Week 3 Principles of Intercession – 9-25-16 – Class Notes
Last week I asked the class to think of prayers they had been praying that didn’t have to do with needs of themselves personally, or their loved ones. Answers:
R. – revival
L. – for the churches to wake up
T. – mainly for friends or loved ones (healing, salvation)
I asked, do you recall a prayer where you know you received the answer? Most said yes. I asked, how long did it take to receive answers to prayers? Some were fast, some were a long time. Never give up. Never quit praying.
We talked about the need for patience, shared scriptures about patience and some Bible examples. Samuel’s statement to Israel – God forbid that I should sin against God in ceasing to pray for you. (I Sam. 12:23) Samuel anointed David to be king as a young boy, but it took many years. During those years of waiting, he was being chased by King Saul.
John 10:10 – the thief (enemy) comes. (1) to steal, and your faith is what he aims to steal, stealing the word from your mind and heart because faith comes by hearing the word, (2) to kill you, thus potentially preventing hundreds of others from being born again, he was a murderer from the beginning, the Bible says, (3) to destroy whatever he can’t steal or kill – your testimony, your marriage, your health, etc.
Note – Intercessors make themselves prime targets for the enemy. One frequent (primary) tool he uses is distraction – flat tire, sick child, argument with spouse – he uses lots of ways, all designed to steal / nullify your faith. Everyone said they had really been distracted this week, and since starting this class. Both R. and L. have been sick.
T. & D. shared their turmoil about prayers for BG (member of our church) – did God want him healed, or did God want others to be saved because of him dying? I encouraged them to pray the Word – God’s word is his will. Jesus healed ALL who came to him. He didn’t use the devil’s work to accomplish God’s will. The scriptures say that Satan is a murderer and was from the beginning. God named himself – I am the God that healeth thee. He did not call himself the God that uses the devil’s work.
I read the section of John 13 where Judas left the room (Satan entered him). During the whole next section, ch. 14-7, only the 11 remaining apostles were in the room with Jesus. The next thing Jesus would tell them was very important – it was the last teaching before Jesus was crucified, about the person and work of the Holy Spirit.
Discussed the peace of God (God’s peace, not our peace) being the ruler in our heart (lit. our umpire), if a decision makes our stomach feel “yucky,” and there’s no peace about it, it’s probably not God’s will.
A. said – sometimes she got thoughts that she wondered about, were they from God? Or just her? A advised her to consider them as being from God until proven wrong. However, an important reminder, God’s voice is always in agreement with his word, that’s why it is essential to know the word.
D. asked me to share about the time I went to the Iron Waffle restaurant – why, and what happened. I had seen a newspaper article about the place, the Lord led me to go there one Saturday morning. As soon as I walked in, I discerned an atmosphere/spirit of dissension. Told the waitress / owner / manager, whoever she was about that feeling. I then took authority over the spirit and it left. Peace was restored.
I also shared about the time the Lord told me to go to Food Lion, then Burger King, meeting a man there and praying with him (about his recent diagnosis of cancer). God’s direction that day wasn’t in words, it was just a knowing what I knew – I was supposed to go there, at that time.
How God leads varies widely – sometimes it’s just knowing that you know, sometimes it’s words, audible or in your mind, sometimes it’s like your own thoughts – sometimes it’s a newspaper article, or a billboard, something on the radio or TV, or someone else saying things to you.
L. said, she has a problem knowing what to pray – how can you know for sure? I advised her to read the apostle Paul’s prayers and pray those, if she doesn’t have something that she knows for sure is God’s will to pray.
Remember, every prayer that is answered will meet these criteria: God’s will being done; God’s kingdom being built; God being glorified. If a man could do it, a man could get credit for it.
Heb. 10:35-36 – “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience (hypomone, steadfastness, remaining the same no matter the circumstances, endurance, perseverance), that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”
James 1:3-4 – “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience (hypomone, patience with circumstances etc.) have her perfect work (complete work, mature job), that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
John 7:17 – if anyone will DO his will, he will know of the doctrine, whether it is from God or not.
John 17:3 – Jesus said, this is eternal life, that we will know God and Jesus whom he has sent. The key to recognizing his voice is to know him, and know him well. He said that his sheep hear his voice, John 10:27.
To learn his will, know his character, know his word, and learn to recognize his voice. Practice makes perfect.
Note: Sometimes his voice comes in the form of just knowing that you know what you know. Sometimes it’s an inner nudge, a “gut feeling,” and sometimes it’s advice from someone else. God speaks and leads and instructs in a wide variety of ways, but all of it is in harmony with his word.
I asked the class to read John chapters 14-17 this coming week.
Esther's Petition 