ICS Daily Devotions
Keys to Intercession
Ezekiel 22:30-31 (NKJV) So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God.
When we intercede or stand in the gap between the person and God, we need to rebuke the devil by quoting scriptures and praying from a position of authority, because the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, and we are lifting the shield of faith to cover the person being prayed for.
The key to intercessory prayer is to learn to rest in God by having faith that He is working in the spiritual realm when we pray and press in through praying in tongues. It is through faith and patience that we inherit the promises of God. Patience is needed because it is always a process though it doesn’t mean breakthrough is not coming. This is why we need to engage faith the moment we start praying because faith believes even when we do not see. There are advantages of praying in tongues because it not only builds up the inner man but ensures that the intercession is in accordance with the will of God. There is grace that sustains us whenever we pray, and we need to remember that we are partnering God who cares and loves the person being prayed for more than we do. Not only is the Holy Spirit is interceding through us, but Jesus is also interceding at the right hand of the Father. Therefore, intercessory prayer is working with God and resting in Him, and it should not wear us out or else we are using our own strength.
We should also enter into praise and worship coupled with intercessory prayer for the person, because praise and worship help us to focus on the awe of God. Faith arises through worship, and we will flow with the Holy Spirit as He leads and guides us in what to pray. In other words, we are listening to the Holy Spirit for targeted prayer for the person, organisation, company or church.
Lastly, intercessory prayer engages praying in the understanding as well as in the Spirit. We may interchange between the two as we simultaneously listen to the Holy Spirit and pray by engaging our mind according to what we know. When we run out of things to pray based on what we know or when the burden in our hearts has been lifted, this is when we can stop our intercessory prayer.
Sermon Series: I Have You Covered
