to act or interpose in behalf of someone in difficulty or trouble, as by pleading or petition: to intercede with the governor for a condemned man.
.To attempt to reconcile differences between two people or groups; mediate.
So let’s get something straight at the start. Intercession, which is the act of interceding, is not the same as prayer. Prayer is what Christians do when we talk to our Father in heaven. We can talk to Him about many things from “Father thank you” to “Father help me” but it is not until we get to talking about “Father help him/her/them” that we enter the realm of intercession.
Why do I bring this up?
Because I enjoy prayer. I like hanging out and telling my Father about my day. I like sharing my excitement at something that has happened, and I like thanking him for what he’s done for me. I love hearing his voice in the quiet of my soul. But begging, pleading with him on behalf of others? Not so much. Read more…
Evangelism & intercession are two great examples of spiritual gifts I do not have. I do not experience an incontrollable urge to get on my knees and pray for hours on end. My knees much prefer to be stretched out on the recliner. In the same way I do not experience an indescribable burning in my gut or tearing in my heart that requires me to pray. I just don’t. These are the marks of an intercessor.
I do not turn every conversation to salvation. I do not teach salvation every time I teach. When I talk to people casually I usually start off with “HI my name is Sage,” and not “Hi, do you know Jesus?” I do not have a supernatural gifting of evangelism. Just one of those things. Read more…
In the movie 30 days of Night, there’s a scene in which a girl walks through the town calling out for help because the evil vampires put her up to it. She reaches the end of the street and no one has come out to help her – no one has taken the bait. The vampires threaten her and she says “Oh God, please. Please Oh God.” The vampire just shakes his head and says “No. No God.” In narrative terms this establishes a base premise of the created universe. In the world in which 30 days of Night takes place, there is no God (in the movie version, I haven’t read the graphic novels so I don’t know if it’s different) in much the same way the Marvel Universe and the DC Universe have a base premise of the existence of superheroes.
But have you noticed how even in supernatural thrillers like The Exorcism of Emily Rose and The Exorcist in which the church plays an important part, the Father rarely does? Even Constantine which has a base premise of Spiritual Warfare has more about angels and the church than it does about the Father. I think this occurs for three reasons. Read more…
The artist cries out “we will overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony.”. Watch the video. Much better than anything I could have written.
