A harvest of souls and spiritual renewal (revival), has always been preceded by, and maintained through, intercessory prayer.[1]
Once the wheels of intercession are set in motion, cause and effect drive that assembly into a season of reaping and multiplication.
There has never been an accidental revival, or an unintentional renewal.
All growth in a Church follows four principles:
- Prayer
- Preaching
- Praise
- Personal Evangelism
Tonight, I want to cover that first principle, PRAYER, and specifically The Divine Call for Intercessors in this hour.
1 Kings 18:41-46
(41) And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. (42) So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, (43) And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. (44) And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. (45) And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. (46) And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
James 5:17-18
(17) Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. (18) And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
1 Timothy 2:1-4
(1) I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; (2) For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. (3) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; (4) Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
Intercession is one of the most needed ministries of the last days.
The Church will reach its full level of harvesting power when the intercessors stand in the gap.
Intercessory prayer occurs when we are in perfect agreement and alignment with God, because God is praying through the intercessor.
It is not you praying, but God. You are the channel, conduit, tributary God flows through.
All He requires is that He finds a willing and available vessel.
A Divine Call for Intercessors
Romans 8:26-27
(26) Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (27) And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
- The Spirit maketh intercession. The Holy Spirit of God.
- Intercession = “interceded in behalf of,” to make petition, plead with
- It is the will and mind of God being revealed.
- With groanings = too deep for words. It is travail of the Spirit of God.
- “To sigh, murmur, pray inaudibly…“grief, groan, grudge, sigh.”[2]
- A.D. Urshan to Anthony Mangun: “Hold your belly and groan.”
Those who answer the Divine Call have crucified themselves with Christ:
Galatians 2:20, “(20) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
Galatians 5:22-25, “(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (24) And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (25) If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
Notice three things (F.J. Ellis):
- It took a crucified body to save and redeem man.
- It took a crucified body to reveal God’s resurrection power.
- It will take a crucified body (the Church) to consistently pray to the Lord of the harvest.
Prayer is the passionate hope of Jesus.
It was his prayer request to us.
He did not seek for musicians, big buildings, or new programs (those all have their place); But, Jesus simply had one request, “Pray.”
This glimpse in the heart of Jesus Christ heart reveals to us the answer to the need and dilemma of our day.
He is calling you to pray
Matthew 6:5-13
(5) And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
- Not “if,” but “when.”
- Not for show or vainglory
(6) But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
- The true intercessor who responds to the Divine Call will pray in private.
(7) But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
(8) Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
- We are not to simply repeat this prayer verbatim, but it is a guide to us of to pray.
- When we simply repeat “The Lord’s Prayer” we run the risk of devolving our time of intercession to vain repetition.
(9) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
(10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
(11) Give us this day our daily bread.
(12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
(13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Do you want to align yourself with the will and purpose of God?
PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!
1 Timothy 2:1-4, “(1) I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; (2) For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. (3) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; (4) Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
- “…first of all…prayers…”
- “Who will have all men to be saved…”
- Truth is essential, but prayer is the means by which Heaven is made accessible to mankind
2 Chronicles 7:1
(1) Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.
- Prayer brought the fire of God.
- It it was not until Solomon prayed that the fire fell.
2 Chronicles 7:14
(14) If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
- God is divinely committed to the prayer of His people.
- His eyes and ears are open to their call (prayer):
- “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Psalms 34:15-18).
What happens in intercession?
Intercession is a divine burden that drives you to seek the will of God and pray until the answer comes, or there is a release in the Holy Ghost.
Back to our text:[3] 1 Kings 18:41-46
- Verse 41 – Elijah heard the voice of God and prophetically spoke the will of God.
- Verse 42 – The prophet then got on his face alone before God on top of Carmel. Because he knew the will of God, he went to prayer and would not quit praying until it came to pass.
- Verse 43 – He sent his servant to look toward the sea. He saw nothing. The reality of the invisible did not stop Elijah. He not only kept praying, but also told his servant to go again seven times….until it happens.
- First he saw a little cloud like a man’s hand
- Then came a great rain.
- James 5:16-18, “(16) Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (17) Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. (18) And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.”
Don’t be surprised when the level of spiritual warfare you face increases as you answer The Divine Call to Intercede:
Matthew 4:1-11
Mark 1:12-13, “And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.”
[1] Primary Source: F. J. Ellis. Intercession-Key of Spiritual Warfare. (n.d.)
[2] Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries. G4726 & G4727.
[3] F.J. Ellis
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