Show notes
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Summary
God is raising up a spiritual priesthood whose life is centered in worship, relationship with Christ, and intercession. This priesthood is not simply another ministry position; it represents a deeper level of spiritual maturity in which believers become joined to Christ and participate in His continuing intercession before the Father. The discussion emphasizes that intercession is not primarily learned through teaching or produced through human effort. It is an expression of Christ within us, brought forth by the Holy Spirit as we grow in relationship and oneness with Him. Intercession goes beyond ordinary prayer. Prayer may involve bringing requests before God, while intercession can become a spiritual declaration, proclamation, or standing in the gap on behalf of another person or even all creation. The intercessor listens to the Holy Spirit, receives what is on the Father's heart, and becomes a channel through whom God's will is expressed. True intercession flows out of resting in God's presence. As believers become one with Christ, they begin to express what He is expressing. At times this may come through words, tongues, prophetic utterance, groaning, or even a wordless burden carried before the Father. The goal is not merely solving individual problems, but seeing people released from futility, brought into relationship with the Father, and ultimately seeing the Kingdom of God established in the earth.Show Notes
The Priesthood Grows Out of Spiritual Maturity The ministry gifts—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—lead believers toward the fullness of Christ. The discussion presents priesthood as a further expression of that maturity: a people filled with Christ who stand before God and intercede for His creation. Intercession Is Essential to God's Purpose Intercession is presented as essential to breaking through the futility and resistance of the age. Rather than being an optional spiritual exercise, it becomes part of how God's sons participate in what He is accomplishing. It Is God's Work, Not Human Initiative Intercession cannot simply be manufactured through discipline or technique. God places the burden within the heart, and the Holy Spirit brings believers into the actual functioning of intercession. Standing in the Gap Intercession means standing before God on behalf of another. It creates an opening for people to respond to God and for obstacles to their relationship with Him to be removed. Prayer and Intercession Are Not Always the Same Prayer can involve asking God for something. Intercession often moves beyond asking into declaring, proclaiming, travailing, or carrying God's own burden before Him. Intercession Begins in His Presence The foundation is not intensity but relationship. Believers rest in Christ's presence, hear His heart, and then participate in His intercession as He anoints them. Intercession Is an Expression of Oneness With Christ As we grow closer to Christ, His burden becomes our burden. Intercession becomes the natural outflow of a deeper relationship with Him rather than something we are trying to perform. The Holy Spirit Gives the Utterance Sometimes intercession comes through understanding, sometimes through tongues, prophetic speaking, or spiritual groaning. The intercessor may not fully understand what is being expressed but trusts the Holy Spirit to give utterance. Interceding for the Whole Person True intercession does not assume that we know exactly what God should do. Instead of focusing only on an immediate need, the intercessor holds the entire person before the Lord and seeks His will for their life. Intercession Can Exist Without Words There are times when intercession becomes something deeper than language. A believer can simply carry a person or situation before the Father in spirit. Groanings may express what words cannot. The Goal Is the Kingdom of God The ultimate purpose of priestly intercession is larger than individual answers to prayer. It reaches toward the redemption of creation and the establishment of God's Kingdom in the earth.Quotes
- “Without being in that place of intercession and prayer, nothing moves forward.”
- “It’s not about learning about it, it’s about functioning in it.”
- “Intercession to me is standing in the gap for someone else and creating an open door to the Lord.”
- “Intercession is just an expression of a deeper relationship with Christ.”
- “If you’re one with the Lord, you’re gonna be expressing what He’s expressing.”
- “We become one, and we stand in His presence, and then He fills us.”
- “It is entirely a thing of spirit.”
- “You just are that before the Father.”
- “The culmination of our intercession is the establishment of the Kingdom of God on this earth.”