Grace and Truth

Bible Ministries

We are continuing in our examination of intercession as a facet of prayer as part of our study of the doctrine of Prayer as a mandate for the believer in the PPOG for the church age. Phil 4:6; 1Thes 5:17;

Last time, we examined some Old Testament examples of intercession, we will now look at examples in the New Testament.

The Greek word used for intercession is ( ἔντευξις (enteuxis ) used in 1Tim 2:1; where it is translated intercessions in most versions but not the NASB and in 1Tim 4:5 where it is translated prayer except in the YLT where it is translated intercession.

The Greek word ἐντυγχάνειν entynchanō is translated "intercession for" and is used to describe the intercession for believers that God receives from Jesus Christ Hebrews 7:25; and the God the Holy Spirit. Rom 8:27,34;

There are several examples of intercessory prayer addressed to TLJC during his ministry:

Matt 15:22-28; is an interesting intercession passage. The Cannanite woman's first request to TLJC for her daughter is ignored and he keeps on walking but she keeps on following him shouting out her request. Her subsequent request is answered after Jesus makes sure she understands his mission was not to the Gentiles. NET note 36

As far as is revealed in scripture, this is the only time that TLJC performed a miracle in an area that was not primarily inhabited by the Jewish people.

Another interession which is not suprisingly denied by TLJC is recorded in Matt 20:20-23;

John 11:1-6 records Mary and Martha's intercession for their brother Lazarus who was Jesus' close friend, but Jesus delays in order that a greater miracle could be performed John 11:43-45;

This is similar to what may occur in our lives when we make intercessions and petetions and the answers are delayed for a greater purpose which we do not understand.

We must remember that when we make a request and it is not answered then there is a larger and better plan which we as of yet do not understand. Rom 8:28; and we have to patiently wait for God to come through for us in his way and his time. Isa 40:31 Isa 28:16; NET

This is what happened to Paul when he petitioned for the removal of the" thorn in the flesh" 2Cor 12:7-10;

In his sermon on the mount,Matt 5:44-45; Jesus commanded the Jewish believers to pray for those from their community who were improperly persecuting them because of their religious beliefs. the same word is used referring to Paul in Acts 9:4; The word translated prayer is in the second person present middle imperative.

Jesus personally applied this while he was on the cross Luke 23:34; being crucified by his own people as part of God's greater plan for the salvation of all of mankind. John 10:17-18;

In his book "Every Prayer in the Bible" Larry Richards writes on page 145 of his personal application of the command Matt 5:44-45;KJV..." When I moved to Phoenix, we contracted with a landscaper to develop a desert backyard. He took several advance payments but failed to do the work. I discovered that he had lied about how these funds were used. I was angry and upset, and I felt "spitefully used"

But then God brought this passage of Scripture to mind. I shared with the family what the landscaper had done, and we prayed for this man who had showed himself to be an enemy. A few days later I confronted our landscaper with what I had learned, but I told him we would still work with him.

It turned out that this man had just been through a series of amazing experiences. His partner had stolen the company funds, his wife had thrown him out of the house, he had been fired from his other jobs, his truck had broken down, and he had broken an ankle trying to push it off the road. One day he turned the radio dial past a Christian station, heard a hymn from his childhood, and tried to sing along. No sound came from his mouth, and he decided God had given up on him.

That was about the time I confronted him, but I promised to work with him in spite of what he had done. He left the house thinking, 'Maybe God hasn't given up on me after all.' A few days later in a little church down the road, he accepted Christ as his Savior.
Jesus' teaching had led me to pray for an enemy, and God had used that prayer and a simple demonstration of love to bring our landscaper to repentance and faith. Jesus' teaching on love and prayer for enemies had softened my heart and opened another's heart to the gospel. Christ's teachings are life-shaping indeed!"

Paul also prayed for his enemies.... Nero who ultimately had Paul beheaded was in power when he wrote 1Tim 2:1-4 ; and Rom 12:18-21;

Jesus told Peter he had interceeded for him: Luke 22:31,32; as he was about to come under cross examination by Satan.... and TLJC told him he would fail the test. Luke 22:34; but once he had returned to fellowship with TLJC that he should use his experience to encourage his fellow believers.

Peter’s courage failed, but his faith did not fail. He was kept by the power of God through faith, and Christ effectually prayed for his faith and I'm sure he recalled that when he wrote 1Pet 1:5;

TLJC instructed the 70 evangelists as they were being prepared to be sent out ahead of him to evangelize the Jews regarding TLJC as their messiah to interceed with God for more laborors. Luke 10:1-2;The word translated "beseech" is the second person plural aorist passive imperative of ( deomai δέομαι ) The intercessory prayer t is for the laborers of the harvest not for the harvest itself (unbelievers).... Positive believers participate with the evangelist through their prayers for the evangelist.

The ultimate intercessory prayer was that offered by our Lord in the upper room the night before his crucifixion, recorded in John 17:9,11,15,17,20,24; where he makes intercession for his disciples and all who subsequently become believers by their word.

While on the cross being crucified, Jesus interceeded for those who were involved with his crucifixion. Luke 23:34;

The word translated saying is the singular imperfect active indicative of ( λέγω Lego) which indicates that he kept on saying it.... he repeated it over and over. The word translated forgive is (ἀφίημι aphiemi) in the imperative mood.... He kept on commanding his father to forgive them because they had absolutely no idea of what they were doing.

Believers have the option of using intercession as a means of deploying the power of God. John 14:13-14; the Greek word (αἰτέω aiteo )translated ask in verse 14 is in the subjunctive mood which makes "if" a 3rd class conditional clause indicating that the believer's intercession is a function of their free volition as part of the privacy of the priesthood.

When considering this pasage it is important to remember that Jesus is speaking to his disciples who were to carry on his ministry after he returned to heaven.

The words "in my name" according to The Expository Dictionary of Bible Words on page 454) 'means (1) to identify the content and the motivations of prayers with all that Jesus is and (2) to pray with full confidence in him as he has revealed himself.' The 'whatever' in this promise emerges as whatever is in harmony with Jesus' character and purposes.

God is glorified when Jesus answers prayer which is why 'anything' must be defined in terms of Jesus' values and purposes and his highest and best which is very hard for us to know given our limited perspective.

John 14:14 must also be taken with reference to John 15:7; When we abide in Christ and his words abide in us, our relationship with Him will determine our desires and our requests.

What Christ promises is that as we are transformed by our relationship with Him through His word Rom 12:2;, our desires will be changed. We will desire what He desires and to want what He wants and we express these desires in prayer, they will be answered.

This same concept is expressed in Psalm 37:4;

When we want what God wants, God will give us what we ask but most of the time we won't know just as Paul didn't know 2Cor 12:7-10; and why as church age believers we have the intercession of God the Holy Spirit Rom 8:27; and TLJC Rom 8:34; Hebrews 7:25;