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The Intercessors Print E-mail
Written by Victoria Radin   

Revealing the Sons of G-d

“He will even deliver the one who is not innocent; yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.” (Job 22:30)

Intercession is the persistent prayer of a mediator between G-d and man to seek the physical healing of another, to request the remedy of an injustice done to an individual, or to halt the just anger and judgment of G-d against the unrighteous.

An intercessor is a person who by calling or by choice mediates on behalf of those who request prayer, or those who cannot or do not know how to intervene for themselves. This includes Carnal Christians1, unsaved persons, a household, a city, or even a nation. Intercessors make requests, urge, plead, beg, risk, sacrifice, and enter into warfare on behalf of vulnerable individuals in order to have a favorable impact on their lives. The many examples of intercessors in the Bible are the saints that sought to change G-d’s heart toward the people they served.

Moses, it is taught, was the greatest intercessor in the history of Judaism. Without his intercession, the nation of Israel, which G-d rescued from Egypt, would have perished (Psalm 106:23). He was even willing to have his name blotted out of G-d’s book for the sake of the Israelites (Exodus 32:32). Abraham negotiated (interceded) with G-d in an attempt to save Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:22). David was willing to be destroyed by G-d in order to save his people (1 Chronicles 21:17). Daniel repented on behalf of the nation of Israel and prayed for G-d to turn from His wrath against them and return the Israelites to the Land from Babylonian exile (Daniel 9:3-19). Samuel interceded for the Israelites during the period of Judges (1 Samuel 12:24). Esther was willing to perish in defense of her people (Esther 4:16). 

In the New Testament, Stephen willingly faced a crowd filled with rage in order to preach the Gospel to them and asked G-d to forgive them as they proceeded to stone him to death. The apostle Paul prayed unceasingly for each of the Churches to which he ministered2 and willingly gave his life many times over for the Gospel. Each of the apostles went throughout the known world to preach the good news of Yeshua’s death and resurrection, and each faced eventual martyrdom for their faith in order to expand the Kingdom of G-d. Hebrews, chapter 11, expounds further on the saints who lived for G-d and died for G-d.

Post-biblically, the Word of G-d was stifled under Roman Emperor Constantine and the popes that followed. The common people were not permitted to read the Bible in direct contradiction to His Word. Therefore, G-d raised up mighty men to intercede. They translated the Word of G-d into the language of the common people and addressed the Church’s many corrupt practices, knowing they would face severe persecution or death for doing so. Their great deeds were acts of intercession on behalf of the people of G-d to assure the advancement of His Kingdom, which had been halted by the establishment of a central Church that sought to suppress the people. Among them were courageous priests such as John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, William Tyndale, Myles Coverdale, and whole communities such as the Waldensians and Huguenots, many of whom were martyred for their exploits.

Yet, we know that, by far, the greatest intercessor in the history of mankind is Yeshua, who not only prayed for us while on earth, but even sacrificed His life so that we might live eternally. Only He, the perfect man without sin, could have accomplished this selfless ‘intercession’. And because He was resurrected from the dead, He continues to make intercession for us (Romans 8:34).

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16)

The apostles of the L-rd sought to be great in the Kingdom, to sit at His right hand and left. Yeshua said that even being baptized with the “baptism of suffering”, which He was about to enter, would not guarantee their placement in the Kingdom.

“But [Yeshua] answered and said, ‘You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’ They said to Him, ‘We are able.’ So He said to them, ‘You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.’” (Matthew 20:22-23)

The “baptism of suffering” to which Yeshua referred, is often called the ‘third baptism’. It is an intercessory act that contributes to the advancement of the Kingdom of G-d in whatever area to which one is called. The first is water baptism3, the baptism of repentance demonstrating the new birth4, the second is baptism in the Holy Spirit5 for spiritual empowerment, and the third baptism is the baptism of suffering for future glorification6

The intercessor cries out, pleads, or begs for another individual to be saved from a crisis as if it were for he, himself. Yeshua is our heavenly Intercessor and we are His earthly intercessors; The Holy Spirit of G-d lives in us so that Yeshua can live His life through us when we are baptized in the Spirit of G-d.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of G-d, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

The sufferings of Yeshua become our sufferings.

“… I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of [Yeshua] my L-rd, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain [Yeshua] and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness…but that which is from G-d by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…” (Philippians 3:8-10)

The Holy Spirit, living in the mediator, directs his/her intercession according to the will and purposes of G-d, often leading the intercessor to pray in a heavenly prayer language (1 Corinthians 13:1), in order to pray more specifically what is needed for the situation.

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 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. 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 G-d.” (Romans 8:25-27)

The intercessor often feels and expresses the emotional desperation of the one for whom he/she prays. 

“I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary with my crying; my throat is dry; my eyes fail while I wait for my G-d.” (Psalm 69:2-3)

By way of the intercessor, G-d reveals Himself through the veil of human flesh.

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the L-rd, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the L-rd.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

At the time of the L-rd’s return, there will be those who have been saved through repentance demonstrated by water baptism, those who have been saved and sanctified, through baptism in the Spirit of G-d, and those who have been saved, sanctified and glorified, through the baptism of His sufferings. For those who have been just saved, it will be as through the fire (1 Corinthians 3:15, 1 Peter 4:18); for those saved and being sanctified, it will be as a refiner’s fire (1 Corinthians 3:11-13); and for those saved, sanctified and glorified, it will be the glory of G-d revealed in them.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of G-d.7(Romans 8:18-19)

"I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our L-rd." (1 Corinthians 15:31)

Yeshua is still asking His followers, “….Are you able to drink the cup [of which I partook], and be baptized with the baptism that I [was] baptized with?” 

The apostle Peter reminds us that to the extent that we partake of His sufferings, is the extent to which we will experience joy in the revelation of His glory.

“…but rejoice to the extent that you partake of [Yeshua’s] sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:13)

Kee Va Mo'ed! (The Appointed Time Has Come)

1 In Keswick Theology (a.k.a. Chaferianism), a person starts off as a Carnal Christian and then at some "crisis point" makes a decision to consecrate oneself fully to the L-rd and is transformed into a Spiritual Christian, i.e. one filled with the Holy Spirit. This viewpoint is derived from the biblical record that water baptism and baptism in the Spirit are two separate events that could occur simultaneously, but not necessarily. (See Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:8; Acts 1:5, 19:6)

2 Romans 1:9, Ephesians 1:15-16, Philippians 1:3-5, Colossians 1:9, 2 Thessalonians 1:11, 2 Timothy 1:3

3 Mark 1:4

4 John 3:1-5

5 Acts 1:5, 8

6 1 Peter 4:12-19

7 Romans 8:14; Matthew 5:9; Luke 20:35-36

 

 
 
 
 
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