Victory through Prayer # 4
We’re going to continue teaching on the subject of prayer and intercession. So we’re going to pick up were left off last time.
I) If you have your bibles with you turn with me to Ephesians 6:10-18.
A) In (verse 11) Paul says that we need to put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.
1) The Word “WILES” means “SCHEMES or PLANS.”
a) We need to put on the whole armour of God so that we can stand against the Devil’s schemes, plans, and attacks.
B) Part of the armour of God is found in (verse 18) which says, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.”
1) Notice that he tells us that if we want to be able to stand against the attacks of the Devil we need to pray in the Spirit.
a) Prayer and intercession is a valuable weapon against the Devil.
2) Turn to 2nd Corinthians 10:4.
a) The NIV translation says, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power TO DEMOLISH STRONGHOLDS.”
b) One of our weapons is prayer and it has divine power to DEMOLISH SATAN’S STRONGHOLDS.
3) In (Matthew 17) the disciples could not get rid of the evil spirit that was tormenting a boy.
a) After the boy was brought to Jesus and delivered, the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast out the Spirit.
(i) First Jesus said it was because of their unbelief, but then he added this kind of Spirit only goes out by PRAYER and fasting.
(ii) Here Jesus shows us the importance of prayer and faith. Both are needed to drive out the enemy and to demolish Satan’s strongholds.
II) Before we go on I want to look at some SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES OF INTERCESSION. Turn with me to GEN 18:16.
A) In this chapter the Lord appeared with 3 angels (GEN 18:1).
1) Look at something the Lord said in Genesis 18:17-19.
2) The Lord was going to reveal to Abraham what was going to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah that He WASN’T going to reveal to the rest of the world.
a) Because Abraham was committed to God and that he would commission his children and his household to follow after the Lord, and as (James 2:23) puts it, he was a friend of God, God was going to reveal it to him.
(i) I want God to be able to trust me and reveal things to me.
(ii) But it’s going to take commitment to the Lord, commitment to church, it’s going to take fellowship with the Lord, and you’re going to have to spend time in the presence of the Lord with praise, worship, and PRAYER.
B) Lets go on reading with GEN 18:20-22.
1) In (GEN 18:22) it says, “And went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.”
a) THIS IS THE ROLE OF AN INTERCESSOR, TO STAND BETWEEN THE LORD AND ANOTHER SITUATION.
(i) What Abraham began to do was to plead the case of another. And that is a powerful position.
2) Let’s look at what happened. Genesis 18:23-33.
a) Unfortunately there were not 10 righteous in the city, but the Lord still spared the righteous.
III) Now turn with me to Exodus 32.
A) In this story Moses was up on the mountain with God where he just receive the tablets of stone written with the finger of God.
1) Moses was upon the mountain for some time and the people began to think that Moses was not going to return. That’s when they began to make the golden calf.
B) Let’s pick up the story here with Exodus 32:7-10.
1) Because of their wickedness, God refused to even call them HIS PEOPLE and he would not even take credit for delivering them out of Egypt.
a) In (verse 7) the Lord said to Moses that they’re your people, which you brought out Egypt.
2) But look what Moses said to God in Exodus 32:11. (Thy people which you brought out of Egypt).
C) Let’s go on reading with Exodus 32:12-14.
1) Again we see someone standing in the gap between the Lord and another.
a) Moses began to plead his case before the Lord for the children of Israel. And the Lord honored that intercession.
(i) It says in (verse 14) that the Lord repented of the evil, which he thought to do unto his people.
b) Sometimes we have a hard time with the phrase “THE LORD REPENTED OF THE EVIL.”
c) Let me give you a definition from the Hebrew of the words that are used here.
2) First the Word “REPENTED” here means, “TO BE SORRY, BE MOVED WITH PITY, OR HAD COMPASSION.”
a) The Lord had compassion on the people and felt sorry for them.
3) The word “EVIL” doesn’t mean SIN, but it means “HURT OR HARM.”
a) Because of Moses’ intercession the people were spared the judgment and penalty of sin.
D) Can you see how important intercession is? We need to PRAY AND INTERCEDE FOR OUR CHILDREN. Intercession can change the entire direction someone is going.
1) Now sometimes people will question this verse and say that it sounds like the LORD CHANGED HIS MIND, and in (Malachi 3:6) It says, “I am the Lord I change not.”
2) Let me give you a further definition of the word “REPENTED” in (verse 14).
a) It also means, “RELIEVED OR COMFORTED.” THE LORD WAS RELIEVED AND COMFORTED that HE DID NOT HAVE TO CARRY OUT THE JUDGMENT OF SIN.
IV) In (Numbers chapter 12) Moses interceded for Miriam’s healing.
A) In (Deuteronomy 9:25) Moses again interceded for Israel.
1) Israel is a TYPE OF THE CHURCH. You need to pray and INTERCEDE FOR THIS CHURCH and for the body of Christ.
B) In (1st Chronicles 21:16) DAVID BEGAN TO SEE SOMETHING IN THE SPIRIT. He saw the angel of the Lord standing over Jerusalem with his sword drawn in his hand, ready to destroy Jerusalem, but David interceded for Jerusalem and the city was spared.
1) What I wanted you to see about that verse is that sometimes INTERCESSORS WILL SEE SOMETHING IN THE SPIRIT.
a) When you do, it means pray and intercede. Don’t worry about what it means. Don’t go around talking about what you saw. The Lord gave you all that you need to know and he wants you to pray.
C) There’s so many references to intercession that we can’t go into them all, but in (Psalms 20) THE PEOPLE PRAYED AND INTERCEDED FOR VICTORY and the king received assurance that the victory was there’s.
V) Turn to Ezekiel 22:30-31.
A) STANDING IN THE GAP is the role of an intercessor and an intercessor can stop destruction or problems even before they began.
1) The Word “HEDGE” in this verse refers TO WALL OF PROTECTION.
a) You can pray and intercede; building up THAT WALL OF PROTECTION that will keep the enemy out.
b) There is power in intercession and if you want to see VICTORY IN YOUR LIFE, in your CHILDREN, in your SPOUSE, in your CHURCH, in your SITUATION and in our NATION you have to PRESS IN AND INTERCEDE.
B) In these two Vs. we can see that the Lord did not want to bring destruction upon the people.
1) He sought for someone to pray for the land, but he could find none.
2) He didn’t want to bring destruction, but he had to because he is a righteous judge. But all that was needed was for someone to stand in the gap and pray so that the destruction would be avoided.
a) (2nd Chronicles 7:14) says, “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 forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
b) It takes prayer to avoid the judgment of God because of sin, and it takes prayer to avoid the destruction and bondages that Satan might bring.
3) But not only does prayer and intercession avoid the destruction and bondages, but PRAYER will also BRING HEALING AND RESTORATION.
VI) It’s been said many times that God cannot do anything on this earth, unless a man asks.
1) We need to start asking.
2) Pray that the Will of the Father would be done here on earth as it is in heaven.
a) Pray that God would begin to move and manifest himself.
b) Pray for rain of the HS, the latter and former rain.
3) When God comes on the seen and begins to manifest himself, darkness flees.
a) As you begin to pray and intercede you’re going to see Satan’s kingdom begin to be defeated in your life and in your family and victory will begin to manifest, but we’re going to have to pray.
WOLCC SUN 6/28/92 and Sunday, June 14, 1998, June 21, 1998 this message was taken from a sermon called Intercede.Doc. And July 5, 1998 different things were added to this Doc. this message was not preached until Sunday July 19, 1998. And W. O. L. C. C. Sunday, July 26, 1998. Some things were added to this message but mostly from “Victory through Prayer Part 3.”