"O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!" Job 16:21
I came across this verse in bible readings and have had it marked for quite a while. It is one of the defining verses in Scripture about the role of intercession for God's praying people. Of course, the great book of biography of Rees Howell, by Norman Grubbs is truly the picture of an intercessor. The man that Leonard Ravenhill met north of Chicago, Rex Andrews, he prayed for 30 years, every night for the US as an intercessor. No one knew of him, but a few, but God knew him. He pleaded with God for man, for a nation, as a man pleads with his neighbor.
I have often defined intercession in the place of the one who will not plead for himself. Many a soul is lost and perishing, and has no desire to pray or seek God. We, as Christians, are left to plead with God for their soul. Christ was the great intercessor and even in Isaiah 53, the last phrase of that chapter is Christ interceding for sinners. He prayed in John 17 not only for the 11, but for those to come as well. Everything is at stake in prayer here. With all the 'call's to prayer', with all the questions about churches and pastors and Christians prayer life, this is where it all falls; who is interceding before the Lord? Who prevails with God at His Own throne for the fate of a nation, for the fate of His kingdom, His will to be done, for lost souls.
This work of intercession is not about 'saying prayers' as is so often the statement by the church, by pastors and by Christians. "Well, I am saying my prayers'; "We pray" And I have had to qualify the statement, 'Are you prevailing?' For there are many that are praying today - the Buddhists are praying; the Muslims are praying; the religionists prays, but their prayers are not heard. And how many of the church is praying, but they are unclean, and they are not heard. 'For if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.'
Moses got before God and refused to be denied and prevailed for the sparing of Israel; Hannah prayed with great anguish and prevailed and God gave her a prophet. Jacob wrestled with the angel and prevailed with God and man. And what of us? Who is prevailing through intercession today? It is so hard to find a prayer meeting; so hard to find people to pray with. Yet, in all this the prayer life of the church justifies itself. Ah, but brethren, there is no prevailing until the one of you and I go before Him determined not to let up, be denied, until we have what He has laid on our heart and soul. The role of the intercessor is as needed today as ever. And I thank God for the prevailing of those in days gone by; for those that stay faithful today and for those that will not be denied in the future. Pray on brethren, and plead with God as a man pleads with his neighbour.
Pray so as to prevail for His glory!
PRAYER TARGETS:
AS you may follow me, you know that I have identified 3 epidemics we are facing as remedial judgements against our nation and the church:
1. Drugs; such the spike in deaths and abuse; numbers are in the 10,000's ;
2. Cancer - you would be hard pressed to find a family that is not walking through or has walked through this sickness and death; It is located everywhere.
3. Great Evil Acts - these are composed of the murders and death of mass shootings, school shootings, murder-suicides, suicides, police officers shot and killed, etc.
To address these remedial judgements of death, destruction and dying we are needed to look to the cause of it all. We have turned away from the Lord and forsaken Him. The church is not ready to deal with this.
--Supreme Court - a great victory is already being touted; Brethren, it is not here, do not celebrate before it happens! You know the enemy would have us to let up, and move on. Pray through. And even if the right justice is brought on the Supreme Court, and a case is brought forth and overturns Roe. Vs. Wade we still have over 60 million babies bloods on our hand that God will make us answer for.
--N. Korea/US - after the historic meeting, little progression is happening; Another situation to continue to pray through;
--Refugees from Burma in Thailand - 800,000 Musulims in camp; pictures during these monsoons are awful; great affliction and need here;
UPDATES:
--Call2Fall was this past Sunday for many churches to pray and seek the Lord; Following up on this is Tony Perkins from Family Research Council asking for specific prayer regarding choice of new Supreme Court justice; here is the link they desire for you to see and pray toward:
http://danbiser.blogspot.com/2018/06/please-god.html
--Prayer Partners please continue to pray each day for the 12 speakers; hosts church, simulcast receivers and Divine Presence overseeing all aspects of Sermonindex Conference in Oct. 4 -6;
--24/7 prayer chain; in regards to above devotion and theme of intercession, there has never been a greater need to prevail through intercession for our future than now; You are needed to join us and help us each day or several days a week. Copy and paste email address to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090945a4aa2da75-broken/58736439
--bible readings up through Job 25; on target to finish 49th time before 50th birthday; but only a few allowances of days to miss in the next 70 days; going to be close;
--The Activity of God - Leviticus - up through chapter 14;
--A Word - startied all the verses of Isaiah chapter 53: 1 - 12; almost 1/2 are finished;
--PLEASE GOD - one of my word/phrase studies in the Bible; marking these down as I come to them in study and reading;
Until,
Dan
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