Intercession: The Throne Ministry # 5

Intercessory Prayer (continued)

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

"Besides 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 (clearly 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 world, "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 # 6)