Lesson Six: Building Process 3 - Growing in the Life of Intercession

What is Intercession? 

“Intercession is praying as directed and energized by the Holy Spirit for others.” (Joy Dawson)

“A prayer warrior can pray for a thing to be done without necessarily being willing for the answer to come through himself; and he is not even bound to continue in the prayer until it is answered.

“But an intercessor is responsible to gain his objective, and he can never be free until he has gained it. He will go to any length for the prayer to be answered even through himself.”

In summary, the above definitions point to the fact that effective intercession is mainly a ministry of the Holy Spirit in and through the believer who is willing to pay the price of mediating God’s blessing to others.

Scope of Intercession

Who are to be the subjects of our intercessory prayers?

1. All the saints (Ephesians 6:18)
2. All men (1 Timothy 2:1,2)
3. Nobody can pray for every living person in the world. However,there is nobody who cannot be the subject of our intercessions.

This means we can never run out of subjects for intercession. Time to pray is never too long for one who is burdened for the needs of others.

Content of Intercession

1. The physical/emotional/social/mental needs of people – both believers and unbelievers.

Most of the time, our intercessions are centered on these needs. While there is nothing wrong in seeking God’s blessings for others in these areas we are usually not giving equal if not more attention to interceding for their spiritual needs. May we not forget that people’s spiritual well-being are far more profitable than their physical or social well- being, and that the attainment of the latter is meant to lead to the former.

2. Spiritual needs of believers. 

Example of Jesus in John 17:11-17. Just before His capture and crucifixion, Jesus interceded for the current and future believers.