Jack Hall column: Do you have the gift of intercession?
Nothing encourages me more than to hear someone say, "Brother Jack, I am praying for you!"
Are you an "intercessor?" I have met people who have told me that intercession is a gift that only certain individuals have. Dr. Warren Wiersbe wrote, "We are never more like our Lord than when we are interceding for others ... An intercessor must know the Lord personally and be obedient to His will. He must be close enough to the Lord to learn His "secrets" and know what to pray about."
So, you can see that this gift - if that's what you want to call it - is available to any believer who is willing to get close enough to the Lord to learn from Him and submit to His will! I believe our God wants as many intercessors out there as He can find!
I listened to the news last night. When I heard about Haiti, my heart went out to those folks. When I heard of oncoming storms on the East coast, I asked the Lord to help in the time of the storm. When I saw the story on Afghanistan, I thought, "Lord, surely our nation will wake up soon to what is going on in America!" But it won't happen unless believers intercede to God for help, protection, and forgiveness.
Last Lord's Day I preached on the importance of interceding in prayer for others and for nations. I used the examples of Abraham, Moses and Daniel. These three men fall into the category of "great intercessors" in the Bible. I challenge you to read the chapters in the God's Word about the intercession of these three men.
In Genesis 18, God was planning to destroy the city of Sodom for its wickedness. Abraham's nephew, Lot, lived there. So, Abraham naturally had great compassion for the city. It is amazing to read how Abraham was able to convince God to withhold the destruction of Sodom, starting with 50 people and lowering it to 10, "And the Lord replied, 'Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the 10.'" (Genesis 18:32).
In Exodus 32, Moses had been on Mt. Sinai for a long time receiving the Ten Commandments from God. The restless Israelites turned to idolatry, so God told Moses to go down the mountain, and He said to Moses, "I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation." (Exodus 32:10). But Moses boldly interceded by reminding God that the Israelites were His covenant people. And God punished and forgave His people and continued leading them into Canaan!
In Daniel 9, we find a prayer by Daniel, who lived in Babylonian captivity most of his life. Daniel was a man about whom the Bible has nothing negative to say. And yet, he identified with his people in this way: "We have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets" (Dan. 9:5-6). Listen to how he closed his prayer: "O Lord, hear. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name" (Dan. 9:19). This is a prayer that every child of God in the United States of America should be praying today!
As I close, I want to turn your attention to John 17. This is the prayer of intercession our Lord Jesus, the Son of God, prayed not long before He went to die on the cross for your sins and mine. Here's what He said concerning believers living today: "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one - as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me." (John 17:20-21)
Right now, this same Jesus, who went on to die on the cross for us, and was raised from the dead, and has ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God, the Father, is interceding for every one of us who have made Jesus Lord of our lives!
Lord, help us who "know" you to intercede for our loved ones, our friends, for unbelievers, for those who are hurting, and for our nation which has turned its back on you!
Jack Hall is pastor of Shawneetown First Baptist Church.