Isaiah 59:16 (KJV)
“And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.”
The word ‘intercede’ comes from the Latin word ‘intercedere’. This word means to intervene, interfere or to mediate. God has called every serious Christian to interfere with Satan’s plans of destroying the church. The Bible encourages us to rise up and intervene as hordes of demons destroy the lives of Christians.
To intercede means to come between so as to modify the course of events.
Satan’s plans is to lead entire nations to hell. By the power of intercessions, we will modify the course of history. People who should have gone to hell will be saved. Powerful intercessors constantly modify the course of events.
To intercede means to be situated between things.
God has called every minister to be situated between the devil and God’s people. That is what leaders and workers of churches do. They’re situated between the wolves and the sheep. The wolves and jackals do not have access to the sheep because of your presence both spiritually and physically.
Ezekiel 22:30
“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”
Intercession means to stand in the gap - to become an obstacle to Satan and his agents.
When you understand what intercession does, you will never stop praying for the people of God. Our existence on this earth is constantly under threat. Although we don’t realise it, we are in danger from so many things. Intercession comes in as a blockade between you and those perils.
Philippians 3:3
“For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”
At one point, Paul said that he had lost confidence in his flesh. The flesh makes the church members desire and do wrong things. It is the flesh that makes church members lazy or not come to church frequently or joyously. When I think of my children in the Lord, my heart burns with intervention in prayer; “Father help my children! Don’t let them fall by the wayside.” Feel the same everyday about those you have led to Christ and influenced with the word of God.
Intercession means to combat disease.
Another need for intercession is in the area of sickness and disease. Intercessory prayer prevents disease from fastening its hold on people. Remember, it is easier to prevent diseases than to treat them.
Further Reading: Exodus 15:26, Deuteronomy 7:15, Isaiah 33:24