Intercession Series

Intercession

Exodus 32:11-14

The last time we looked at this the people got together while Moses was up on the mountain and they formed a golden calf to worship. They worshiped and offered sacrifices to it and refused to acknowledge that it was the true and living God that divided the Red Sea and led them through the wilderness.

Tonight I want to look at Moses response to this news because it's not the response that you would think at first

look at what the scripture says- “Moses implored the Lord His God and said, “O Lord why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?”

remember that these people have done nothing but argue and complain against moses since he started this journey with them from Egypt- The foods no good, you took us the wrong way, we liked it better in Egypt

I don't know about you but if I was in Moses' position I would see this as the one big opportunity for God to pour out his wrath against these stiff necked people, but in this passage tonight we see why God chose Moses for this job and its found in how Moses responds to this news

Instead of asking God to wipe the people out that are worshiping this golden idol that they have made he pleads to God on their behalf., He ask God to turn from his anger and to Remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the promise that He had made to them.

Literally Moses is standing between God and these people and he is interceding on their behalf.

Tonight I want to talk to you about intercession and what the Bible has to say about it.

The word intercession means to pray or to petition God in favor of another person

This isn't the only place in the Bible where we see someone interceding on behalf of another

Probably the most quoted example of intercession in the Bible is when Abraham interceded on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah

Genesis 18:22

Daniel 9:16 (903)

Jesus' prayer- John 17:9

Stephen Acts 7:60

In all these cases we see the same thing- people who have a relationship with God coming to God in prayer on behalf of others. This is the act of intercession

Abraham pleaded for Sodom

Daniel Prayed for the nation

Jesus prayed for us

Stephen prayed for his enemies

So often we see Christians who spend a lot of time with their prayer turned inward that they never interceded on behalf of others. There is nothing wrong with our prayer being inward but they also need to be upward in praise and outward to those around us.

There is something I want to make clear right up front tonight: Intercessor prayer cannot force someone else to change or be saved, it can extend grace and mercy from God towards others.

In other words Stephen prayed for his enemies demonstrating Gods forgiveness and His forgiveness towards them but in order for them to be saved they would have to come to the knowledge of Christ themselves and call upon the name of the Lord

we still have to remember that God has given everyone a free will. Abraham pleaded with God for Sodom and Gomorrah, but the people of Sodom had a free will, Even when the angels came to Lot and his family Lots wife still had a free will to look back or not and she chose to look back. It wasn't because Abraham didn't plead enough, its just the way it is.

We can pray for our loved ones to be saved we can pray for God to protect them and give them mercy and grace, and I believe that because of our prayers that God will give them every chance to be saved, but they still have to come on their free will.

We are commanded in scripture to not only intercede for our loved ones but also our enemies

Mat 5:44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Christopher Hitchens is an atheist who has tried to do a lot of harm to the Christian faith by publishing a book titled “God is not Great” (Surprising I have this book on my bookshelf because someone handed it to me after church here a couple of years ago) but anyway he has cancer and the prognosis is not good. Last year on Sept 20th was national pray for Christopher Hithcns day where Christians all around the world prayed for God's will in this mans life. There Is even a facebook page and web page that have been made to get the word out to pray for this man.