THE MARK OF AN INTERCESSOR

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An intercessor is a man or a woman chosen by God and given a burden which prompts him/her to mediate, intervene or pray on behalf of others.

Intercessors have a very distinctive and unique personality:

1. They are chosen by God to lead by example in the area of spiritual discipline and an uncompromising lifestyle of holiness (1 Thessalonians 4: 2-7).
2. They are persistent and consistent in prayer even if it seems the answer is being delayed (Luke 18:1-8).
3. They are always ready to pray at any time of the day or night (Daniel 6:10-28).
4. They carry a burden of the Lord in their heart to see mankind rescued from evil devices of Satan (Habakkuk 1:1-4, Matthew 11:28-30).
5. They pray for all people without discrimination, grudges or partiality (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
6. They never stop praying for the church (especially those in leadership) the unchurch (unsaved souls) and the nation (specifically those in leadership positions, 1 Thessalonians 5:16).
7. They are accustomed to living a lifestyle of prayer and fasting and are sensitive to the movement of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 4:4, Ephesians 4:30).

Are you called to be an intercessor? Perhaps for your family members, your community, your city, your country or the body of Christ as a whole? The Lord has called many to stand in the gap and pray for others but often, they are unable to recognize the call to intercede or the mandate of the Holy Spirit to pray for others.

Many are frustrated due to the selfish and fleshly decisions being made by those in leadership positions within the body of Christ but neglect the prompting of the Holy Spirit to pray for them. Many are fed up with legislative laws that are being passed in their country, laws that contradict the laws of God, laws that promote abortion and homosexuality to name a few, but fail to go on their knees and lift those leaders in prayer for them to turn away from their wickedness and turn their hearts back to God in repentance.

An intercessor does not play the blame game pointing fingers on others for sinning against God or making poor choices in life. The intercessor is quickly moved with compassion to pray and intervene for them in prayer.

Consider Abraham in Genesis 18:16-33, where he pleads with God for the city of Sodom where his nephew Lot and his family lived. Abraham could have said to himself, “well, it’s my nephew’s fault that he is in this position, he made the wrong decision and chose that city”. Rather, the Bible says that Abraham stood in the gap and was persistent in prayer for his nephew as well as all those who lived in that city for God to spare their lives. An intercessor does not easily give up in prayer. They are consistent and persistent until they get an answer from God.

There are many people in the Bible who interceded for others and God answered their prayers. In the book of Daniel 9:1-19, Daniel prayed, interceding for his people and God answered him.

Moses was an intercessor who prayed for the Israelites who perpetually rebelled against God (Exodus 32:11,14) and prayed for his sister Miriam to be healed from leprosy which she got for speaking against Moses (Numbers 12:13) and God answered him.

God is always looking for an intercessor, someone to stand in the gap and pray on behalf of others.

God says in Ezekiel 22:30, “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one”.

I pray that you will answer the calling, the prompting and the burden which the Lord has laid in your heart to pray for those around you and perhaps those across the globe in Jesus mighty name, Amen.

Author Pastor Andrew

Recommended: 7 Types of Prayer God always answers & 5 Reasons God might not Answer a prayer by Pastor Andrew A. Osei