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 Is there a difference between intercession and prayer? In this article, Dean Smith provides a brief teaching on intercession and looks at what turns prayer into intercession.
In this article, I want to discuss prayer -- specifically intercession. This article was sparked by a profound statement on intercession I stumbled across in my study on an unrelated topic.
There have been numerous books written on prayer by great prayer warriors, but this statement was not from any of these writers. It came from the driest of all -- The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT).
Yet, this simple quote from an article written by Dr. Victor Hamilton is extremely profound.
"An intercessor is one who makes contact with God as opposed to many who simply dabble in prayer." (1)
This comment was made while discussing the Hebrew word "paga" often translated as intercessor or intercession in the Old Testament.
But before we discuss "paga," we must first look at the English word "green." As everyone knows green is a colour. But over the years, the word has developed different shades of meaning.
For example, when I say in the spring the lawn is turning green, I am not referring to colour, but rather addressing the fact that after a long cold winter, the dry and dead grass is springing to life. In this context, green speaks of new life and regeneration.
Golf courses also have greens. Of course, greens are where the flags and hole are located. The greens earned their name because as the most fertilized and watered part of the course, the grass is thick and luxurious. When people were teeing off they set their sights on the "green."
More recently the word has taken on a new twist. In Canada, we have in our political spectrum a group known as the Green Party. But they are not promoting all things green or golf courses rather they are concerned about the environment. This signaled green's emergence as a word synonymous with the environment.
The word has even taken on new meanings from this. Today, companies are promoting their products as green. Often these products are fitted with green labels, hinting back to the word's original start as a colour. The word green in this context means safe and protector of the environment.
Despite these wide ranging differences, the various usages are still nevertheless linked by their common bond.
In this article, I want to talk about intercession as understood by the word "paga." It also has an incredible range of meanings and usages. Each of these shades serves up a fuller understanding of intercession.
In its broadest sense, the word "paga" means "To encounter, meet, reach, entreat, make intercession." (1) As such, the word is used in a number of instances unrelated to prayer. Each of these descriptions helps us understand the various aspects of intercession.
1. It means intercession
The word paga is used in Isaiah 53 to describe the intercession of Jesus on behalf of the unsaved.
"Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,
And I will divide the booty with the strong;
Because He poured out Himself to death,
And was numbered with the transgressors;
Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
AND INTERCEDED (paga) FOR THE TRANSGRESSORS." Is 53:12
The word is also used in a similar fashion in Is 59:16. Now this verse suffers from a horrid verse break and to understand it, you must pull in the last half of verse 15:
"Now the Lord saw,
And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.
And He saw that there was no man,
And was astonished there was no one to intercede;" (NASV)
In this verse, the word intercessor gives the image of a legal advocate pleading on behalf of his client for justice -- in this case the Great Judge. God was concerned no individual was willing to stand in the gap between man and the heavenlies, praying for God to move on this situation.
Though the word intercede is not specifically used in Ezek 22: 30, 31, the concept is implicit. God was concerned there was no one in Israel willing to "stand in the gap before Me for the land so I would not destroy it; but I found no one."
Israel was in a state of abject apostasy. God was looking for someone who would intercede on behalf of the nation -- one who would stand before Jehovah and plead their case. I'm sure the Holy Spirit was pulling on some heart strings, but no one responded.
In March 2007, Cindy Jacobs, co-founder of Generals International issued a urgent prayer alert.(3) She believed the time was critical to pray against terrorism and for revival in America.
"We are in one of the most strategic hours for intercessors that we have ever been in. I am very concerned about another terrorist attack. I want to tell you I have been praying over the borders. And I really feel that in a way the church has gone to sleep. The church has gotten discouraged and passive. This is not a time to get off the wall! We wan to call people to fast and pray right now for America.
"We are at a crossroads. This is the day that God is speaking. And if His people will listen, then the enemy's plots are going to be exposed because the prophets know even what the kings are doing in their bedrooms. God is going to do that.
"I want to say this in America. If we don't pray, we are going into one of the greatest declines this country has ever known, but if we pray we will go into the day of the greatest revival." (3)
2. Intercessors make contact with God
One of the primary meanings of paga is to make contact, to encounter or to meet. The word is used in a number of times to describe meetings between individuals as Samuel told Saul he would meet or encounter a group of prophets (1 Sam 10:5).
In fact, Hamilton writes that in almost every instance in the Old Testament -- where paga is used in this sense -- it is constructed in such a fashion to imply physical contact.(1)
This is probably the key difference between intercession and prayer. The primary goal of an intercessor is to make "contact" with God. Like in the natural, when contact is made, there is interaction between both parties -- in this instance between the intercessor and the spiritual realm.
When a person begins to intercede, there comes a moment when they are "standing" before God on their knees. This imagery of "standing" before God used in Ezek 22:30,31 is a spiritual representation of the intercessor.
There comes a moment when the intercessor enters the heavenly throne room and has the individual attention of the King of Kings.
Where prayer involves one-way communication, intercession is two way. The intercessor speaks to God, hears from God and because of this can even enter into a more complex form of negotiation with the Heavenly Father.
I would go one step further and suggest because they have encountered God -- broken through into His presence through prayer -- there can be an actual physcial manifestation of this contact. It doesn't have to be anything profound. It could be as simple as a deep sense of inner peace brought on by the Holy Spirit. In other instances, I have witnessed deep travails in God, with uncontrollable manifestations as heaving or even birthing pangs which are indications of contact.
Others just "know" their prayers were heard and answered. This "knowing" is a witness produced by the Holy Spirit indicating their prayer was heard.
I would describe my wife as an intercessor and this very much describes her intercession as she encounters God in her prayer times. However, that contact does not happen immediately, she has found from experience the contact is made after spending a lengthy time in prayer -- usually on one particular issue.
However, over the years, she finds she can break into God's throne room quicker, than she did in her earlier years, probably a result of the consistent prayer life.
Because an intercessor has made contact with God through his or her prayers it opens up interesting possibilities. Let me explain what I mean. I in no way claim to be an intercessor, but I have had moments of intercessory prayer and I believe all can if we are willing to make the time commitment to do it.
I remember there was an important event going on one evening. I showed up early to spend time praying over this single issue.
As the time went on, I attacked it from all angles petitioning God in any way I could to have Him move on this situation.
I had been praying for sometime, when an interesting thing happened; a phrase dropped into my spirit on how I was to pray. I believe at this moment, I moved from prayer to intercession -- contact was made.
Now, I know this may sound strange, but it seemed the Holy Spirit was directing my prayer. It was like God said, I will answer your prayer, but I will do it after you make this particular request. As soon, as I prayed it, an overwhelming peace came over me and I knew I had made contact with God and He had answered my prayer.
At that moment, I lost all sense of urgency to pray. I knew that anymore prayer on the subject was a waste of time.
Does this invalidate my previous prayers? Absolutely not! These initial prayers were critical and God heard them, as the prayers built God moved in by His Holy Spirit to add the final brick that tipped the scale into answered prayer. It is also through this initial prayer time we break into the Throne room and intercession begins.
In Job 36:32, the word paga is used again, but in a very unusual sense. Understand, Job is probably the oldest book in the Bible and would certainly provide one of the earliest meanings of the word.
We read, "He covers His hands with the lightening, and commands it to strike (paga) the mark." The word is used in this verse to imply that God directs where the lightening will strike. In the same, sense I believe God will direct the prayers of the intercessor, if need be, to ensure the prayer is answered.
Now I believe, God has given Christians the necessary tools to guide their prayers -- speaking in tongues.
Paul says on the gift of tongues:
"For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God: for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries." (1 Cor 14:2)
"For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and pray with the mind also." (1 Cor 14:14, 15a)
"In the same way the Spirit also helps our weaknesses: for we don't know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings to deep for words... because He interces for the saints according to the will of God." (Rom 8:26, 27)
In the moments, when we don't know what to pray, we need to have the Holy Spirit pray through us. Speaking in tongues is an essential tool for an intercessor. I call it the guidance system that directs the prayer missile to its target. I know of one well-known intercessor who challenged people in his network to speak in tongues one full hour a day. The more tongues is used, the more the language is developed.
3. Intercession involves staking out territory on earth
One of the unusual ways 'paga' is used in the Old Testament is in reference to staking out and claiming territory. After Israel entered the Promised Land, each tribe was given an inheritance of land.
In Joshua 16:5-7, we have a record of the territory given the tribe of Ephraim in the Promised Land. The territory is described as "the border of their inheritance."
"It went down from Janoah to Ataroth and to Naarah, then reached (paga) Jericho and came out at the Jordan." (v 7 NASV)
The word 'paga' is repeatedly used throughout this portion of scripture to mark the territory or boundaries of each tribe's inheritance. In almost every instance it described the outward border (see Josh 17:10, 19:11, 22, 26, 27 etc).
Staking territory is a shade of meaning of vital importance to the intercessor. An intercessor stakes out territory for the Kingdom of God. This territory involves people, but can also include land and property.
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus -- the Intercessor -- taught us how to pray. Perhaps the most famous of His teachings involved the Lord's Prayer.
One element of the Lord's Prayer has always struck me, Jesus said we are to pray: "Your (God's) kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." (Mat 6:11 NASV).
It tells us the will of God for a particular situation is pre-determined in Heavenlies. But more importantly, just because something is the will of God is no guarantee it will be accomplished on earth. If it was an automatic guarantee, why would Jesus require us to pray for it?
One of the roles of the intercessor is to ensure God's will in heaven is done on earth. We see God's will in heaven and then stake out this territory on earth, claiming it for the Kingdom of God. The battle is to extend God's spiritual kingdom on a natural earth.
My wife and I were unable to have our own children and ended up adopting overseas. We adopted our son privately through a Christian organization. Our daughter, however, was adopted through government agencies here in Canada and Peru, where she was from.
As we started down the adoption process, I personally felt a deep sense of helplessness. We had basically no say in who we adopted. We sent the money, the child was chosen for us, and we flew down to finish off the legal arrangements.
Because of this, I began to call out to God that His will would be done in choosing the child. I staked out God's will on this matter. I remember going out at lunchtime at work and praying intensely about this situation. Some lunch times, it was all I prayed about.
I prayed God would intervene and overrule the decisions of the government bureaucrats and give us the child, He intended for us. Two words described my prayers -- persistence and intensity.
I still remember the day we received the call from Social Services that a child was ready. At that moment, we had three weeks to make our plans and fly down to Peru. Of course, we had spent weeks preparing for this moment, our passports and visas were ready.
All that was left was to book our flights and head down to Lima where our new daughter was living in an orphanage.
Though I had spent hours praying about this matter, the second phone call still surprised me. The personnel in the Canadian Embassy -- who were fast tracking our new daughter's paperwork through immigration -- called about a concern. One of the officials decided to pop down to the orphanage to see our daughter. When she arrived at the orphanage and explained the reason for her visit, she was shocked when the orphanage personnel refused to let her in to see the girl.
The embassy immediately called us and said, they weren't sure what was going on, but strongly recommended we pull out of the adoption.
Because my wife and I had ardently prayed for Divine intervention, we both sensed this was the direction of God and agreed.
At this moment, we were in a pickle, our flights had been purchased and I never thought of buying cancellation insurance because everything was ready to go.
The Canadian embassy contacted the Peruvian officials and explained the dilemma and the Peruvian government agreed to scan their system and see if any other child's paperwork was far enough along so we could still come down in a week.
They called back a couple days later, and said there was only one other child ready to go -- a two year old girl in an orphanage at Moquegua in the southern tip of Peru. On the map, it looked about as close to the end of the world as I wanted to go.
I remember the official explaining the child was from Moquegua and if we were comfortable with adopting from there. Though I thought the question a bit odd, I said of course, and the adoption was back on.
Our friends knew about the emotional turmoil we were going through with our on and off and then on again adoption plans. As the day of departure was closing in on us, one showed us an article just published in Chatelaine Magazine -- a national Canadian magazine.
In it was an article entitled the "The Adoption from Hell." It was about a couple from Canada who adopted twin boys from Peru. They had made their trip down to Peru to pick them up.
However, corrupt judges and bureaucrats stalled the process. They were demanding substantial bribes to release the boys for adoption and immigration.
The Canadian couple owned his own business and it was obviously thought they were rich. It was such a sad story. Though they ended up adopting the two boys, the mother ended up staying in Peru for two years trying to complete the paperwork. The financial and emotional strain resulted in their business going bankrupt and they even lost their home.
It was then we noticed the orphanage was in Moquegua. We were returning to exactly the same orphanage.
When we discussed the situation with the Peruvian authorities, they were well aware of the previous problems in Moquegua and after the incident had cancelled all adoptions from the orphanage. However, because of our unique situation they decided it was time to try Moquegua again. It was their first attempt since the "adoption from hell."
We had been praying and decided this was God's leading.
When we finally arrived in Moquegua we were taken to the Catholic orphanage and ended up staying there.
The first step involved actually adopting our daughter in Peru, requiring us to complete a number of legal procedures. When we arrived at the Judge's office -- the previous one had been one of the major obstacles -- we saw a sticker on her door stating "Jesus the only way." This judge became one of our greatest allies.
I left after three weeks and my wife ended up spending six weeks in Peru to finish off the adoption and immigration arrangements.
While my wife was down there, she spent hours fasting and praying about the adoption. In fact, she lost so much weight the nuns were concerned she had picked up a bug while down there. We prayed God's will in heaven be done on earth. We staked out the territory and claimed it.
When my wife finally pulled out of Moquegua a few weeks later, with daughter in tow, the much relieved Peruvian officials told her our adoption was the fastest adoption on record for the agency.
People we met on our way down -- who were also adopting and had already been there a few weeks when we arrived -- were still there as my wife and daughter flew out. Without a doubt, I believe hours of intercession claiming God's will be done on earth made the difference in both the choosing of our daughter and in the quickness of the procedure.
3. An intercessor is involved in warfare
A third usage of the word paga in the Old Testament describes yet another element of intercession -- conflict.
The word is used 15 times in the Old Testament to describe conflict. In fact, it became synonymous for "falling upon" people attacking and killing them. (1 Sa 22:17, Jdg 8:21; Jdg 15:12, 2 Sam 1:15) \
Speaking of this particular aspect of "paga", Dutch Sheets in his book Intercessory Prayer says "It is translated in various ways when speaking of warfare: 'attack,' 'fall upon,' 'strike down,' 'impinge,' as well as others (see Judg 8:21, 1 Sam 22:11-19, 2 Sam 1:4-16 The essence is the same in all of them people in battle attacking another.) Hear me clearly: Paga involves warfare."(2)
When an intercessor steps to the plate, he or she must be prepared to enter the realm of spiritual warfare -- a battle with demonic forces. It is simply unavoidable. You can not intercede without initiating a battle; as such you must be prepared.
To extend God's kingdom on earth, you must wrestle territory away from satan's grasp because the world is under his control (see Mat 4:8-10).
In Is 59:16, which we briefly cited earlier, God was amazed there was no intercessor pleading for Israel's cause. It seems in this verse and the one that follows God chooses to become the intercessor on behalf of Israel.
As we read the following verses, an image emerges of a warrior, as the prophet describes God putting on a breast plate of righteousness, a helmet of salvation, garments of vengeance and a cloak of zeal (v 17). God was preparing Himself for battle.
This is undoubtedly the passage from which the Apostle Paul developed his teaching on the Armour of God in Ephesians 6:13-17. (Read: The Armour of God.)
At the close of this portion in Ephesians, the apostle tells us with the armour firmly in place we enter into battle through prayer, "With all prayer and petition (Greek for intercession) pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints."
Of course, Paul explains why we need the armour, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (v 12)
One of the keys to success in spiritual warfare is perspective. We must understand our position in Christ.
In his great passage on spiritual warfare recorded five chapters earlier, Paul starts off in Ephesians 1:18 stating "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints."
To succeed in battle we need enlightenment -- revelation of the battle that is before us. So what exactly was Paul referring to?
"Which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but the age that is to come.
And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him head over all things to the church,
Which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."
God has seated Christ in the heavenlies and He has authority over all realms -- an authority also given to the church. As an intercessor, you need to understand that you have already won the victory, what you are doing is enforcing it.
4. An intercessor forcefully argues the case
The word "paga" is used in the sense of entreating a person on behalf of others.
In Gen 23, Abraham was trying to purchase property from the leaders of the tribe of Heth to bury his wife Sarah who had just died. In v 8, he says "If it is your wish for me to bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and approach (paga) the son of Zophar for me."
In this context, Abraham was petitioning the tribal leaders to use their influence and authority to pressure Zophar into selling the land.
The same idea shows up in Ruth 1:16, when Ruth says "Do not urge (paga) me to leave you." Here the word "paga" implies pressure, even the idea of driving her away forcibly, if need be.
The word "paga" refers to putting pressure on people to perform a specific task. It comes from people taking advantage of relationships -- due to friendship or a position of authority -- to pressure others into performing a certain action. It even instills the idea of negotiating on behalf of someone else.
For the intercessor, he or she is required to make demands of God on behalf of others -- demands that others may not be in a position to make.
The word is interpreted in this same sense in Jeremiah 36. God told Jeremiah to write down all the words of judgment he had spoken over Israel and Judah. At this point the prophetic words were written down by Jeremiah's assistant Baruch (v1).
It was done because Jeremiah himself was not allowed to enter the temple (v 5). Jeremiah then told Baruch to go into the House of the Lord and read the prophecies over Israel (v 6).
These written words eventually ended up in King Jehoiakim's throne room. After they were read to the king, he cut them up and threw them in a fire.
During this desecration, "Elnathan, and Delaiah and Gemariah pleaded (paga) with the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them."
The three individuals were officials in the King's court (v 12) - i.e. standing in the throne room -- and functioned as the King's' advisors and as such were people of influence. The word in this sense takes on the meaning of pleading or begging and is filled with emotion.
God wants the intercessor to understand that they are in exactly the same position.
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb 4:16 King James).
The word boldly is full of meaning. It is a compound word combining two Greek words. The first is "meta" which according to Strong's means "accompanied" or "joined with." Because of Christ's redeeming work on the cross, we are allowed to enter God's throne room accompanied by a certain activity. That activity is described by the second half of this compound word -- "parrhesia." According to Strong's, this word means with "all out spokeness, that is, frankness, bluntness, publicity; by implication assurance: -- boldly."
The essence of the word boldly is how we talk - our prayers. God wants us to enter His throne room with all gun's blazing, as it were, in prayer. We are free to make incredible demands. God wants us to come in boldly with our demands and intercession - be frank, be blunt and be out spoken.
It's clear from this passage, once you hit the Throne room -- DON'T HOLD BACK. Because of Christ's work on the cross, you have an incredible access to God. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!
5. An intercessor carries a burden
Finally, intercession is a burden and as a burden God wants us to carry it to its final destination.
According to TWOT, one of the meanings of the word "paga" is "'to lay, burden' (Isa 53:6, 'the Lord has 'laid' upon him all our iniquity')." (1)
"All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one his own way, and the Lord hath laid (paga) on Him the iniquity of us all." (King James)
In this verse, the iniquity of the world was placed on the shoulders of the Messiah, Jesus. In the same, way the intercessor can be called to carry a burden of prayer for a specific situation or individual. A prayer burden is laid on their shoulders, which God asks them to carry until it is delivered.
I remember a while back my wife telling me of her reluctance to start interceding on behalf of a woman in our congregation struggling with cancer. She was concerned of the fight or burden involved, and was not sure she was emotionally prepared to join others who were battling on this woman's behalf.
Though she did take on the burden, it showed me that intercession, properly understood, is not to be entered into lightly. It carries with it a burden and responsibility to see it through to the end.
Conclusion
After reading this article, it would be easy to conclude that a person's prayers -- unless they enter into intercession -- are unimportant and ineffective.
This is absolutely not true. Prayers are a necessary and vital part of the work of the Kingdom of God. However, what is true is the intercessor takes prayer to a higher level.
From reading this article, you may conclude that only certain people are called to an intercessory role. This is again not true, anyone can intercede. What is true is it requires a greater commitment and discipline in prayer -- one that not everyone may be prepared to make.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was alone interceding and praying for strength to finish the task that lay before Him. The prayer was so intense blood drops formed on His face (Lk 22:40): "And being in an agony he was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground."
Jesus had brought the disciples with Him expecting they would join Him in praying through this critical and important time in Jesus life. Instead, they fell asleep. Seeing this, Jesus said:
"So you men could not keep watch with me for one hour?
Keep watching an praying that you may not enter into temptation: the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." (Mat 26:40, 41 NASV)
In the next article in this series we will be covering the "Characteristics of an intercessor."
Source:
(1) Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, R. Laird Harris editor (The Moody Bible Institute: pages 714, 715)
(2) Intercessory Prayer, Dutch Sheets (Regal Books: page 138)
(3) www.charismamag.com/streams/
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