Hello everyone, if you are just joining us, you need to read the previous broadcasts, just go to the blog and you will see them there including a 30 Days Teaching on THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Yesterday, we looked at INTERCESSION. Most times, burdens precede intercession. To learn more about BURDENS, revisit Day 6. There are still so many to learn about intercession.
Very few things have been taught along this line especially in the nowadays churches.
I will encourage everyone to read THE ART OF PRAYER AND BIBLE STUDY COURSE ON PRAYER by Kenneth E. Hagin.
In the Bible, we have examples of intercession:
Abraham interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah. Gen 18:23-32. Even though, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, that intercession saved Lot and his household from perishing.
Moses and many times interceded for Israel. Ex. 32:7-14, Num. 16:44-50.
God needs men in our days that will intercede on behalf of their lands.
Revivals are precipitated in the place of INTERCESSION. Talk is cheap. We have many talkers but few intercessors. When was the last time you take up the case of people living waywardly in your environment?
When last did you pray for that unsaved person closed to you?
Intercession is such a potent force that can make God to change His mind. This was the case when Moses interceded for the Israelites.
HOW TO INTERCEDE?
Just like I said yesterday, intercession can be done by KNOWLEDGE OR BY THE SPIRIT.
1. BY KNOWLEDGE
The following must be known before you can intercede for someone by knowledge:
I. Who/what you want to pray about.
II. Argument for/against the person or thing.
III. What God's word has to say concerning the issue.
If you look at the intercession of Moses for the Israelites, you will notice he produced REASONS that should make God to change His mind.
Check this out:
Exo 32:11 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?
32:12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
32:13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
Can you see Moses' reasons?
See the result of his intercession
Exo 32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
What about Elijah? He interceded AGAINST ISRAEL.
Rom. 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
11:3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
If you don't know before, KNOW THIS NOW.
INTERCESSION FOLLOWS THE RULE IN
Is. 1:18, 41:21, 43:25-26, 64:7 (Read every single one of them).
COME LET US REASON TOGETHER
AND
PRODUCE/BRING FORTH YOUR STRONG REASONS.
This means that God can also give you REASONS THAT COUNTER YOUR REASONS.
This was the case in Elijah's case. ROM. 11:1-4. God told Elijah that He had a remnant that had not bowed down to Baal.
Intercession BY KNOWLEDGE IS LIKE GOING INTO A COURT ROOM TO DEFEND A CASE.
You need to prepare yourself. Many times YOUR REASONS AND THE RELEVANT SCRIPTURES should have been written down and meditated upon.
In Act chapter 4, the early Church tabled the threats of the Pharisees before God and made their requests.
This must be done in effective intercession.
INTERCESSION BY THE SPIRIT
You need to know that Jesus is our HEAVENLY ADVOCATE (1 John 2:1) WHILE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR EARTHLY ADVOCATE.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE INTERCESSORY MINISTRY OF JESUS AND THE HOLY GHOST
Jesus is at the right hand (place of authority) of God interceding for us. Heb. 7:25.
In other word, JESUS PRAYS FOR US. But, the Holy Ghost PRAYS WITH US. ROM.8:26. The Holy Ghost doesn't pray FOR us but, prays WITH us. The Holy Spirit through our yieldedness prays through us the will of God when we are praying.
Let it sink into you: if you don't pray, the Holy Spirit is not praying for you.
We have many a lazy believer around who goes from pillar to post looking for some people to be praying for them while they live as a they like. The Devil is a liar. Men ought always pray and not to faint. Luke 18:1.
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 1 Tim. 2:8.
Intercession by the Spirit is done through PRAYING IN TONGUES OR GROANING AND TRAVAILING IN THE SPIRIT. The Holy Spirit leading and guiding all the way.
Rom. 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Let me do some explanations here:
A. This further buttress the fact that the Holy Spirit is our HELPER. He helps us in the place of prayer.
B. 'Infirmities' in this place means 'weaknesses, lack of knowledge, etc
C. GROANING which cannot be uttered- UTTERABLE GUSHINGS (Charles G. Finney). They cannot be uttered in articulated speech.
GROANING IN THE SPIRIT
Groaning can mean a deep sigh,
an inward unarticulated/expressed feeling of sorrow/grief,
a shedding of tears (AUDIBLY), moaning or wailing.
Groaning is never done in the flesh.
You CANNOT DECIDE TO GROAN ON YOUR OWN. Most times, it is from praying in tongues that you move to GROANING. You begin to groan when you begin to respond more deeply to a particular burden that has been rolled on you. Sometimes in groaning, it will appear as if you want to burst. There is the birth pain. IT IS A TRAVAILING. I belief that there may may be little or no difference between groaning/travailing in prayers and the natural child bearing feeling. There are levels in groaning and this depends on the WEIGHT OF THE BURDEN and the SERIOUSNESS OF THE MATTER IT IS DIRECTED TO.
Sometimes, it is as if you are backing like a dog. I have been there many times. Pay careful attention to all the EXPRESSIONS OF GROANING I GAVE.
I remember the first time I was going to weep in deep intercession (I am not talking about shedding tears here and there may be in worship. I mean REAL WEEPING/WAILING/ A CRYING DONE IN PAIN AND TERROR), I was led to organize a 3 days Youth Program that will end in a concert in 2005. The pastor of the church was well carried along. All of a sudden, he turned against the program and began to divert the donations from parents to other things. He imposed a church Crusade over the program. The next time myself and the other planning committee met and I led them to pray, I began to weep aloud like someone that has received a thorough beating. The others were surprised but, they knew this was supernatural because a minute ago, I led them to pray. I continued weeping for minutes until I had a relief and thank God the only day given to us for the program, it was such a blessing to all that came and the attendance was much. His own crusade recorded very low attendance(even Church members didn't show up). It took me time to forgive him. He must have been under some evil influence.
A NOTE OF VICTORY
Because groaning in itself is supernatural, it is accompanied by some other supernatural signs to show that victory has been won. I cannot categorically tell you the length of time groaning last. Sometimes, a burden can linger for days and weeks. As you yield yourself to pray, the prayer can be very intense but, you cannot groan for long BECAUSE OF THE WEAKNESS OF YOUR BODY. . I have been under some intense burden that it seems I was going to die and the burden lifted. Maybe God saw that my strength couldn't carry it.
Groaning in the Spirit is always followed by:
LAUGHING IN THE SPIRIT,
SINGING AND PRAISING IN TONGUES,
JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST (there may be some shouting involved)
AND
Peace-that calmness from within. It comes with a sense of satisfaction. Hallelujah.
Most times, God will give/show you who/what you are praying about.
TRAVAILING FOR SOULS
Isaiah 66:6-10
Isa 66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
Travailing so many times by the Spirit are directed towards interceding for SOULS TO BE SAVED or averting an impending doom. It is just the same as Groaning in the Spirit.
HELPING OTHERS THAT ARE UNDER A BURDEN TO PRAY
The next time you find yourself somewhere and a believer begins to pray more intensely than others(I am not talking about those who normally jump and shout as a routine. In fact, you will know deep within you that this is no longer normal),
you can stay close to that person, kneel beside the person or hold the person's hand and begin to PRAY IN TONGUES.
What will happen is that some of the burdens upon the person's spirit will come upon you. It can get so serious that the two of you can begin to groan at the same level.
Paul says to bear one another's burden and so fulfill the Gospel. Gal. 6:2. Don't be looking. Get others to begin to pray. The more the number, the faster and easier it is.
Let me stop here and continue tomorrow.
My email: phronesisfemi@gmail.com
08101025734
cya-nigeria.blogspot.com.ng
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