Intercession

April 2008

Let’s talk about intercession, a bit. I want to show you a picture from the Scriptures. Exodus 17:8-13 says,“At Rephidim, Amalek came and fought against Israel. Moses said to Joshua, "Select some men for us, and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God's staff in my hand." Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. While Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, but whenever he put his hand down, Amalek prevailed. When Moses' hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.”

Here is a great picture of the role of intercession in warfare. Here are a few observations: the physical manifestation of victory only occurred while Moses had his hands raised in intercession (that one was kind of obvious, huh?). I don’t know how many of you read Frank Peretti’s first two books, “This Present Darkness” and “Piercing the Darkness,” but they were excellent fictional examples of how intercession affects the outcome of unseen battles between angels and demons and how those unseen battle outcomes affect the visible confrontations in our physical realm. Secondly, do you notice that this passage never says that Joshua’s arms got tired? The scriptures say “So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.” Yet they never say that his arm got tired from all that sword swinging. However, Moses’ arms got tired from all the praying. This is a secret that you learn in spiritual warfare: there is an oppression that attacks the spiritual leader that is not felt as strongly by those who go to battle with him. It manifests in many ways, such as fatigue, discouragement, depression or frustration. Even though Joshua is seemingly more engaged in the battle, Moses is feeling the weight of the attack more than Joshua. Here is where the intercessors make their entry into the story. Aaron (Moses’ brother) and Hur (Moses’ brother in law) come alongside Moses and support him. Were their roles important… you betcha! Were their names coincidental… probably not. Aaron means “Lofty; exalted; high mountain” and Hur means “Noble; splendor. White.” Pretty heady sounding names for pretty important roles. Had Moses reached a point that he couldn’t hold his arms up any longer, that battle might have ended very differently. Instead, two intercessors stepped in to hold up his arms. That is what you are doing every time you lift the church, pastor, staff, cell leader, teacher, praise team leader, soloist, or any brother or sister up in prayer. You are holding their arms up. It might happen in the Saturday night or Sunday groups that meet here, or it might happen alone at your house or in your car. God hears and honors both.

To the unknown intercessor or intercessors who prayed Sunday morning through… thank you! Don’t grow weary in well-doing. You never know what battle hangs in the balance. I’m not sure if the Israelites wore belts, and I certainly don’t know if the cut notches in them, but if they did; Aaron and Hur deserved a notch in their belt for every Amalekite Joshua killed. It will be the same for us. I believe that when we reach the bema or judgment seat, the intercessor’s reward will equal that of the evangelist, pastor, etc… It doesn’t take a great gifting to become an intercessor, just pray for someone else. Come alongside him or her and hold him up to the Lord. You can be like the little lady Brenda spoke about who has been dead for over 20 years but her prayers are still being answered. Give it a try today. Here’s a great opening topic: women’s and men’s Encounters are in just a few days. Pray that the right people will attend and that the breakthroughs will be real and lasting.

Danny