Intercession

 

Intercession: Is the modern Church aware of the purpose and intent of the Greek word, intercession – παράκλητος parakletos {par-ak’-lay-tos}? It is a significant tool used to maintain the Kingdom of the God on the earth. The Strong’s concordance word number 3875 for “an advocate” shares amazing insights into what the term meant to the Greek translators. Word meanings change from time to time because of the way lecturers use them to convey their points of view.

¹² For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;

 ¹³ In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.

 ¹⁴ And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

 ¹⁵ Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

 ¹⁶ And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. ¹⁷ For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. (Isa 59:12-17 KJV)

 Isaiah 59:16 is a prelude to Ephesians 6:12 prayer that portrays a man of war who clothes himself with the “garments of vengeance” to declare war in the Heavens. After our Lord and Savior conquered Satan’s kingdom, we were fully clad, meaning that we were suited up and given the “keys to the Kingdom,” which came by the authority in His name.

The Hebrew word for intercessor is Strong’s Concordance # 06293 פָּגַע paga` {paw-gah’}

Meaning:  1) to encounter, meet, reach, entreat, make intercession. (Isa 59:12-16 KJV)

It seems that historically, the priests forgot the reason they were set aside by God.  They were sanctified for the purpose of guarding the Heavens, warring against the principalities, and pulling down demonic strongholds over their lands. The prophets were supposed to pay close attention to what was happening in his or her sphere of influence.  Priests and prophets would call down the armies of Heaven to fight against the demon spirits that were destroying human civilizations. Today, angelic hosts in Heaven are still waiting for the body of Christ to rise up as a mighty prayer force and engage the forces of darkness.

Unfortunately, today mankind has been busy blaming each other for the condition the world is in.  They have become ignorant of the power that God has bestowed upon them and no longer push back Satan’s kingdom.  There is no passion to pray for the brethren and no urgency to war against the real enemies of God.

The Complete Jewish Bible says: “God saw that no one was amazed, that no one interceded.”

^CJB  Isaiah 59:16 He saw that there was no one, was amazed that no one interceded. Therefore his own arm brought him salvation, and his own righteousness sustained him Isa 59:16.

 How does the Lord do this? I praise Him for His awesome plan! The answer is found in verse 19.

 ¹⁹ So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. (Isa 59:19 KJV). 

 The Hebrew word for standard is defined as נוּס nuwc {noos} (to the attack) (to drive hastily), (to cause to disappear, hide) to put to flight. Hallelujah!  However, this standard is not a group of human soldiers and their conventional weapons. This standard is the “Spirit of the LORD.”

  רוּחַ ruwach {roo’-akh}

1g3) imparting warlike energy and executive and administrative power 1g4) as endowing men with various gifts 1g5) as energy of life 1g6) ancient angel and later Shekinah. Administrative powers wrestling against spirits of the  air.

From the Strong’s concordance 07307 רוּחַ ruwach {roo’-akh})

This is what Jesus was teaching His apostles about – the נוּס “Breath of God” as a helper. When born again believers are filled with the Holy Spirit, God’s kingdom is on the inside of them. When we pray in tongues, we bypass man’s fleshly motives and the Holy Spirit prays through us in the way our Heavenly Father alone understands. For example, when we pray for God to do something about our crazy boss on the job, the Holy spirit knows that it is not the person, but a demonic spirit.  Believers can open doors to spiritual adversaries by speaking the wrong things, thus we need to pray in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit knows specifically what and how to pray.

 ^NLT  Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

The best Biblical story that explains how the armies of Heaven readied themselves to fight for God’s people is in the Book of Joshua, (Jos 5:13). While Joshua was on his way to Jericho, he was approached by an angel standing with a sword.  Joshua asked if the angelic host was there for him or for his opposition.  Interestingly, the angel’s answer did not commit to either one.  In the natural realm, this makes no logical sense.  But when we understand it from a spiritual perspective, the angel was essentially telling Joshua: “I am here to fight God’s battle not man’s battle. I have come to establish this place as God’s territory”.

¹³ When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?” (Jos 5:13 NLT)

¹⁴ “Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the LORD’s army.” At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. “I am at your command,” Joshua said. “What do you want your servant to do?”

 ¹⁵ The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did as he was told. (Jos 5:14-15 NLT)

The Bible is very clear about who did the fighting. When the people of God made one sound in giving God the glory, unseen forces pushed the wall down without human participation. The only human intervention needed was intercession, which synonyms are mediation and intrusion.

When we pray in intercession prayer, the Holy Spirit brings us in harmony with God’s own will.

²⁶ And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

 ²⁷ And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

 ²⁸ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Rom 8:26-28 NLT)

One last important point to remember:  Let us examine the early Church’s definition of the word, “Advocate.”

  ²⁶ But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative– that is, the Holy Spirit– he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

 ²⁷ “I am leaving you with a gift– peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

 (Joh 14:26-27 NLT)

⁵ “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going.

 ⁶ Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you.

 ⁷ But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.

 ⁸ And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

 ⁹ The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.

 ¹⁰ Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more.

 (Joh 16:5-10 NLT)

^NLT  1 John 2:1 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. (1Jo 2:1 NLT)

advocate 1b) one who pleads another’s cause with one, an intercessor 1b1) of Christ in his exaltation at God’s right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins 1c) in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, assistant

Jesus taught His disciples to love one another.  The only glue that held them together was a Commandment from Christ to love one another. With that being said, when a brother or sister is behaving unseemly, we are to plead to God for that soul in the same way that Jesus prayed for Peter.

³¹ And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

 ³² But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

 (Luk 22:31-32 KJV)

At the end of the day, let us be found lifting up a fallen soldier through prayer.  We should not be guilty of releasing greater warfare upon them by our human judgements. Through prayer, the Lord has blessed me with this revelation:

If His body could hear a playback of what they have said about a brother or a sister who has fallen, and then hear how the Holy Spirit intercedes for that individual, the body of Christ would be crying out to God in a totally different manner.