Intercessory prayer means to pray for, or on behalf of another person or people. Worth noting is that “the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: and GOD gave Job twice as much as he had before”. Job 42:10.
From the outset, intercessionary prayer must be understood as a CALLING from God! God will not expect any go where they ought NOT go, nor will God put an inexperienced soldier in the frontline of battle! Such knowledge grows from immersing oneself in The Word to understand the truly wonderful mind of our Heavenly Father, and our Heavenly Father’s protection of His children, His confidants, and servants the prophets!
For those who may disagree with the aforementioned saying David was a mere boy who slew Goliath, there is a word of caution. David went against Goliath, NOT against Satan! Moreover, David had faith, (confidence in God), obedience, service, prayer, and the LORD was with him. Yes, he was but a youth going into the frontline, but not INEXPERIENCED. David had slain a lion, and a bear defending his father’s sheep, and David KNEW, God would deliver Goliath into his hand.
Continuing to focus on the exposure of false doctrine, Charismatic Christians have been seen to be involved in intercessory prayer “binding Satan” to prevent his onslaught on their lives, and others, as they have excercised authority over devils to cast them out in spiritual “manifestations” claiming these to be miracles. This is deeply concerning when viewed in the light of our Lord’s words on this matter. “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? Matthew 7:22 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:23.
The aforementioned reality in The Word, requires that we see the very subtle difference between intercessory prayer, and the deliverance ministry! With intercessory prayer God seeks a disciple to take a matter to heart and pray, or intercede in the situation, whereas with the deliverance ministry, it is the oppressed victim that comes forward seeking God’s help. Driven by their overwhelming need to be free of evil spirits, the oppressed usually come forward manifesting clear signs of demonic oppression, which any disciple in truly good standing with The Lord, may deal with. The difficulty lies in pleasure being taken to have power over devils, and “believers” going on a witch hunt to prove their powers. For several reasons, it is well we realize this is an extremely dangerous practice, as the seven sons of Sceva, Acts 19:13 to 16, discovered to their hurt. To be very brief and to the point, unless one is prepared to fast and pray, and study God’s Word, the deliverance ministry is territory to avoid. We are now going to focus on intercessory prayer, to hopefully lay very serious issues in the world to heart as we seek God’s face for truth, to confess OUR SINS, so we may serve our Heavenly Father in His Kingdom come on Earth.
Misquoted many times from Scripture, “If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray, I WILL hear from heaven and heal their land”, this text must be scrutinized for clarity. Offered “by those in charge” of what we shall SEE and HEAR in mainstream media, this verse has been seriously misrepresented! The Scripture is totally different when we look it up! “Google it”, remembering always to put “old kjv” after the words of Scripture The Holy Spirit has brought to memory so that purity may prevail, and we will SEE the mainstream media “organisers” have left out the CRITICAL ingredient! In this particular case it is THE all important human contribution to finding The Kingdom of God in our personal lives, REPENTANCE!
Before we delve into The Word, WHO are the people misquoting scripture to give us an “all will be alright when Jesus comes” message from church pulpits? WHO preaches doctrines that differ? What does TRUE REPENTANCE embrace? What does The Word teach, and who should, and how should “prayer warriors” conduct themselves in intercessionary prayer in THESE circumstances, are questions we may answer for ourselves, with proper guidance from The Word!
Let us see this for ourselves in THE WORD. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and WILL forgive their sin, and WILL HEAL their land”. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (1611 KJV). Clearly written for the land of Israel, we need note Scripture teaches there is a Spiritual Israel in the world today made up of EVERY BELIEVER in the first advent of Yeshua HaMashiach! That we are approaching THE END of the time of the Gentiles will not be disputed by any scholar of God’s Holy Word, and no matter WHERE WE ARE in the world today, whether it be Russia or China or America, Croatia, South-Africa, England, France, Iceland, Italy or Germany, this scripture is written to BOTH the land of Israel, and to Spiritual Israel scattered throughout the world!
Examining Daniel’s prayer for Israel realizing this Scripture does not only apply to Israel, but that it is written for EVERY NATION OF BELIEVERS that will lay it to heart to APPLY it in their land, must challenge believers to take stock of the state of their State! ANY nation or country LADEN with problems will be in such state due to SIN, having DEPARTED from God’s law, statutes, and commandments!
Though appearing prosperous, the SPIRITUAL condition of a nation can ONLY be MEASURED by God’s law given to us in Scripture! Observing ANY DEPARTURE from God’s law, MUST direct that nation to NATIONAL PRAYER for NATIONAL REPENTANCE, or suffer the judgment of God! Nineva LISTENED, and was spared! Sadly, the WHOLE world will NOT listen, nevertheless, God is calling all who will! Whether Jew or Christian, we need to understand God’s purpose for ISRAEL, was that ISRAEL be the example of a BLESSED nation to mirror the state of the nations surrounding the holy land, and Israel FAILED!
We are going to unpack Daniel’s prayer in an attempt to SEEK GOD’S TRUTH to then apply GOD’S TRUTH to our prayers as an URGENT priority in our globally impoverished, seriously troubled state! We will continue to study prayer to ALIGN OURSELVES with God’s Will for our lives as individuals seeking to participate with the whole of Christ’s Church, The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, on Earth.
We need to note Daniel purposed to learn God’s truth, and included himself in confession of Israel’s sin to have neglected to TURN from their self destructing ways of idolatry that had invoked God’s judgment, even as Moses had written! If you SINCERELY ARE seeking God’s truth, read Daniel 9:13 to confirm this for yourself! Israel failed to remove the evil from her midst! As a nation they had borne the star of their gods Moloch and Chiun, which they had made to themselves, 40 years in the wilderness. Deuteronomy 13 and Amos 5:26.
Furthermore, we need note that Israel went into captivity in Babylon because the land was filled with violence, Ezekial 8:17. Moreover, God destroyed all the Earth except Noah, because the earth was filled with violence, Genesis 6:11, and God, The Lord Jesus Christ, is coming soon to judge the world again, because the world is AGAIN filled with violence! Isaiah 26:21, and Isaiah 13:6.
Reading The Word in Ezekial 22 verses 29 to 31, it is not difficult to see the South African government, (and other governments of the world), in the context of Israel’s condition at the time to have brought about God’s judgment! Israel was apostate, and presently, it is not an understatement to say, so is the rest of the world!
“The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. And I SOUGHT for A MAN among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I SHOULD NOT destroy it: but I found none. Therefore, have I poured out mine indignation upon them: I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God. Ezekial 22 verses 29 to 31.
Turning a blind eye to the growing level of wickedness, Israel disobeyed God’s instruction to root out evil from their midst. Deuteronomy 13; “If there ARISE among YOU a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt NOT hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and OBEY HIS VOICE, and ye shall SERVE him, and CLEAVE unto him. And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, SHALL be put to death; because he hath SPOKEN to turn you away from the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee. If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee SECRETLY, saying, Let us go and serve other gods which thou HAST NOT known, thou, nor thy fathers; Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; Thou shalt NOT consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither SHALL THINE EYE PITY him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as THIS is among you. If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, Certain men, the children of Belial, (wickedness, worthlessness), are gone out from among you, and have WITHDRAWN the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known; Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ASK DILIGENTLY; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you; Thou SHALT SURELY SMITE the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, DESTROYING IT UTTERLY, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword. And thou SHALT GATHER ALL the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt BURN with FIRE the city, and ALL THE SPOIL thereof EVERY WHIT, for the Lord thy God: and it SHALL be an heap for ever; it shall NOT be built again. And there shall CLEAVE nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers; When thou shalt HEARKEN to the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep all his commandments which I command thee this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of the Lord thy God”. Deuteronomy 13.
The Lord’s commandment to Israel, “so shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee”, Deuteronomy 13:5, was briefly applied, from the time that Moses commanded the Levites to pass through the camp and SLAY every man his brother, companion and his neighbour, Exodus 32:27, until the people of Israel, REJECTED God as their KING! This happened during Samuel’s ministry. 1 Samuel 8:7. The days of Shiloh had come to an end, as did the glorious period of judgment! Sadly, things changed, because EVIL, still had root!
There was not one, not a man among them. “Run ye to and fro and through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it”. Jeremiah 5:1
Being instructed by God to slay your own family for idolatry, is not a light matter! THIS, nevertheless, is God’s instruction to ISRAEL, that they may remain a blessed nation, and an example of a state that encouraged, even provoked the world to follow! These are the realities that surface when we study prophecy!
Our world is in very serious trouble! Even the wicked see this, but do the people of God PURPOSE within and among themselves to ROOT out the evil from our midst? Evidently NOT, because the wicked have flourished as the green bay tree! Psalm 37:35. Antichrist has divided and “ruled” with many various doctrines to deceive the world, whilst all ten virgins slept. Matthew 25:5. Our world is in trouble because Christians are deceived! We are in trouble because we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord to ROOT out the evil from our midst! Our whole world is now overun by the wicked. We have allowed it, and only the righteous judgment of God can, and will rescue us.
Understanding the application of the ancient principles would be extremely difficult in our deceived society led astray by secular governments, should not deter us from preparing for the new dispensation to rule and reign with Jesus in the millenium! Prophesied to eventuate BEFORE the final fiery end of Earth, slaying ONE’S OWN family for the sake of our personal relationship with God, cannot, and will not fail to bring God’s instruction to Abraham to mind to offer Isaac! May we by the grace and tender mercies of God, begin to know, what God our Father suffered, when Jesus, nailed to His cross, cried out, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani“, which being interpreted means “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me”. For any who may read NOT knowing the significance of our Lord’s words on the cross, our Father in His righteousness, and HOLY love for the world He had made, had given His Son, to pay for the sins of man! This is a deep study, only The Holy Spirit of Truth WILL surely reveal, and deliver to individuals seeking God’s truth!
Being led by The Word, understanding Lord Jesus is The Word that was made flesh, John 1:14, if we are to even HOPE for a better life on Earth, the exhortation to prayer needs to be heeded! “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty”, 1 Tim. 2:1, MUST receive follow through!
Dearly beloved of the Lord that seek the truth, we need to gather ourselves together to pray as we have never prayed before. We need to rend our hearts in such an hour that we have failed our Father. We need to confess this, and beseech God for meekness, for the spirit of learning, to become as little children again, to ACCEPT we have sinned, we have allowed evil in our midst, and we need to repent! We need proper teaching, new hearts for God, and God will return to reign on the earth! This is indeed His promise, and His pattern in the past, for our ultimate good! Jeremiah 29:11
Supplications meaning “earnest beseeching”, or begging, prayers meaning “these are our requests”, or “this is what we ASK”, and intercessions, meaning “interventions”, it follows intercessionary prayer, is an “INTERVENING request“, which brings us back to the FIRST precept of our Christian faith, that we ARE at war! We truly need to understand our enemy “is as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour”, and “intervening requests“, for ALL men, is a very REAL NEED! 1 Peter 5:8. Our Father desires that His children, or better phrased, His servants the prophets, or Believer Priests, that we intervene, to stand in the gap for others, individuals, nations, and anyone under enemy attack! Experienced prayer warriors will confirm the essential elements for THIS ministry, are a good measure of humility mingled with great respect, and there is more to know before we suddenly jump in between the enemy and an individual, or the enemy and a national crises! We will need the full armour of God, and to acquaint ourselves with the book of Jude! Vitally, if we are to be effective, we need to realize prophecy is the principle gift, that only becomes ours, from KNOWING GOD’S WORD. God’s servants the prophets, HAVE acqainted themselves with their LORD, to begin to understand the unsearchable mind of GOD! Job 22:21 to 30
“STUDY to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth NOT to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”, 2 Timothy 2:15, we should know that to have STUDIED The Word of Truth, is the FIRST piece of armour required if we begin to even think to do battle with the devil! If you do NOT KNOW God’s Word, rather move away from dangerous ground! This cannot be over emphasised! It is imperative only those who continue in The Word, who seek God’s Truth in God’s Holy Word, that THESE disciples think to participate in this ministry! And there is more to know! We ONLY participate when we ARE CALLED by God to deal with a crises!
Such will be the REDEEMED who are living in gratitude for God’s unspeakable gift, to have translated us from darkness into His glorious light! Such have begun to understand the grace of God to have WASHED us in His Son’s blood, is a COVERING Satan can not penetrate! Hallelu Jah! God will use THESE soldiers in the frontline, as He deals with the enemy on a day to day basis, having Himself overcome the world!
WHEN we sense, feel, or hear, the call of God upon us to pray, or intercede in a situation, we run as little chicks to mother hen for the shelter of our Heavenly Father’s covering, so He may protect us, and we begin to thank our Father for His protection, and our Lord’s cleansing blood upon ourselves, and the person, or people we are interceding for. This, is where we begin!
Abiding in a state of praise and worship with THANKSGIVING, we talk the matter over with our Heavenly Father, and then make our request known, or bring our matter before God with care not to complain, but to confess for ourselves, and on behalf of others. We bring the dilema or crises before The Lord, and plead with God on their behalf. No insults are levelled nor “railing accusations” brought against “dignities we KNOW NOTHING about! Jude 10. We give thanks for our Father’s protection, and request our Father to COVER us, and the situation under Satan’s attack. We rejoice, and give thanks that our names are written in The Lamb’s Book of Life! We speak into the spiritual realm, appreciating our Father’s reign over us with thanksgiving, rather saying, “The Lord rebuke you, depart from us”, and ask our Father humbly in Jesus’ name, to grant our petition or request, to receive our answer with thanks that it is done! We use Scripture in these moments, even as our Lord used Scripture in the temptation, and we pray in accordance with God’s divine will, as this is revealed in His Word, with confidence!
For those blessed with the gift of glossolalia, also called speaking in tongues, (from Greek glōssa, “tongue,” and lalia, “talking”), which is an UNKNOWN spiritual language The Holy Spirit gives utterance of, which springs forth naturally, or manifests during a moment of intensity in prayer, or praise, such may continue for as long as this feels necessary, until they are SURE, and KNOW, the matter is settled in the heavenly realm.
We must know who we are in Christ before we think to stand in the gap between Satan and his victim! For those who wish to present themselves as available for God’s purposes, they should have found the Kingdom of God in their lives first! They should have come to the place where their obedience to God as subjects of God’s Kingdom, is their personal priority! Initiates into this ministry should open their Bible at Ephesians chapter 6:10. Such will see Truth is the FIRST requirement, and Truth becomes ours when we seek God’s face in The Word! Do not think about “wrestling with the Devil”, until such time as you have equipped yourself, and God calls you!
“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (Christ), And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (This gospel of the kingdom). Above all taking the shield of faith, (confidence in Christ) wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (Accusations of sin and inadequacy). And take the helmet of salvation, (KNOW in your mind and heart you ARE saved), and the sword of the Spirit, which is The Word of God: Ephesians 6:14 to 17. Scripture is clear in respect of equipping ourselves that the whole armour of God required to battle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. We need to KNOW we ARE REDEEMED, saved, and equipped, being in right standing with God through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Praying always with all prayer and supplicaton in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perserverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:18, is the WRESTLING in the Spirit, Ephesians 6:12. We fight this good fight with the knowledge Almighty God our Father, with His Son Yeshua, Jesus, by His Holy Ghost, (Eloheinu in Hebrew being plural for God), is ONE, and has overcome our enemy, the Devil! John chapter 12
Many Scriptures confirm this, none better than The Revelation 15:2. “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God”. Another Scripture we may consider as we prepare for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is this. “And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel”. Luke 22:29-30 Old KJV.
We have strayed a long way from God’s original plan. We need to confess our ways have not profited us, much less have our ways furthered God’s Kingdom. We truly need to FORSAKE our ways, our tainted and misguided understanding, our apathy, and awake to truth and righteousness, in the preparation of ourselves for judgment! We need to stand in the gap for our countries, gather ourselves together, to root out the wicked from the midst of us, when our Father CALLS upon US to do this!
Dearly loved of The Lord, there can be no doubt prayer in the Spirit of Truth, is the course set for God’s chosen to follow that we may enter into the final millenium of Christ’s reign on Earth. Truly, God deserves thanks for He has given His creation an unspeakable gift, a Kingdom that cannot be moved. Hebrews 12:28. Amen.
Lester Oliver Thomas Flock © 2023