THE PRAYER OF INTERCESSION: SEEING GOD

“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another that you may be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”—James 5:16

 

I encourage you today to reach out to God through the prayer of intercession.  The prayer of intercession occurs when we turn from all human help, go beyond ourselves and seek God.   

 I am continually awed by how quickly God responds to our prayers of intercession.   Have you ever experienced a time of intercession when you set yourself to seek God above all else, and it seems as through that you hardly had to mention the need before the answer came?  King Hezekiah was delivered some bad news by the prophet Isaiah so he turned his face to the wall and prayed.  Before Isaiah could leave the compound, the Lord told Isaiah to go back and tell Hezekiah that He had given him an answer to his prayer (Isaiah 38: 1-5).

Here are a couple of principles of intercession that we can learn from Hezekiah that will help you.

“In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.  ² Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord,  ³ And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.  ⁴ Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying,  ⁵ Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years”

1.      When given a death message, turn to God, not man.  In verse 1 King Hezekiah, we see that he is incurably ill and that God had pronounced a death sentence upon him.  Verse two tells us that he turned to the wall.  He turned away from the circumstances and turned to God.

2.      In intercession see only one thing:  God.    When we pray, see only God.  Turn away from your own sensations, symptoms, sufferings, sympathizing well-meaning people, medical reports, and anything else that is not God.  See one thing:  God.

I want to encourage you today if you are facing a situation that seems hopeless to turn your face to the wall, and there you will find Jesus Christ your refuge and help in time of need.  He is the answer to all your problems and the answer to all your needs, and with God nothing is impossible.   

Prayer—Heavenly Father I come to You and to You alone today, seeking Your face and Your help.  Lord without You I can do nothing, I have no power of my own, it is in Your power that I must rely upon, Your strength, Your presence in this _______________________situation.   I turn from all outside sources to see You and You alone, help me Lord in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.