Love has been important to me ever since I can remember.
My thoughts, dreams and prayers were consumed with it’s presence in my life.
Until I encountered Christ and confessed Him as Savior and Lord,
I didn’t really have a clue about the love I craved.
The concept of someone sacrificing what they wanted for me,
until I answered Christ’s knock on my heart’s door … evaded me.
He stood in the most vast gap to ever exist for every person born on Earth.
Christ is the ultimate advocate, standby, gap stander and INTERCESSOR.
Reading through journals from my wild days, I read about former acquaintances and friends.
People whose hardships I hoped would end or be resolved “someway/somehow”
Even then I was an intercessor.
Reading names of people whose faces I’ve forgotten I realized
Even when I didn’t want to be, I was an intercessor.
For some people intercession is a chore or obligation
For some people like me
Intercession is a gift and a call.
When I obey God’s word and commandment
as an act of love, in his grace and mercy
I’m able to stand before Him on behalf of others.
Intercession is an expression of love in Jesus Christ name.
In the beginning this was a burden.
My life’s goal was to live a life “without sin” so He would hear me.
As I’ve grown in my relationship with God
Reading His word, listening to His Holy Spirit when I read His word,
encountering His presence
in private and corporate worship settings
revealed a liberating freedom.
My ability to stand before God on others behalf depended on two things
One was God accepting my prayers and
the other was HIS righteousness counted toward me.
IMAGINE MY RELIEF!
Did I stop pursuing a life without sin…yep.
My prayer became Lord, help me be holy in YOUR sight.
Being abstinent before my marriage and during my separation
didn’t make me holy.
Cultivating the fruit of the Spirit, and
obeying God is anchored in love and no longer prompted by any fear.
My heart could only be known by Him.
God reminded me of certain people He’d sent to intercede for me,
They weren’t perfect, He knew the condition of their heart.
That was a beautiful thing to me.
Holiness
Purity in Heart
Righteousness
These things were between me and God.
Is my ability to intercede effected by my lifestyle?
Yes
Will God still hear my prayers if I’m not perfect?
Always has…
Did that mean I should just give in to EVERY lust, whim and desire?
No!
Why not? He’d still hear my prayers…right.
Right?
Well….
Can’t tell you the answer to that question.
I can tell you, God’s love overwhelms me daily.
When I think about the people He sent to intercede for me,
His love compels me more times than not to ask Him to help me.
Help me know Him intimately for myself.
Help me stay alert and attentive to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.
So when He tells me to use my gift
When I need to answer the call to intercession
Like someone did for me
I can do it for someone else…because it might be you
He died in the ultimate act of intercession for both of us
I know you’re worth it.
