Intercession: The Throne Ministry # 3

Intercessory Prayer (continued)

13. An intercessor knows the authority of Christ and his position in Christ. This is an absolute knowing.

"That ... the eyes of your understanding (heart) being enlightened, that ye may know. ...what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all" (Ephesians 1:17-23).

"Even when we were dead in sins, (He) hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus ... (Ephesians 2:5, 6).

14. An intercessor pours out his complaints before God and not before men, Psalm 142:1, 2. A prayer when David was in the cave Adullam.

15. An intercessor goes to his "closet" - the closet of his heart - and becomes one with Christ (Matthew 6:6).

16. Much is required of an intercessor (Luke 12:47, 48; Matthew 20:21-23).

17. An intercessor has to be meek and lowly (2 Timothy 2:24-26; Romans 12:3; Exodus 32).

"Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were born upon the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3).

"... Moses was ... meek, above all men ... upon ... the earth. Meekness is a temper of spirit in which we accept God's dealings with us as good, therefore, without dispute - meekness is n unreserved, simple-hearted submission under trial. Meekness is the consciousness that we are nothing, but that God is all.

18. An intercessor has to be a bondservant - 

ONE whose will is altogether swallowed up in the will of another.

ONE who serves another to the disregard of his own interests. (Nothing matters as long as his Lord and Master is glorified.)

ONE bound and devoted to the service of another.

ONE whose will and capacities are wholly at the service of another.

Bondslave is used of the lowest scale of servitude, but when transferred to Christian service it expresses the highest devotion of one who is bound by love.

19. An intercessor is one person or a group of persons to whom God can entrust the spiritual care of the Body of Christ:

"Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches" (2 Corinthians 11:28).

"Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God" (Colossians 4:12).

20. An intercessor will let Christ in him pray for what He (Christ) poured out His soul unto death for.
 He will let Christ in him pray for what He (Christ) suffered for.
 He will let Christ in him pray for what He (Christ) bled for.

This is a giving of our vessel unto Him so that He may use it for the travail of His soul - that the Body of Christ may come "unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). An intercessor gives himself over to the Spirit of the travail of Christ's soul for the Body of Christ - Isaiah 53; John 17; Romans 8; 2 Timothy 4. Paul poured out his life unto death. This intercessory prayer is pouring out so that Christ may pour through.

21. An intercessor will become a spiritual father; he will travail for the children of God and bring them into maturity until Christ be formed (cleared defined) in them (Galatians 4:19; 1 Corinthians 4:14-16).

This kind of travail is seen in Christ's travail on the Cross when He prayed for the whole wold, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). And in measure, we see this type of travail in:

Moses' travail for Israel (Exodus 32);
Stephen's travail for Paul (Acts 7);
Paul's travailing for the Church (Colossians 1:24).

This type of prayer will bring forth the New Creation.

~T. Austin-Sparks-

(continued with # 4)