-19 In this passage Moses once again entreats the Lord on behalf of Pharaoh. God had plagued the land with locusts , and now at Moses’ request he causes a mighty west wind to come upon them and blew them out of the land of Egypt.Exodus 15:23-25 - The Children of Israel are complaining to Moses about the bitter drinking water. Moses cries unto the Lord to heal the bitter waters.
Exodus chapter 32 - While Moses is up in the mountain getting the ten commandments from God , the children of Israel decided that Moses was taking just a little too much time up on the mount. So they decided to make a golden calf and started worshipping it.
Vs. 10 -11
God says …..Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
And Moses besought the Lord his God , and said, Lord why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people , which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
Vs. 12-13 -Moses tells God that the Egyptians will say that he brought them out of Egypt just to slay them. The Moses reminds God of the promises he had made to Abraham , Isaac and Jacob.
Vs. 14 - And the Lord *repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
* repented - to sigh , breathe heavily , and be sorry in the literal sense. ref. Dakes bible. Pg. 10
Vs. 31 - 32 - And Moses returned unto the Lord and said , Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made gods of gold.
Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
In Numbers 11:1-3 - The children of Israel have really angered God by their complaining (this complaining was speaking against God , open rebellion ,and this really upset God). ref. Dakes Bible pg. 276Having kindled God’s anger , he sent fire amongst them and some of them were consumed. The people cried out to Moses , and then Moses cried out to the Lord , and he quenched the fire.
Some things you hear , and say to yourself , what were they thinking? Such is the case in Numbers chapter 12. In this scenario we find Miriam and Aaron , in what I’d like to term as temporary madness. They both had the nerve to speak against Moses because he had married an Ethiopian woman. When God hears it , his wrath is kindled and once again , Moses has to intercede.
Numbers chapter 14 - In this passage of scripture the twelve spies who were on a reconnaissance mission in the promised land , have come back with a report. Ten of the spies give a negative report. Only Caleb and Joshua said we are capable of taking the land.
When the children of Israel heard the negative report , they cried and wept and then turned their frustration against Moses and said “we would have been better if we stayed in Egypt , or died out in the wilderness.
Well, one can guess what happened next! Correct , God is furious and threatens them with pestilence and also to disinherit them , and start a new nation with Moses.
However, Moses gives a wonderful heartfelt speech to the Lord , and the Lord told Moses that he had pardoned them according to the words from Moses. Wow!
The madness continues………
Numbers chapter 16 - The protagonist in this story is also lacking the cerebral intellect the good Lord gave him. He and two of his henchmen decided they were going to have a cu’ or a take over of the government of Moses.
God’s response was “ Moses , step aside so that I may consume them in a moment”!
Moses intercedes , and God allows the congregation to leave the tabernacle , however Korah and his band of thieves , meet a terrifying death.
You’ve got to be kidding right?!……….nope…….more foolishness from the children of Israel. As a human being I have to admit that I’ve said things that I have regretted , we all have. Well in this story the children of Israel made a comment (Numbers 21:5) of which had they known the consequences they would have not said it.
They cry out to Moses and ask him to pray to God to remove the fiery serpents that he has released on them. Numbers 21:6-9
King Solomon’s intercessory prayer…….
1 Kings chapter 8 - At the dedication of the temple , that took seven years to construct , (1 Kings 6:38) , King Solomon knelt on his knees and prayed a wonderful prayer to the God of Israel , concerning the future and the need for the Israelites to obey and listen to the commandments of God. And when they sin they should repent and ask for forgiveness , and come back to God. And he asked God that when they repent of their wrong doings , that he forgive, have mercy and please take them back.
2 Kings 19:14 - King Hezekiah prays to God , that his people will be delivered from the hands of the Assyrians.
Ezra chapters 9 &10 - When Ezra gets word that the people of Israel along with the priests and even the Levites have been intermarrying into those nations which God forbade , Ezra rents his clothes (rips/tears his clothes) , plucks off hair from his head and beard and sits down bewildered. Afterwards he falls on his knees, spreads out his hands , and cries out to God with prayer and confession of sin.
Nehemiah chapter 1 - When Nehemiah is told that his people are being afflicted and the walls of the temple have been broken down , he sits down , weeps, mourned certain days , fasted and prayed.
Like Ezra , Nehemiah confesses the sins of his people and begs forgiveness.
Esther 4:15-16 - Esther along with her hand maids, and all the Jews of Shushan go on a three day fast , as Esther makes a decision , to save her people, a decision which may cost her , her life.
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Job 42:7-10 - Job has to pray for his friends , because God would not listen to their prayers for he was wroth with them for speaking things that were not pleasing to God.
* Something to consider…… There are some scriptures in the bible that make me say “WOW!”
In Jeremiah 7:16 & 11:14 - God commands Jeremiah not to pray for his people , neither make intercessions for them , for I will not hear your prayers.
This is a reminder to all of us that God can get to a point where he says “enough is enough , that’s it don’t bother me anymore about these people!”
My plea to anyone who doesn’t know the good Lord , I would strongly advise you to get to know him………lest you get to a point where God doesn’t want to have anything to do with you , a place where he won’t even allow his servants to pray for you……..this is a very frightening thing to consider.
John chapter 17 - Jesus prays to his father concerning his disciples. These are very kind and loving words coming from our savior. There is doubt that he loved his disciples dearly , and only wanted the best for them.
Acts 7:59-60 - Stephen prays for the very people who are stoning him.
In all of the writings of the Apostle Paul , he never ceased praying for the saints. And now, during our present time , there are children of God who pray for their children , families , neighbors , the president , our country , and this un-Godly world in which we dwell.
In closing we’ll read from the book of James…….
James 5:13-18 - Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins , they shall be forgiven him.
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are , and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again , and the heaven gave rain , and the earth brought forth her fruit.
