|
|
 |
 |
 |
Seven Levels of Intercession
(notes from a message given by Wesley Duel - 9/27/90)
Intercession is praying for another person; lifting their needs to God. Wesley Duel gives seven levels of intercession. These levels are progressive, increasing in intensity from one to seven.
1. Asking
Asking is the simplest form of intercession. Anyone can ask. This is just telling God the need. Jesus said, "Whatever you ask in my name…" (John 14:13,14, 15:7)
2. Seeking
Seeking means to look for something. What do you do when you look for something in the house? You go all over the house, tearing things apart, looking under objects, poking between the cushions. Seeking in prayer involves the same type of searching.
You may ask, "Why aren't my prayers being answered?" It may be that you need to put a more determined, more persistent effort into your prayers. At the seeking level of intercession, you must be willing to hold on until the answer comes. If you ask God a second time, God doesn't smack you. Jesus prayed the same thing three times in the Garden.
This level of intercession involves the yearnings of the heart, the deep desires of the soul.
Deut. 4:29 But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Jesus talked about the woman who had lost a coin and searched through the whole house to find it. Seek to get an answer. Seek with all of your being.
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Sometimes it is good not to get instant answers. The timing may be wrong or we may be asking for something that is not really the best for us.
3. Knocking
This level or intercessory prayer involves a special desperation, an earnestness, tremendous desire, and insistence. Jesus told a parable about a visitor at midnight.
Luke 11:5-10 Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
"Yet because of the man's boldness he will get up…" The King James Version puts it this way, "yet because of his importunity…"
Knocking involves praying on until you get an answer. Pray with Holy boldness and earnestness, an insistence that refuses to take no answer.
Hebrews 5:7 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
This level of intercessory prayer involves knocking at the gates of heaven, almost beyond propriety.
Moses the friend of God, learned about God directly from Him. He spent 40 days on Mt. Sinai with God. After the sin of the people he prayed, "take my life and forgive them!" (Exodus 32:32) Moses spoke with Holy Boldness to God. At one point he told God, "If you don't go with us, I'm not going!" (Exodus 33:15,16) Shortly afterwards he told God, "Show me your glory!"
Importunity = Holy Boldness and Courage that goes almost beyond politeness.
Elisha begged and insisted on going with Elijah and then had the audacity to ask for a double portion of Elijah's spirit. Then when he went to cross the Jordan he struck the river and yelled, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah!" (2 Kings 2:14)
When Martin Luther's theologian friend was dying, he prayed and told God that He must grant his prayer if he was expected to believe that God would answer His promises. His friend lived and they fought sided by side for the reformation. You don't pray like this every day or just work it up.
4. Fasting Added
Fasting is emphasized in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Jesus said we would fast when the bridegroom was taken away (he was talking about Himself). When Paul and Barnabas were called, the church was fasting and praying. In the fourth century you fasted every week on Wednesday and Friday. John Wesley said, "The man who never fasts is no more on his way to heaven than the man who doesn't pray." John Calvin was a great faster. The Moravians fasted. The Hugenots fasted. The Reformation occurred because of fasting and prayer.
Fasting is a God honored level of prayer. Fasting is a form of self-denial. Fasting is typically thought of as going without food. However, there are other ways to fast. Some fast a night of sleep, a week of TV, or give something of importance up for some period of time.
Cautions:
5. Carrying a Prayer Burden
Burden bearing - a spiritual weight upon your heart. This is a gift of God. You are honored by God if He gives you a burden. If He gives you a burden, He gives you a trust. There are five kinds of Prayer Burdens:
(Wesley Duel finished his message without giving points 6 and 7. The thoughts presented are my own based on the title he gave these levels of intercession.)
6. Wrestling in Prayer
Wrestling in prayer involves intense struggle over a burden. Not a struggle to pray in that it is difficult to maintain your focus or uncertainty about what to pray about. Rather it is just the opposite. You have a burden that weighs so heavily on your heart that you must pray. You bring it before the Lord and pour out your heart to God. The burden weighs so heavily on you, you wrestle against it.
Jesus prayed this way in the Garden just before he was arrested and crucified.
Luke 22:44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
This was no light "God bless them; meet their needs and help them have a good day." kind of prayer. He was in anguish. He was wrestling in prayer.
7. Prayer Warfare
Praying against the devil and the strongholds of evil. Much is being said about spiritual warfare this day. We need some prayer warriors who battle in prayer on their knees, not just talking about prayer, but spending extended times in prayer.
Here is a passage that deals with prayer warfare:
Ephesians 6:10-20 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Notice that after you put on all of your armor and pick up your shield and sword you go to battle -- vs. 18 "and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kins of prayers and requests." Prayer is where the battle takes place.
I must confess I have much to learn about this level of prayer.
Practical Steps to Pray
 Go back to the Brumels Home Page |
Visit the Brumels' Other Home Pages  MDB2 Sarah's Stuff |
  |
Last Updated: 02/26/01 07:15 PM About this page contact: Mark Brumels |