Anointing for Intercession
I sought for a man among them, who should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none. — Ezekiel 22:30
I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and givings of thanks, be made for all men. — 1 Timothy 2:1
Author
Nancy G. Marquez
Summary: Intercession is prayer that stands in the gap for the needs of others and, like a key, activates the power and love of God. To pray under the anointing means to pray in God's way: with faithfulness to His Word, watchfulness, passion, persistence, and without seeking personal benefit. Although we may not always see the results, prayer offered according to His will works effectively. Intercession is neither a gift reserved for a select few nor a weekly activity, but a privilege and a way of life for every believer. Our hearts should beat in harmony with God's heart, filled with mercy, grace, and love for the lost, without asking for punishment. Jesus Christ is our model of love, prayer, and intercession.
To understand what intercession is, let us take a car as an example. God’s power is the engine. God’s love is the fuel (the gasoline) that makes the engine run. Intercession is the ignition key—that seemingly insignificant object upon which the outcome depends. Who has that key? We do, the church of Jesus Christ. That is what God established.
What does prayer have to do with the anointing?
The anointing is the power of the Holy Spirit operating in the believer’s life. We can pray under an anointing that destroys the yoke, or we can pray and have nothing happen—praying ineffectively. To pray under the anointing that destroys the yoke is to pray in God’s way. When we pray in God’s way, we can be certain that there will always be results, even if we do not see them.
What does it mean to pray in God’s way?
The intercessor who prays in God’s way is loyal and faithful to God and His Word.
Allow me to give you the example of Judges, Chapter 7—Gideon and his army. God began to see fear in the hearts of many men and told Gideon, “Send home all those who are trembling with fear (22,000).” Then God said, “You will take the 10,000 who remain down to the river. Send home those who kneel to drink water. But those who lap the water like dogs, bringing it from their hands to their mouths (and there were 300 of them)—with those men I will give you the victory.” The chief characteristic of dogs is loyalty and faithfulness.
Water is a symbol of the Word of God. Whoever is faithful to God and His Word is acting in God’s way. That person is also alert and watchful of what is happening around them. They do not plunge face-first into the water to satisfy their own need, regardless of what may happen around them; rather, they remain attentive, drinking from the Word while looking around to notice any need or any attack that may arise. When that person prays, they will have results and will release the anointing that destroys the yoke—because they are praying according to God’s will, in God’s way, and not for their own benefit.
In the Word of God, we are constantly commanded to pray. All intercession is prayer, but not all prayer is intercession. What distinguishes the prayer of intercession is that, unlike the prayer of petition, which leads us to present our own needs to God, this prayer focuses on the needs of others. As we study the Bible, we can see men and women who interceded for cities and nations; and because they interceded, history was changed.
What is intercessory prayer?
Intercession is associated with characteristics such as passion and persistence. It is joining the risen Christ, who lives in a perpetual state of intercession. Etymologically, it means to interpose oneself (as between opposing parties), to stand in between; to offer oneself to someone who needs help; to commit oneself to the needs of others in the manner of the Samaritan (Luke 10:33–34); to pay the price by intervening, just as Christ paid the price for sinners.
True intercession is not something we get involved in once a week; it is a way of life. We are mistaken in believing that the call to intercede is for only a few. We say, “That is not my ministry”; yet intercession is everyone’s ministry. We have been led to believe that intercession is a “gift” given to a few, even though the Bible does not even mention it as a gift. Every believer has the privilege of being used by God in effective intercession. This is not for a favored few, nor is it for older people who have nothing to do; it is not for a select group called to the “Ministry of Intercession.” Intercession is for everyone!
Who is an intercessor?
- It is the person who stands in the gap for the benefit of others. Ezekiel 22:30–31—“And I sought among them for someone who would ‘stand in the gap’—who would interpose himself between My people and Me and stand up for them, so that I would not destroy them. And I found no one.” Placing our lives in the gap is the ultimate expression of intercession.
- The intercessor’s heart beats with the heart of God. And God’s heart grieves for the lost. “He came to seek and save what was lost.” “Heaven celebrates when a sinner repents.”
- The intercessor prays with the heart of God. God’s thoughts toward humanity are supremely merciful, loving, tolerant, and full of grace; therefore, we cannot pray to ask for punishment.
There is no true intercession without love—God’s love in us is the foundation of intercession. As love flows, the life of prayer must flow. The life of prayer cannot be scheduled. Of course, specific times of uninterrupted prayer must be scheduled, but disciplined times of prayer emerge within and as part of a life surrendered to God.