“Yet, He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.” Isaiah 52:12
Jesus is The Intercessor. He lives to bring people to The Father. His death on The Cross expressed His intercessory mission on earth. Seated at the right hand of The Father He continues His ministry of intercession, in Heaven. Jesus, both saves and strengthens believers, as The Intercessor.
“Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Romans 8:34
Jesus, The Risen Christ lives to make intercession for those who draw near to God, in His name. Prayer opens the door to an audience with The Father. The prayerful are child-like, seeking His direction, protection and correction, early and often. The prayerless are childish and rebellious, hiding from the face of The Father, fearing His assessment of their behavior. They rob themselves of both, the privilege of His Presence and the joy of His forgiveness.
“But Jesus, on the other hand, continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:24-25
Jesus prayed to The Father, through every tear, every trial and every triumph. He refused to allow anything or anyone to turn Him into a rebellious child or rob Him of the privilege of coming into The Fathers’ Presence. Jesus prayed and obeyed. His followers should do no less.
Prayerlessness is the spirit of independence, released from the heart of a rebel. Prayerfulness is the spirit of repentance and expresses the spirit of dependence. The obedient child of The Father, prays and obeys.
Jesus lives to make it possible for His followers to draw near to The Father, as obedient children. The followers of Jesus Christ should not be surprised that the path to The Father is paved with the same stones, and stumbling blocks that Jesus encountered.
Ordinary and extraordinary obstacles have a way of getting in the face of the prayerful. Obedient prayer warriors follow The Intercessor’s lead, and allow His Spirit to guide them to the face of The Father, even when after they fall on their faces.
Note to Self: Prayerless rebellion generated by the tears and trials of life leaves you vulnerable to an attack of the enemy. Take every tear and trial to Jesus, immediately. Let Him make sense out of it. Prayerlessness can also be generated after a triumph. Celebrate every victory, but prayerlessness will make you a victim of victory. Prayerfully place every triumph in the hands of Jesus, and avoid the slightest, prideful, prayerless detour from The Father’s Presence.
Perhaps one of the most powerful statements about the life of Jesus found in Scripture is, “He learned obedience from the things that He suffered.”
Jesus, The Intercessor learned to bring His tears, trials and triumphs to The Father. His death on The Cross was not a result of unanswered prayers. His death was both intercession and an answer to His prayers.
Prayer warriors should expect to encounter the same kind of learning curve that Jesus faced when they enroll in The School of Prayer. Prayer is learned behavior. Those who rebel against the lessons of prayer will find they have to stay after school, until they have learned them.
“In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things that He suffered.” Hebrews 5:7-8
There is simply no substitute for personal, prolonged, persistent, private, personal prayer. Jesus did it while He ministered on earth. He continues His unique ministry of intercession in Heaven.
Prayerlessness is an expression of rebellion. Prayerfulness is an expression of repentance. Both break the heart of The Father. Wise children pray and obey the will of The Father.
Jesus invited His first disciples with the words, “Follow Me.” Jesus, The Intercessor, still does. Through every tear, every trial and every triumph…TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!