Easter 2009 Message Life in Christ Bible Church LICBC Headquarters, 154 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra Madre, CA 91024, USA http://www.licbc.org THE INTERCEDING CHRISTIAN Intercession is the special privilege Christians have of praying for others or making petition in their behalf at the throne of God’s grace. Believers are not supposed to pray for themselves alone. God expects every believer to intercede. Great joy and eternal rewards are the lot of interceding Christians. 1. MINISTRY OF INTERCEESSION (PRAYING FOR OTHERS) – Ephesians 1:16; Romans 1:8,9; Philippians 1:3,4; Colossians 1:3; I Thessalonians 1:2. Many there are whose main concern is to criticize, find fault, oppose, destroy or divide Christian believers, fellowships and the Body. But Paul prayed for the local assemblies and for individual Christians. Others talked about the Church to their fellow men who can do nothing except backbite and devour one another, but Paul talked about the Church to God since the Church belongs to God (Acts 20:28; I Corinthians 6:19,20. Ephesians 5:25-32). II. OTHER GREAT INTERCESSORS IN THE BIBLE a. Jesus – Isaiah 53:12; Hebrews 7:25; John 17:15,20,21; Romans 8:34. b. Abraham – Genesis 18:20-33 c. Moses – Exodus 32:9-14 d. Samuel – I Samuel 7:8-10; e. The Holy Spirit – Romans 8:26-28 The tragedy of our age is that there are no intercessors to beat back the tide of Iniquity (Isaiah 59:16). Oh, for real intercessors to pray for the Church and the world. Note results of national repentance: Jeremiah 18:7,8; Ezekiel 22:30; Isaiah 59:19. III. ONE OF THE MOST NEGLECTED EXHORTATIONS IN SCRIPTURE 1. A CALL TO INTERCESSION I Timothy 2. BELIEVERS ARE EXHORTED TO PRAY FOR: a. The Nation – 2 Chronicles b. Kings and Rulers – Ezra 6:10; I Timothy 2:1-4 c. Persecutors –Matthew 5:44 d. The unsaved – Romans 10:1 e. Ministers – Philippians 1:19; I Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:18 Romans 15:30 f. The work of the Lord – Colossians 4:3 g. One another – James 5:16 h. The Church. It is our duty to pray earnestly and constantly for fellow Christians, our pastors and Christian teachers, any known Christian worker, national leaders and our nation. Nowhere are we commanded to criticize anyone; we are commanded to pray for “all men” (I Timothy 2:1) IV. PRAYING IN FAITH - James 1:6-8; Hebrews 11:1,6; Mark 11:24. Whether we are praying for others or ourselves, we must pray in faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Simply believing that God will do what He said He will do. He cannot lie. Numbers 23:19,20; Titus 1:2.
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