A0426_Intercession Every Christians Duty
Date: 1st February 2009 (Sunday PM) Ref: A0426
Place: Kambah P.S.
Title: Intercession, Every Christians Duty
Text: & 1 Thessalonians 5:25
Illust: This evening I want to look at the subject of intercession.
I. Duty to Pray for Others
A. Call to Prayer
i. In our text Paul, in a very succinct way, hard to misinterpret lays a solemn charge on the church to pray. – We have a duty to pray
ii. A compass works because the magnetised needle is drawn North, inside every believer there is a natural attraction a desire for heaven for relationship with God, we want to converse with God, want to feel that we can talk to Him & He to us. – Natural
iii. Jesus set us the example, throughout the Gospels we see that He often went aside to pray, He taught His disciples to pray
Luke 6:12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. (NKJV)
B. Who We Are
i. If we would take time to contemplate our true state, our desperate need, we would of course be driven to our knees to pray. How could we not. – Really think about who you really are, your carnal tendency, your weakness to do what God wants.
ii. You can’t live the Christian life, you can’t fulfil the destiny & purpose God has for you, you don’t want to in of yourself. - Need the grace of God in our lives, His power & enabling so that we want to fulfil His will, so that we are enabled to live for Him
Desperate need to pray
iii. This is true for you, therefore it is true for others as well. If you need to pray for you to have the Grace of God to be able to live for Him, then surely we can help others also by praying that God’s Grace would be with them, His power & enabling. – Anything less is selfishness. – Desperate need to pray for others.
II. How Should You Pray
A. Always
i. Praying for others is intercession
Entreaty in favor of another, especially a prayer or petition to God in behalf of another.
L. intercedere "intervene, go between," from inter- "between" + cedere "go"
ii. Who should we pray / intercede for;
1 Timothy 2:1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, (NKJV)
We should pray for all, that means that we need to have a heart for each other, the lost, in this city, in this nation & the nations, pray / intercede before God on their behalf
1 Timothy 2:2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. (NKJV)
For Kings & those in Authority, we should make a specific point of praying for our rulers, the PM, the Chief Minister, for Godly legislation
Ephesians 6:18-19 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, (NKJV)
For Pastors, I desperately need your prayer, Pr Walsh, Pr Mitchell
Luke 6:27-28 27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. (NKJV)
For your enemies, those that have wronged you, those you don’t particularly like
iii. Spending time in prayer before the Lord, lifting up others.
B. Understanding & Groanings
i. How do you pray for others; First there are people you know, you know them, you know their situation / circumstances – Pray specifically for God to meet their need, for God to move on their behalf
ii. Also even though we may not know every issue, every trial, we can pray to God on behalf of others & know that He knows the need in their life.
iii. As Holy Ghost filled believers, we can pray in the Spirit, Not brain in neutral, blah blahing in tongues but groanings that cannot be uttered.
Romans 8:26-27 26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (NKJV)
III. Why You Should Pray
A. Fill Your Heart with Love
i. If you would pray for others, how long do you think it could be before your heart is lifted up in love for them. It is impossible to spend time interceding on behalf of others without a love for them filling your heart & soul.
ii. Think about it, envy, malice, jealousy, bitterness cannot abide long in the heart of one who will take time to intercede for others
B. It’s Powerful
i. Secondly prayer is not simply a nice to do, it is powerful
James 5:16 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (NKJV)
ii. Think through the Bible, it is a record of the miraculous, the supernatural; plagues stopped, armies defeated, rivers parted, all in response to prayer.
C. Partnering with the Lord
i. Lastly a most importantly of all, when we take time to intercede in prayer we are partnering with Jesus our Lord in what He is doing.
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (NKJV)
ii. As you intercede, pray on behalf of others you are involved in that labour that even today employs the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Father
Go to bed seasonably, and rise early. Redeem your precious time: pick up the fragments of it, that not one moment of it may be lost. Be much in secret prayer. Converse less with man, and more with God.-- GEORGE WHITEFIELD