Acting as His Son – Prayer of Intersession

 

  Each system of belief communicates beyond here and now to who or whatever transcendent concept they perceive exists. This exchange is commandingly spoken of as prayer. As Christians we believe this activity with the transcendent to be an exchange, a conversation with the Creator of the Universe. Our understanding is that Yahweh is a “personal” being who interacts with us who are made in His image as “personal” beings as well. We are not rocks {inanimate} speaking to another rock. We are not having a internal conversation either, because our Creator did not form us from the substance of Himself because when He became, “the image of the invisible God“ He had to enter into this world not emanate into consciousness from the pool of non – existence, John 16:28, 11:27, 18:37, Heb.10:5.

  Once we chose to submit to the Father after being drawn of the Holy Spirit through the means of the Son’s blood atonement our intimate interaction can begin. Pryor to our choosing to except the adoption offer of Yahweh we echo Job after the depths of his breaking;

I know that thou canst do all things,
And that no purpose of Thine can be thwarted.
Who is this that hides counsel with out knowledge?
Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,
Things to wonderful for me, which I did not know.
Hear, now, I will speak;
I will ask Thee, and do Thou instruct me.
I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear;
But now my eye sees Thee,
Therefore I react,
And I repent in dust and ashes.
Job 42:2-6
Our being exposed increasingly to the person and character of Yahweh through our life struggles, like Job, is the process that leads to maturity. This illustrates Jesus’ teaching concerning the Holy Spirit’s ministry towards man John 16:8-15. His Spirit sent by the Father will act as convector – not to be confused with accuser. Struggle that produces hope verses despair is a simple way to tell the difference, Psalm 126:4-6, Jeremiah 31:8-9.

  He first exposes Sin offering the one trapped within its nature freedom from it through their choosing to repent and surrender to the Father’s rule – justification – breaking the curse of “Original Sin” and its power over the one born into the nature of the first Adam, Rom. 10:8-17. [As the dwelling place – temple of the Holy Spirit – the Body of Christ, we are the mouth producing the sound to hear as the Holy Spirit’s instrument the work of the Holy Spirit is not the result of some ethereal encounter that far to many instruct the Holy Spirit‘s interaction with man to be!]

  The second and ongoing relationship between the believer and the Father is conviction of unrighteousness still influencing [not ruling Rom.6] the repentant one – this is Sanctification the second aspect of Salvation and the relational interaction revealing the habits of our past still unbroken needing to come under discipline’s maturing instruction, Heb.12:7-14. The restoration of His Spirit as in the Garden endows us again with the strength and understanding [Rom.8:16,26 2nd Corth.1:22, Gal.4:6] to respond increasingly as we grow and throw off the encumbering sin- habits of the old man so we can say as Job, “I heard of Thee… but now my eye sees Thee”. This is the goal expounded upon in Eph.4:14.

  The interaction here falls into the transcendent relationship man has with Yahweh and reveals one dimension of what we call prayer. This interaction develops between us knowledge leading to understanding. Understanding in turn allows trust to develop. This trust becomes the foundation by which Jesus says we are no longer slaves but sons because a slave has no concept of his master’s plan. However a son who is mature acts according to what he sees and hears from his father. A son fathoms the depths of his father’s character. The father in turn, out of concern and compassion informs the son. Moreover since a son has the foundational understandings of his father the unfolding plan becomes a cooperative endeavor based upon agreed results of the two together [Biblical agreement is not between sons but between father and son/s, however if many sons are in agreement with the one father then agreement among sons will be apparent but not the primary interaction of agreement!].
  This concept -maturity- is the starting point of earth changing intersession. When we are mature sons we are not in the dark concerning Yahweh’s Kingdom principles and its nature. He has given us the complete picture needed to act as His son/s while we live in time – Scripture. Intersession reflects the mature responsibility entrusted to a mature son who is not in doubt over his next move as would be a immature son. While a child is being brought to maturity a father stands beside a child guiding and protecting the child’s actions because his immaturity only allows him to act upon direct instruction. The evidence of maturity sought after from a father is seen when his son acknowledges the contrast between the father’s desired order and the condition existing outside of that order and without seeking instruction proceeds to bring his father’s order to bear to the situation encountered. Along with the understanding and responsible action a father then gives his son authority to act in his name and wield his power to accomplish the task.
  Intersession is not relational interaction but trust interaction based upon mature interdependence. Mature sons stand in the gap between the Father and the situations within the Earth. Intercessors understand what they see around them and in the same fashion as the mature son in the natural begin to use the authority and power granted them to develop strategies to bring order to the estate.
  Unfortunately either out of fear, some type of false humility, or immaturity the Western Church spends to much of her time calling intimate relational interaction intercession. Just so no one misunderstands me we must continue to build deeper relational times with Yahweh. However we have got to stop confusing this with intercession. If most of the time spent “praying” intercessionally takes on the need of searching for the anti – Kingdom conditions we are not mature enough to be a trusted son given the authority to stand in the gap between the voiceless and the oppressor as an ambassador wielding the Kings authority.
  As we survey the Father’s lands do we more often then not see what He does not approve. If not then chances are we are not mature. If we do, then the next step is to through His authority begin to address that which we see. This address is true intercession responses received concerning the situation either from revealed will – Scripture or the speaking of the Spirit in the exchange of prayer (knowledge of Scripture builds foundation for discernment here) begin to form marching orders for “warfare prayer” another aspect of prayer. (part of book I am working on)

Pastor Art