INTERCEEDING ON THE BEHALF OF OTHERS.

THEREFORE, THAT, FIRST OF ALL, SUPPLICATIONS, PRAYERS INTERCESSIONS I EXHORT AND GIVING OF THANKS, BE MADE FOR ALL MEN, FOR KINGS, AND FR ALL THAT ARE IN AUTHORITY , THAT WE MAY LEAD A QUIET AND PEACEFUL LIFE IN ALL GODLINESS AND HONESTY. FOR THIS IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR, WHO WILL HAVE ALL MEN TO BE SAVED, AND TO COME INTO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ,
(1 TIMOTRUTHTHY 2;1-4).
GOD WE LIVE IN AN INSTANT SOCIETY---ANSWERS TO OUR PRAYERS. WE HAVE NO PROBLEM WAITING TO HEAR FINSTANT COFFEE, INSTANT TEA INSTANT PUDDING----AND MANY OF US WANT INSTANT ROM GOD AS LONG AS IT ONLY TAKES FIVE SECONDS, MINUTES, OR DAYS HOWEVER WHEN WE HAVE TO WAIT FIVE MONTHS OR FIVE YEARS FOR AN ANSWER TO PRAYER, MANY OF US GROW IN PRAYER AS A WOMAN TRAVAILS IN CHILDBIRTH, ALL TOO OFTEN WE MISS THE REWARD HE HAS FOR US BECAUSE WE LACK STICK-TO-IT-IVEFAINTHEARTED AND SAY FORGET IT!NT
WA US TO TRAVAIL NESS IN PRAYER. I HAVE OFTEN SAID THAT WE SHOULD "PLAY" UNTIL WE WIN. WELL, WE SHOULD ALSO "PRAY" UNTIL WE WIN.
EXODUS 32-34 GIVES A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO PRAYED UNTIL HE WON WITH GOD , A PERSON USED BY GOD AS A POWERFUL INTERCESSOR. AN INTERCESSOR IS ONE WHO ACTS IN THE BEHALF OF SOMEONE IN DIFFICULTY OR TROUBLE. HE PLEADS OR PETITIONS SOMEONE ON THEIR BEHALF, OR ATTEMPTS TO RECONCILE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE OR GROUPS----A MEDIATOR.
INTERCESSION IS THE WILL OF GOD. IN 1 TIMOTHY 2: 1-3, THE APOSTLE PAUL LISTS THREE GROUPS OF PEOPLE WE SHOULD INTERCEDE FOR. HE BEGINS BY BEING VERY GENERAL AND SAYING WE SHOOULD INTERCEDE FOR ALL MEN, AND THEN HE NARROWS IT TO KINGS (POLITICAL LEADERS), AN FOR ALL WHO ARE IN AUTHORITY (PASTORS, POLICEMAN, EMPLOYERS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, ETC).

THE TWO BENEFITS OF INTERCESSION ACCORDING TO THIS SCRIPTURE, ARE THAT IT WILL ENABLE US TO LIVE GODLY AND HONEST LIVES IN PEACE AND QUIET. FREE FROM A SOCIETY OF STRESS AND CRIME, VIOLENCE, AND FEAR, AND THAT MEN WILL SURRENDER THEIR HEARTS TO GOD AND COME INTO THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS SAVING GRACE.
THERE IS TREMENDOUS POWER IN TERCESSORY PRAYER. ALTHOUGH YOU MAY NOT INTERCEDE FOR OTHERS AS A LIFESTYLE, 1 TIMOTHY 2 COMMANDS ALL BORN-AGAIN BELEIVERS TO PRAY THE PRAYER OF INTERCESSION IN MUCH THE SAME WAY YOU WOULD PRAY A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING, OR OF PETITIOMIGHTY INTERCESSORN AND SUPPLICATION.
MOSES WAS A , GOD CALLED HIM TO LEAD THE ISRAELITES OUT OF EGYPT AND INTO THE PROMISE LAND (SEEEXODUS3). IN FULFILLING GOD'S CALL, MOSES SAVED AN ENTIRE NATION FROM DESTRUCTION THROUH THE PRAYER OF INTERCESSION.
WHEN GOD FIRST CALLED HIM, MOSES DID'NT FEEL HE HAD THE PROPER CREDENTIALS. MOSES ASKED GOD, WHO AM I, THAT I SHOULD GO UNTO PHAROAH, AN THAT I SHOULD BRING FORTH THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL OUT OF EGYPT' (EXODUS 3:11).
GOD ASSURED MOSES THAT HE WOULD BE WITH HIM AND EXPLAINED HOW HE WAS GOING TO DELIVER THE ISRAELITES FROM EGYPTIAN BONDAGE. THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH FOR MOSES, HOWEVER, IN VERSE 13 HE ASKED GOD WHO ARE YOU? GOD RESPONDED ''........ I AM THAT I AM:.......SAY UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THE LORD GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB, HATH SENT ME UNTO YOU:.........."(EXODUS 3:14,15).
MOSES WAS STILL NOT CONVINCE. AS A CHILD IN PHAROAH'S HOUSE HE HAD BEEN TRAINED TO DEPEND ON HIS OWN ABILITIES AND INTELLECT AND HADN'T LEARN THE SOURCE OF HIS STRENGTH. ALTHOUGH HE WAS A POWERFUL SPEAKER IN PHAROAH'S HOUSEHOLD AND IS DESCRIBE IN ACTS 7:22 AS BEING' .......MIGHTY IN WORDS AN IN DEEDS ' MOSES HAD LOST HIS CONFIDENCE AFTER HE MURDERED AN EGYPTIAN AND THE ISRAELITES REJECTED HIS LEADERSHIP(SEE EXODUS 2:11-14). HE ASSURED GOD THAT HE WOULD FAIL BECAUSE HE WAS SLOW OF SPEECH, AND OF A SLOW TONGUE,(EXODUS 4:10).
IF YOU REMEMBER, GOD BECAME UPSET WITH MOSES AND APPOINTED HIS BROTHER, ARON, AS HIS MOUTH PEICE. HOWEVER, AS MOSES RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND HIS CONFIDENCE GREW, MOSES PUSHED ARON ASIDE AND BEGIN INTERCEDING FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOD HIMSELF.