Our Intercessor

Even though, in a lifetime, we can experience great joy, love, peace, happiness, contentment, and pride, we face times when life is difficult.  As human beings living in a fallen world, we experience stress, trials, tribulations, hardships, sickness, anxiety, pain and loss.  Sometimes the situations and circumstances that come upon us are very serious and without intercession could be disastrous or even deadly.  Without intercession, the outcomes could be or have been vastly different.  I believe there have been numerous times in our lives where we have been sheltered or protected (with or without our knowledge) from harm because of an intervention that occurred because of intercession.

As believers in Christ, we have been instructed to love, support, and pray for one another.  It is important that we do so, however, today, I want us to look at what the Word of God teaches us about One Who is an intercessor, advocate, and mediator for us, all of the time.

We will begin by looking at 1 Timothy 2:5 (New King James Version), "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus..."  The Greek word for 'mediator' is mesites.  According to Thayer's Greek Lexicon, mesites means "one who intervenes between two.  Christ is called the Mediator since He interposed by His death and restored the harmony between God and man which human sin had broken."  A mediator is a go-between, an arbitrator, intermediary, or reconciler.  1 Timothy 2:5 told us that Jesus is the mediator between God and man.  Christ was the perfect sacrifice for sin and through His sacrifice, our reconciliation with God is complete.  What do we do though concerning 1 John 1: 8 and 9, which tells us in verse 8, "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves."  Verse 9 though, lets us know that "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us..."  Jesus continues as that Mediator for us today. 

When Jesus returned to the Father after the Resurrection, Ephesians 1:20 reads, "which He (the Father) worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." Jesus now sits in the place of authority, (at the right hand of the Father.)

Let us also look at 1 John 2:1 (NKJV), "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."  The Biblical meaning of 'advocate' is: one who pleads another's cause before a judge, counsel for defense, legal assistant and intercessor.  Jesus, our Advocate stands in our place before God and pleads on our behalf.

Revelation 12:10 reads that the "accuser of our brethren accused them before our God day and night."  Isn't it wonderful to know that while our enemy is bringing accusations, we have Jesus advocating for us at the right hand of the Father?

We see very specifically that Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for God's elect in Romans 8:33 and 34 (New American Standard Bible 2020), "Who will bring charges against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us." 

Then as we read Hebrews 7:25 (NASB20). "Therefore He is also able to save forever those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."  What an amazing verse!  Notice, it says, He always lives to make intercession for them (those who come to God through Him.)  Entygchano, the Greek word for 'intercession' means: meet with in order to converse, to pray, entreat, make intercession for, pleading with a person on behalf of another.  Ezekiel describes 'intercession' as "to stand in the gap."

We need to realize that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, His resurrection, and His going to sit at the right hand of the Father has an eternal purpose.  His role as our Shepherd is eternal.  He is always working on our behalf and is very much involved on our lives today!  Do not ever lose sight of that!  He is always our Mediator, Advocate, and Intercessor before God.

John 17 reveals how Jesus prayed for His followers.  First though, notice what Jesus said in His prayer to the Father in verse 9 (New International Version), "I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours." He prays for believers!

John 17 (NKJV)

He prayed they would know God and His Son Jesus Christ and have eternal life.

Verse 3, "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." 

He prayed the Father would cause them to persevere or stand firm, and that they would be one in spirit as the Father and Son are one.

Verse 11, " Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are."

He prayed they would be filled with the joy of Jesus.

Verse 13," "But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves."

He prayed  they would be kept from the evil one.

Verse 15, "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one."

He prayed they would be sanctified (purified internally by reformation of soul) through God's Word.

Verse 17, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."

He prayed they would be unified throughout the generations.

Verses 20 and 21, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."

He prayed their character would be brought to perfection and the world would recognize the love of God in them.

Verse 23, "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."

He prayed His followers would spend eternity with Him.

Verse 24, "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world."

He prayed the love of the Father and Jesus would be in them.

Verse 26, "And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

The Father, Jesus Christ, His Son, and the Holy Sprit are One.  We must realize and understand that whatever Jesus and the Holy Spirit pray, it will be the will of God!

John 17:20 (NKJV) reads, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word"

It is remarkable to know that what He prayed for His followers when He was on the planet, would also be included in His intercession for us today!

Praise God!  Is there anything better, than knowing that the One Who is praying for you is praying according to the will of God?  He has us covered!

I would love to hear from you.  Feel free to leave any comment or question you would have for me.