INTERCESSION

Our intercessions about this world, the Church, the future and anything else, should always be tempered with God’s will regarding those things. In the end, it is not 'our will' be done on earth as it is in Heaven, but HIS will. His perspective is perfect 20/20 vision, while ours is through a glass darkly. Our will is also imperfect due to us being fallen beings (i.e sinners saved by grace), people who still suffer under fleshly desires (which is why we are called on to always ‘put to death’ the deeds of the flesh Rom 8v13), and those who are limited in their understanding.

Yes, God has instituted intercession--which shows how much He values our prayers and has chosen to listen to them. But He has not given us His throne, and He has not abdicated rule of the world to us--what a disaster that would be! Therefore we should be aware of what the nature and end result of all intercession should be. Abraham teaches us that while the process of all intercession is an appeal (a ‘standing in the gap’) and a back and forth (i.e. when Abraham interceded over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah), its end lies with what God wants and knows is best (i.e when there weren’t even 10 righteous in Sodom and Gomorrah, God destroyed it), whether we agree or are even agreeable with his decisions and ruling or not. It also ends with us needing to agree with God in his decision, ruling and subsequent actions, because the Bible tells us that two cannot walk together unless they are agreed (Amos 3v3).

God knows how to rule best, we do not. God knows what's best for a world, whereas our world (and often even the Church--no Church is perfect) shows that we don't. God’s knowing of what is best for His creation and their lives is seen in the perfect rule and life of Heaven. The glories, peace and perfections of the government and all the goings on of Heaven are a result of His perfect will and actions whose substance, fruit, and effect are always life, righteousness, grace, mercy, justice, order, judgment, goodness, kindness, and Holiness (just to name a few).

God is the great Savior and Judge of the world, we are not. Yes, we have been created in His image and given spiritual authority, but this is to be used according to HIS WILL and HIS PURPOSES, and in alignment with BIBLICAL TRUTH. It’s true that God wants to listen to us (and even use that intercession to work His will) in intercession because it is His Spirit which works in us to both will and do for HIS good pleasure, but in the end, it is only His perfect will which must, and will, prevail.

He has instituted intercession because His desire is for all men to come to the truth and be saved. He wants all men everywhere to serve Him, be redeemed back to Him (restore spiritual relationship), and to experience life in Him—not only to enjoy all the good things He gives us (1 Timothy 6v17), but primarily for the good and praise of His name and Kingdom (i.e. ‘Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness..’). Intercession should always be to seek what God delights in:

Jeremiah 9v24:
…let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

Notice that the Lord doesn’t only delight in loving-kindness. So he doesn’t only delight in grace and mercy, He also delights in justice and righteousness, and therefore things which work His righteousness and also bring about His justice—His judgment. If we would call ourselves intercessors, and those that God listens to—for He only hears that which is according to His will; 1 John 5v14--then we must realize that intercession involves seeking not only grace and mercy, but also, IF the Spirit wills it, judgment. However, context here is crucial. The Bible tells us that it is mercy which triumphs over judgment. God is longsuffering, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. Therefore, while we should always intercede for grace, mercy and righteousness upon the earth, in contrast, we should only intercede for judgment if that is the revealed (the Bible supports it) and revelatory will of God (we know by the Spirit’s speaking and revealing this to us). This kind of intercession should and will usually only take place as a LAST resort (when all other workings of God have evidently been rejected by men); and even then we should desire any good that exists to be spared (even as Abraham pleaded with God to save Sodom and Gomorrah if there were even just ten righteous people remaining).

Intercession is only effective and even heard by God if it is according to His direct or allowed will. Therefore if we want to intercede, before we begin, we should make sure we know what His will is, both Biblically and, I would also suggest, by revelation (to make sure we are on the surest ground possible). I would describe this as gaining a good foundation for our intercessory requests and pleadings. Abraham’s pleading with God over Sodom and Gomorrah showed his equal understanding both of intercession and HOW to intercede with God. He had a great understanding of what God delighted in, and so was careful to plead for His grace and mercy, but only in light and equal consideration of His righteousness and justice. Abraham didn’t ask God to save Sodom and Gomorrah regardless of whether there were righteous people or not. Abraham knew the importance of righteousness and justice with God:

Genesis 18v23-25:
Then Abraham drew near and said, (C)“Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”

So yes, Abraham’s heart and goal in his intercession was as it should’ve been (as ours should be while we are directed to, or allowed): to seek to save the good that could be saved (the righteous), and to even show mercy to those wicked people that didn’t deserve it, for if Sodom and Gomorrah were saved for the sake of the righteous, by default even the wicked people would’ve been shown the grace to be allowed to continue to live and have more time to repent (think: possibility of revival through repentance and reformation). It is possible and perhaps even very likely that Abraham was also seeking this very thing—to see the wicked repent and reform. However, Abraham also knew that God could not (and never would) go against His very nature, wisdom, Holy desires and purity of rule. Abraham also didn’t want him to. He didn’t go any lower than ’10 righteous’ in his pleading and negotiation with God. Notice also that God did not allow him to, which also showed that intercession always has an end, and that end in the final ruling and decision of God:

Abraham 18v32-33:
Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

In light of Abraham’s example and intercession, in our own intercession, let us always consider the delights and desires of the Lord, and his overarching and specific will. If there is room for his permissible will, then let us stand in the gap as led by the Holy Spirit. But let us do so humbly and reverently, knowing that His will and leadings always have an INTENDED end--HIS intended end:

James 5v11: You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord…

All things serve His desires, will and purposes, so we and our intercessions should too!