|
“Intercessors require a relationship with God’s intimacy and
a passion for others.”
Many desire a visit from the lord. What would happen if
you had a visitation from the Lord? Would it be just a notch on your
“spiritual high” list, or perhaps some materials for a bestseller book? What
would be the result of a visitation from the Lord?
In so many different ways the Lord does visit His people.
It is wonderful and precious even though it may not be such a dramatic and
literal a way as we find some of the men and women in the bible experienced
the presence of the Lord. The scriptures tell us of people who encounter the Lord
in different times and situations of their lives. Abraham had a marvelous
visit from the Lord. What did he do? He took time to literally wait on the
Lord. He gave him the best of his time, his substance and himself it was not
some hurried fast food that was given. Abraham personally chose and prepared
the best. Talk about hospitality! Abraham did not even relegate his favorite
chef to do the honors. He personally prepared the best, worthy of the Lord.
Then Abraham also took time to walk with God, and it was during this sweet
intimate conversation that Abraham learned about
Sodom.
It is only when a believer takes time to wait on the Lord,
and walk in such intimacy, that the Lord begins to tell His secrets. What did
Abraham do? He stood in the gap to intercede for the nation, however vile and
rebellious it was before God. Intercession comes from a heart that is
desirous of God’s intimacy and a passion of God for others. Intercessors
require a relationship with God and a burden for the lost. If we do not desire
the presence of the Lord and make time to spend Him we cannot intercede for
others. Intercession demands a servant’s heart, time and compassion. The Lord
open his heart to Abraham and brought out the change against
Sodom and
Gomorrah,
which deserved the judgment they were about to receive because they had been
so corrupted and wicked. There were many who had been destroyed by there
vileness. Abraham knew about all this,
but he also knew that those cities were inhabited with people who were made
in the image of God. Law demands due
retribution, but grace pleads for mercy.
The laws of God are stringent but the heart of God moves
with compassion. The presence of God brings out both righteousness and mercy
as an intercessor. If God’s presence is just about producing a spiritual high
and nothing more, we will never be great intercessors. God hears the cry of
the law demanding judgment, but he also looks for an intercessor that cries
out for mercy.
What was it that brought out compassion in Abraham? It was
the situations and difficulties he himself had undergone. One who has
suffered can feel with a greater compassion for the suffering of others. Only
those who have experienced pain, failure, sorrow and rejection, and have had
a taste of God’s grace and mercy, can understand the pain in others. If you want to intercede for others then
turn to the mountain heights of God’s presence and intimacy for occasions to
stand in the gap for those who stand in condemnation. Feel the pain of those
in the shadows of death. If the Lord Jesus Christ the greatest intercessor stood
in the gap for you when you least deserve his mercy, we should enter into the
pain, rejection and struggle of the others as we intercede for them.
Do you know why God still puts up with some rebellious
people? Because of some mother, father or believer crying out to Him.
September 11th could have been worse than it was, every power of
hell wanted to see this city and this nation destroyed. Are we any better
than the other cities of the world? Absolutely not! We would have been in big trouble had it
not been for the intercessors crying out to the God of all flesh.
Enter into the presence of the Lord and become an intercessor.
Our city, the nation and the whole world needs intercessors. The prayer chapel
on the 6th floor is set aside for prayer and it is open morning
noon and night.
Take time to be in
the prayer chapel in personal prayer and intercession before the Lord.
And
join with the intercessor during the various times of prayer sessions.
Turn
those momentous times with the Lord into times of
intercession.
| 
Times of visitation call for times of Intercession