Intercession - PART 3

SEVEN FUNCTIONS OF THE INTERCESSOR

1.  Called to serve

Intercession is to serve.  It is to surrender oneself and give yourself to be used by God.  (Mar 10:44-45) Servant hood is the heartbeat of intercession.  The Greek word for serve is “doulos” which meaning is “bound by choice” To submit in full under the ministry of serving

2. Called to do battle

Intercession is to be in battle.  It is to be in a place of confrontation (Luk 22:44) the word anguish drawn from the Greek word “agonia”, which meaning is “place of battle” when we intercede for others we fight a battle on their behalf and  when we achieve the victory we to are blessed!

3. Called to identify

Intercession is to identify yourself with others. (1 Cor 9:20) Paul identified himself with others.  To be a servant to someone else and to fight on behalf of someone else, it is to identify ourselves with that person or situation.  To serve is to submit under another, to fight (battle) on behalf of another is to get involved in a war and to strike down the enemy (satanic influence). What does it mean to identify in intercession?  It is constantly become sensitive for the need of others, we must learn to see & listen between the lines.  We as intercessors should watch prayerfully and listen attentively.

4. Called to share

Intercession is to make available what you have.  (Matt 10:8) If we want to be successful in any ministry we must become more Christ like.  It was in Christ’s nature to give, so the same we must also give.  Many times giving is not to give out of our abundance but out of our own need and lack.  We all still need to learn this secret that will unlock Gods abundance! (2 Cor 8:2-3) We need to give and give generously and not just financially but in love, joy, mercy, grace, compassion and much more.

5.  Called to reign

Intercession is to reign & rule with authority. It is to take up dominion. (Jer 1:10) Jeremiah was not a political leader or King, yet he was appointed to reign over the nations & kingdoms.  Kingdoms here refer to spiritual rulers, and nations refer to physical leadership.  Jeremiah had to uproot – to go the roots of the problem.  The "uproot" here means to press in through prayer and directly deal with the problem.  Strongholds and walls (barriers of resistance) needs to be pulled down and destroyed. (2 Cor 10:3-5) The ability to overthrow was also delegated unto Jeremiah – to quickly remove and displace with great power – overthrow.  Jeremiah also had to build & plant! We must remember that for true victory to be established whatever we uproot & remove, something in its place needs to be build & planted!  We certainly do not see farmers cleaning a piece of land which is full of weed, and then leaving it without planting anything in its place! This would be foolish!  In fact the weed will just grow back much stronger.  We clean because we are getting ready for the main purpose and objective, to plant and then obtain the harvest!  Let us clean the fields and plant twice as much for it is HE that will send the rains and makes all things grow.  (Isa 30:23)

6. Called to mourn

Intercession is brokenness before God.  It is when we come before Him in brokenness that He can move in His healing faithfulness! (Psa 126:5-6) We could almost make the following statement: tears are the water that feeds the seed!  We can be assured that a very rich harvest will be the result of our brokenness before God!  We should remember that being in a place of brokenness is not always a place of weakness! But I am positioned to see the Hand of God move in a mighty way!

7.  Called to die

Intercession is to die to one self.  It is the “me” that sometimes causes our most problems.  It is our own fleshly desires and wants that can get us into bondage and sin.  To be an intercessor is to be set free, to be dead for the things of the flesh and the things of this world!  We need to make the shift from being self-centered to being Christ centered.  As we discussed earlier our main goal and purpose is to be conformed in the likeness of Christ!  The more I want the image of the resurrected Christ in me, the more I also need to be conformed to His death!  (Phil 3:10) The place of intercession is a place of being dead to the things of this world and my own desires; we need to be dead to sin.  (Rom 6:11)