Eleven Principles of Intercessory Help
Rom 8:26,27 - "The Spirit helps us in our weakness for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes for us according to the will of God."
Illustration: We all need intercessory help. Better than a professional lawyer, the Spirit never loses a case. It reminds me when I lived in Nigeria an intercessor or a mediator was necessary to resolve every conflict. This required an authoritative intercessory figure who could bring a clear, cool and calm head to every predicament. However, most of the intercessors decided on the basis of how much they could get from the individuals in determining whose side they were really on. They reminded me of the double-minded Balaam in Numbers 22-24. The Holy Spirit intercedes always according to the will, power and sovereign purpose of God’s greater good.
The following eleven principles are some of the reasons to help us understand why some people get their prayers answered and others do not.
1. ABIDE IN HIM - The Holy Spirit helps us teach some people the necessary conditions for answered prayer. Jesus said, "If you live in Me (abide vitally united to Me) and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it will be done for you." (John 15:7) Ask God to help you live IN Him with all of your heart, soul, strength and mind, so that you can see more of your prayers answered.
2. CONFESS ALL SINS - The Holy Spirit shows us how to encourage people to confess their sins of omission, commission, disposition and faulty perceptions. David wrote, "If I cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." (Psalm 66:18) Ask the Lord to encourage people to confess ALL of their sins before the Lord.
3. PRAY WITH PROPER MOTIVES - The Holy Spirit instructs us in what to ask for and how to pray with proper motives. James wrote, "You do have because you do not ask. You ask and yet, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives that you may spend it on your pleasures." (James 4:2,3) Ask God to help instruct you in what and why to pray regarding all facets of your ministries.
4. PERSEVERE THROUGH SUFFERING - The Holy Spirit guides us in persevering through suffering in order to see ALL prayers answered in God’s time. James wrote, "You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." (James 4:11) Ask God for a persevering heart, mind and body enabling you to see the full fruition of God’s answers to prayer in relationships & tasks.
5. WALK BY THE SPIRIT’S PILOTING - The Holy Spirit fills us with a Christ like perspectives so we are able to avoid walking according to our own selfish impulses. Paul wrote, "Walk in the Spirt and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh." (Gal. 5:16) Ask the Lord to help you to walk in a way that is pleasing to the Lord in all respects so that He is able to make you fruitful in every good work and prayer.
6. BE INSPIRED BY THE SPIRIT NOT THE WORLD - The Holy Spirit works in and through you to do God’s work by supplying us with the desire to obey the Lord in every aspect of our personal lives and ministries. Paul wrote, "God is at work in you, energizing and creating in you the power and desire both to will and to do His good pleasure." (Phil. 2:13) Ask the Lord to create in you an abundant source of inspiration to help you accomplish His complete will.
7. LET THE SPIRIT SUPPLY YOU WITH EVERY NEED - The Holy Spirit steers us to and supplies us with the best fields that are ripe for harvesting the seed we sow. Paul wrote, "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work... Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness." (2 Cor. 9:8-10) Ask the Lord to lead you to the fields, relationships and ministries that are ripest for the harvest.
8. LET THE SPIRIT TEACH YOU - The Holy Spirit educates us in the best ways to pray in the Spirit on all occasions. (Eph. 6:18) Ask the Lord to teach you how to pray most appropriately in all situations according to the greatest needs represented in your groups, ministries and situations.
9. BE EMBOLDENED BY THE SPIRIT - The Holy Spirit emboldens us to pray with confidence, courage and certainty that God will answer our prayers. The writer of Hebrews wrote, "Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy (for our failures) and find grace to help in good time for every need (appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it most). (Heb. 4:16- Amplified) Ask God for a holy boldness to approach the Lord to things that others may be afraid to trust God for.
10. LET THE SPIRIT CORRECT YOU - The Holy Spirit rebukes, corrects and chastens us when we are praying out of the will of God. Hezekiah prayed, "The Lord said to Hezekiah, ‘Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’ Hezekiah turned his face to the Lord and prayed, "Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes. Then God said, "I will add fifteen years to your life... But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem." (2 Kings 20:20,21 & 2 Chron. 32:24,25) Ask the Lord to help you to avoid asking for anything that is not in the perfect will of God for your life, your relationships or your ministries.
11. LET THE SPIRIT TEACH YOU THROUGH PEOPLES’ LIVES - The Holy Spirit helps us learn from Godly people the best ways to pray and see positive results. Samuel wrote, "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. He cried out to God, Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain. And God granted his request." (I Chron. 4:9,10)
Application: Ask the Lord to bless you in GREAT QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ways according to the grace that God has given you in your personal gifts, abilities, and directions.
Prayer Requests (Phil. 4:6-9)
Give God glory in all things
Yieldness in all things
Overcome with good
Not overcome w/evil
All done in love
Greater faith & hope
Grace to be sufficient
Adequacy from you
Articulation abilities
Communication skills
Rapport & Relations
Enter not /temptations
Good health strength
Wisdom protection
Encouragement
Unity with diversity
Truth love justice
Employment
Healing Immunity
Good blood health
Rebuke-overcome evil
Thematic – reserved
Casting all care on Him
Count it all joy
Financial blessings
Giving guidance
Fulfillment of G. Comm
Maturity in all areas
Love, joy, peace, patience kindness
Goodness, gentleness
Faithfulness selfcontrol
Humble in God’s sight
Submit to authorities
Replace evil for good
Patience – kindness
Relinquishing rights
Purity holiness
Facility in teaching
Effective preaching
Hunger in students
Evangelism effects
Disciplemaking “
Consecration
Success in all things
Organization
Content delivery
Prevention problems
Church-school IR
Avoidance of sins of omission, commission, disposition predispose
Good health care
No breakdowns
Breakthroughs
Deliverance
Forgiveness
Restoration
Good sleep
Great devotions
Grading papers
Mission students
Administration
Trinity College
Family salvation
Not personalizing hurt criticism set-backs
Walking in the Spirit
Sermon central ministry writing effects
Networks
USA
Film evangelism
Church planting
GFA & Christian aid
Avoiding lust-anger
Overcoming depression, fear isolation, problems
Counseling abilities
Healthy diet
Meetings excellent
Avoiding offense
Good meals IR
Good ethics
Send labors to fields
Great mission conf
Retirement blessings
Emotional support
Cont Education
Exchange evil/good
Fear the Lord
Be of good cheer
Friends fellowship
Job ministry leisure
Confidence & calm
Trust & obey
Strong in the Lord
Submission sovereign
Connections direction
Good praise-meditation
Ask for Your Blessings
Enabling, Empowering
Envisioning Expression
Guidance, goodness
Protection Preservation
Walks, songs exercise
Authorities & saints
Christlikeness in all
Speaking truth in love
