Intercession
The Hebrew meaning of the word “to make intercession” the image is of someone
striking somebody else with a request. Isaiah described Jesus in this way. “He bore
the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).
In Greek, the verb meant to meet, approach, or appeal. In literature written that
word was used to mean personally petitioning an official to gain a favor.
Intercession – the act of petitioning God, or praying on behalf of another person or
group. The sinful nature of this world separates human beings from God. It has
always been necessary, therefore, for righteous individuals to go before God to
seek reconciliation between Him and His fallen creation. One of the earliest and
best examples of intercession occurs in Genesis 18, where Abraham speaks to God
on behalf of Sodom. His plea is compassionate it is concerned with the well being of
others rather than with his own needs. Such selfless concern is the mark of all true
intercession. Another good example is the intercessory prayer of Moses, when he
petitioned God on behalf of the Hebrew people (Exodus 15:23-25). The sacrifices
and prayers of Old Testament priests were acts of intercession that point forward to
the work of Christ. Christ is of course, the greatest intercessor. He prayed on
behalf of Peter (Luke 22:31-32) “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, satan
has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you,
that your faith fail not; and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren”.
Intercession is prayer warfare: II Timothy 2:24-26 “the servant of the Lord must not
strive, but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient. In meekness instructing those
that oppose themselves; if God perhaps will give them repentance to the
acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare
of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will”.
Christians are urged to intercede for all people: “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. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God
our Savior: who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the
truth” (I Timothy 2:1-4).
Intercession is the most effective form of prayer: “Is any sick among you? Let his
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 has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your
faults one to another and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The
effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:14-16). Paul tells
the Corinthians, if a unbelieving spouse agrees to stay with them, for them not to
leave because “for the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the
unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband, else were your children unclean, but
now are they holy”.
The most selfless intercession of all, Jesus petitioned God on behalf of those who
crucified Him (Luke 23:34) “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”.
The “high priestly prayer” in John 17 provides the most complete example of an
intercessory prayer by Jesus. 1) He prayed for His disciples, who were chosen to
spread the gospel after His departure verse 8-9 “For I have given to them the words
which You gave Me, and they have received them, and have known surely that I
came out from You and they have believed that You did send Me. I pray for them. I
pray not for the world, but for them which You have given Me for they are Yours.”.
2) The unity of God’s people verses 11,21 “that they all may be one, as You Father
are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us that the world may believe
that You have sent Me.”. 3) Their joy in spite of hardships and discouragement
verse 13 “and now come I to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they
might have My joy fulfilled in themselves”. 4) Their preservation from evil verse 15 “I
pray not that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them
from the evil”. 5) Their sanctification by the Word of God verse 17 “sanctify them
through Your truth, Your word is truth”. 6) Their eternal fellowship with Christ verse
24 “Father, I will that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am,
that they may behold My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before
the foundation of the world”. 7) Jesus prayed for the entire family of believers verse
20 “neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe of Me
through their word”.
Christ’s intercessory work did not cease when He returned to heaven. Thus after
Christ offered Himself on the cross as the sacrifice for sins, He ascended to the
Father and entered the heavenly sanctuary, where He now represents His people
(Hebrews 7:25). His Holy Spirit pleads on behalf of the individual Christian (Romans
8:26-27). Jesus tells us in Mark 16;17-18 “and these signs shall follow them that
believe. In My name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues.
They shall take up serpents and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them;
they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover”.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 5, 2006