The Prayer Need Of Intercession

Approaching The Throne On Behalf Of Another

Prayer intercession is to pray on the behalf of others. When you pray you need to be so full of the spirit you give utterance in the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:27 says, "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.

The Holy Ghost anoints us to pray the perfect will of G-d indeed. He says here that he intervenes with his saints who pray.  If you want to pray the will of G-d, pray in the spirit or pray in the word.  G-d still fills us and sanctifies us. The will of G-d is for all of us to be saved and sanctified. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 says, "That each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor."

You should know how to take control and possess your flesh.  We know G-d's will on certain matters. We know he wants us to prosper and be in good health. He wants us to walk righteous and have love for one another. But how do you pray the will of G-d when you don't know what to pray for another person's life or your own circumstances? Well, you will see that in this teaching because we are going to talk about the world of intercession.  It's a dynamic prayer world.

The reason  I'm teaching so much on prayer is because we're going to have a spiritual awakening and we've got to pray for the harvest and for the laborers. Matthew 9:38.  When you pray for the lost, give G-d an exact list of what you want for a person.  Make your request known to G-d, and wait for it to show up.

How do you pray the fervent, effectual prayer for the lost? There are five things to pray and ask G-d for concerning them:

1. Ask G-d to set them apart
2. Ask G-d to bless them
3. Ask G-d to convict them
4. Ask G-d to illuminate their mind
5. Ask G-d to save them

1. How are we set apart?

Let's look at John 16:23, "And in that day you will ask me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name He will give you." You see, we don't receive for others because we don't ask.

Let's look at each one of these requests when praying for the lost. Let me just say first, that we Pentecostals believe in a second work of sanctification to operate in the gifts. In 1 Peter 1:2, we see the first sanctification. "Elect according to the foreknowledge of G-d the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ."

The blood of Jesus was poured out for salvation, so the blood has to be sprinkled on you. Just as in the old bible the people prayed for the sprinkling of hyssop, so we pray for the sprinkling of Christ to make us white as snow. ll Thessalonians 2:13 says, "But we are bound to give thanks to G-d always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because G-d chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth."

G-d always has to sanctify and set apart to be saved. Now here is a sacred experience to walk in the gifts. John 6:65, Jesus says, "Therefore, I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."  Until G-d sets somebody apart, a person can't be saved.

2. Ask G-d to bless them!

It is the goodness of G-d that leads to repentance. We learn what his goodness is by learning how sinful we are before him. His word is a good thing, for it makes all go well with us.  I want my children to be saved not torn apart by the devil. I want a G-dly marriage, so start saying "peace unto this house." and get the devil out. This is the dominion that G-d prepared us for from the beginning. Because you see, the family is G-d's prized possession.

3. Ask G-d to convict them!

Conviction is absolutely necessary to be saved. So ask G-d to bring conviction to them through another, or a preacher, or a witness. Sinners have broken G-d's laws and they must first realize the state they are in. Lost, means you're headed for hell. That's what coming to the cross in a humble, broken,contrite heart means.

The Lord saves us from bondage and a sin filled life.  Has G-d called you over and over about a matter of your soul? It will break your heart when he does, and bring conviction. We see the Apostle Paul trying to bring conviction to Felix, the Roman Ruler. It brought fear into Felix when he heard what his destiny in hell was.

When the Holy Spirit calls you to go to the altar, not on your own but by his Spirit that has called you out. You need to go, because you may miss your appointed time. Now the bible never tells us if Felix gets saved or not, but there are people who feel the call but don't act on and miss being saved. The person that G-d uses to bring that conviction will echo into their ears in hell for eternity.

4.  Ask G-d to illuminate their mind!

The sinner does not know the way unto salvation. The cross is foolishness to them.  But to us who are saved, it is the power of G-d.  We know he raised us up, saved us inspite of the wretchedness that we were. That's grace my friends.  Ask G-d to open the mind of the lost.  The gospel is hidden by the sinful world. They are blinded to this new way with the Lord. They have scales on their eyes and until somebody proclaims Jesus or a witness shows up and speaks the word, they will remain blinded. This is how important it is for every Christian to witness to the lost.

Speak to the devil on a person's life, tell him, I bind you in the name of Jesus. Ask G-d to stop anyone that's trying to influence your child in a negative way.  They must hear the Word of G-d as well to come into salvation.

Knowledge brings sanctification, healing and miracles.  It gives you power to walk in the word.  Truth and knowledge of the word sets you free.

5.  How do you pray for the lost?

You must know how to do warfare!  You'll have to learn how to pray the prayer of command in faith. It breaks the strongholds of darkness. John 14:13 says, "And whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the son."

Jesus said, I will do this.  You can bind the strongholds. Mark 3:27 says, "No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house." Go reach inside of darkness, and snatch a person from bondage.

Demons are real folks, but Jesus has given us power over them.  If you want to set the captive free you'll have to pray the command of faith.

What are our weapons of warfare?
1. Prayer
2. Blood of Jesus
3. Name of Jesus
4. Word of G-d
5. Praise
6. Fasting
7. Love

1. When we choose to love others we have Christ in us. No matter how they get on your nerves, and they will, you still love them. They will mess us and some will stumble but you speak the word over them and keep praying for them. The worst thing is to not have love for the lost in your heart. There is faith, love and charity and of all these, and love is the greatest of all to possess. If you love others you will pray for them.

Keep giving the command of faith over and over on strongholds of alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, pornography. Persistence in your prayer life is essential to break strongholds. You can never mask a stronghold and be free from it. You've got to go to the prayer warriors to get this thing out of you.

If you're not praying then Satan is winning. When you're praying he has no power over the fervent, effective prayer of the Saint.  A lot of preachers will pray over a sermon behind the pulpit right before he brings the word, but if he hasn't prayed all week, then I doubt conviction will come to somebody.

2. Every legal claim that the devil had was cancelled on Calvary by the works of the cross by Jesus Christ. Jesus took back what Adam lost, and his authority and dominion is now ours again. Run the devil out, he has already been defeated. l John 3:8, Hebrews 2:14.

I love Colossians 2:15, it says, "Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it." The church is to enforce that victory we have.

3. The Name of Jesus!

Look at Luke 10:19 "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you."  The spirits are subject to you! You have this authority but the devil will lie to you and make you think you can't command him.

The Greek translation for Holy Spirit is pneuma. The translation for Holy Spirit power is is dunamus and the translation for authority is exousia. You have authority over the devil. Jesus broke the headship of Satan. The devil does have power and he roams around to see who doesn't know what their power and authority is. Speak to him and tell him to "come out."

4.  Word of G-d!

The word is living and powerful. Truth will prevail over a lie every time. The word will wash you, and cleanse you, renew your mind and it will set you free. It will cause healing, build your faith and show you righteousness. The word defines who you are in Christ. It teaches us our Father's love and obedience to his commands.

5. Praise!

Praise is powerful! Did you know that it's a weapon against the devil?  Judah means praise. That's why we see victory whenever Judah goes up against her enemies. Praise will defeat the devil. Look at what happened in the jail with the Apostle Paul. He was in the midnight hour, and darkness all around him. He boldly stood up and began praising the Lord. The prison cell was shaken open, and he took the prison guard into salvation. Well, glory! You shouldn't be worried what others are thinking of you when you get up out of that pew and praise the one who saved you! It will set you free from strongholds and hindering spirits.

6. Fasting!

The purpose of warfare is to enforce Jesus' authority that he gave us. Isaiah 58:6 says, "Is this not the fast that I have chosen, to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yolk."

7. Love is a weapon!

Do you love others as your self?  There's a battle going on in the church and we win with prayer by pulling down strongholds and imaginations. ll Corinthians 10:5. I'm giving you some real knowledge here on how to win church. We are commanded to use this power and knowledge to save souls and to set the captive free.