WHAT IS INTERCESSION? WHAT IS ITS PURPOSE AND PRACTISE (FROM A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE)? HOW SHOULD WE AS BELIEVERS PUT THAT INTO PRACTISE PUT THAT INTO PRACTISE TODAY? (DO THEY DIFFER? HOW? WHY?)
(PUBLISHED: 2013? UPDATED: 20 OCTOBER 2015.)
Philippians 3:4. "If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more." Paul is talking about the flesh! In chapter 3 he goes on to talk about his credentials, (pause) in the flesh. It availed him nothing. Unless you, me and him can say: 'Be Glorified In My Life' it has no meaning. Jesus has to be our Lord, Saviour, Healer and Deliverer. We must know Him personally. (Then, have a relationship with Daddy for which Jesus died and rose again.)
What is Intercession?
Do not look to the five senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting & feeling but listen through the INVISIBLE sense articulating what He (Jesus) is saying and obey Him. Again, put another way, NOT working out through our mind developing understanding and fitting in the pieces of the jigsaw BUT listening and taking on a NEW way of His Spirit.
“So God created us (man) in His own image. In the image of God He created him. Male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27.) Or, spirit (in communion with God), soul (in tune with our spirit) and body (acting/playing out/performing, being/doing, as comes down from first parts already explained) flowing in the Spirit and taking on a NEW way - flow as the waters do!
The Holy Spirit could flow back then because there was no sin. Now, however, there is (sin) so we stagnate and leave the waters. Jesus, however, came to give us life and give it abundantly. (John 10:10.) (Do you begin to see my point about being in the Spirit is like flowing?) A new measure of grace which we can operate in if we give our lives unconditionally. On the day of Pentecost they were all of one mind so it flowed. If we stay within the house, so to speak, He will still come today.
Sin found its way in, though. Let’s, therefore, take Egypt as a case in mind. It’s a type of the world. It didn’t flow. It was rigid. So God made a spectacle of the gods of Egypt. Why was this? Let’s first turn to another case (before looking at Egypt). In the story of Sodom & Gomorrah they were sodomites! (Genesis 19.) When the two angels came didn’t they (the sodomites) start knocking at the door (verses 4 & 5)? Didn’t they know these were angels? Didn’t they want the angels power? Isn’t Sodomy an attempt to take power from God? Wouldn't they take God's power too? Show they are stronger. But God has power over the evil one. He (Jesus) has overcome him (Satan). Fear not.
(Genesis 18:17-21. Complete Jewish Bible.) "ADONAI said, "Should I hide from Avraham (even my servants in this age also now today) what I am about to do, inasmuch as Avraham is sure to become a great and strong nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed by him? For I have made myself known to him, so that he will give orders to his children and to his household after him to keep the way of ADONAI and to do what is right and just, so that ADONAI may bring about for Avraham what he has promised him." ADONAI said, "The outcry against S'dom and 'Amora is so great and their sin so serious that I will now go down and see whether their deeds warrant the outcry that has reached me; if not, I will know.” Doesn’t God know? Of course He does. This is just a way of talking. The same can be seen in the account of The Fall. Though Satan & Adam are talking and He seems to be absent yet He knows what is going on. Then, with questions sees how Adam will reply. He sees how we will reply. He knows all things. So He continues in the relationship with us. Even Jesus pointing to the Father who wants the relationship with us too - much more than we want it. Doesn't He look at all civilisations? Aren't there others which gained there powers from rituals and behaviour like this? Look also at Mystery Babylon the Great in Revelation chapters 17 & 18. Look at chapter 17 verses 1 & 2: "One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.” Also, verse 5: "The name written on her forehead was a mystery: babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth." Look at her destruction. Chapter 18 verse 2: "With a mighty voice he shouted:“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! ’She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal." Do you see a similarity with the verses from Genesis about Sodom? Does God principally destroy civilisations because of this? With Adam & Eve He judged them by omitting them from the Garden of Eden. Also, in Joseph’s day, the Israelites were banished from the land for 420 years because of their sins against Joseph. Even this is just a prophecy of the Messiah. It’s truth hidden in plain sight. They rejected Him too. Even Jesus a type of a greater Joseph. The Jews went into exile for more than 420 years! They disappeared from the land for nearly two millennia!
Getting back to Egypt, only once they had been destroyed could the Spirit flow and the Israelites were able to leave. Of course, moving them out of Egypt was one thing. “Moving” Egypt out of their spirit was another. I will come back to this.
Kingdom life or flowing in the Spirit only comes from being free. Time and freedom are on our side when we listen, love and obey Him. (Joshua 24:15.) "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (2 Chronicles 6:14.) "He said: “ Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way." (Matthew 16:16.) "Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Let’s take a few examples of Kingdom living. (Would you rather flow or be rigid?)
Israelites walked out of Egypt.
Daniel prayed (chapter 9) and they came out of Babylon.
Jesus blew on the disciples. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. From this they became of one mind and flowed on the day of Pentecost.
Getting back to the Israelites. After leaving Egypt they wondered in the wilderness. Was it God’s purpose for them to spend 40 years there? No. But can we be blessed in the desert? Yes. For instance, do you enjoy your job? Are you blessed by it? Yes? The Israelites, in effect, blessed the desert. So we can function but its below what God means for us. God’s purpose was to bring them into the Promised Land or for us to flow.
What is it's purpose and it's practice (from a biblical perspective)?
So can we find a Biblical perspective for the purpose and practise of intercession from this? In Daniel 9:4-6 he prayed: “LORD, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from from Your commands and laws.” So, intercession is identifying with the corporate need. WE have not listened. That is how it is in this case. He (Daniel) was in the Spirit and flowing. What happened? The Israelites walked out of Babylon. (More properly, Medo-Persia as they had taken over.) Or at least those who were flowing did! (Nehemiah after the decree by Cyrus.) That’s the practise. The purpose was to set them free. This has been God’s practise since the Fall. As we know, however, few if any want to be free.
Also, allow His Glory to fill you. Let's look at Elijah. He's a good example of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Here's the passage. (1 Kings 18:41-46.) "And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you. ’” Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.”Look at this again. The Spirit had already been on him before this last event otherwise how could he have done the things he did. He was constantly in (prayer and) intercession before God so as to hear and obey. This again was God's plan. The prophets of Baal were destroyed. God's system had been restored. For a while the Israelites realised that He was God and followed. (Isaiah 55:8-9.) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Let’s agree with His plan before we start working out our away of doing things. Hand everything over to Him at the start of the day. Nip ourselves in the bud before we take ourselves away from Him. If we don't start the day with Him we will start with something else.
How should we as believers put that into practice today?
How then can we as Christians do this now? It’s more a case of thinking what the larger picture is rather than how it works in our local church. See Luke 9:11 - “But the crowds learned about it and followed Him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.” The Israelites were encouraged to think of Promised Land rather than Jerusalem, Bethlehem, etc. Likewise, Peter going to Ceasarea or Paul on missionary journeys is how the Christian is encouraged to think. So, essentially, it is the same thing across testaments/covenants but spiritual now rather than more physical as before hand.
Adding to this, our identity as a corporate body wherever we are enables individual callings to function. We all (as individuals) go where God is leading us. We listen for His voice everyday, living in the present and obeying what He says. As stated, we go where He is leading. Please try not to figure it out, decide in your own strength what is best. Far better to live in the present. It's a case of living the relationship with Daddy God who Jesus points too. Is this for a season or do we "settle down" is up to Him but where we go we learn the things needed at the place where they are already doing it. Then, we fit in corporately practising intercession as part of it to advance the Kingdom. Maybe the individual call doesn't fit in where we are at so we "move on" continuing in the present. Amen! There's a few things, of course, to work out within this. Ministry, discussing, praying to come to a conclusion, etc. Within this, I hear a lot from the Holy Spirit. With such a lot going through my life either in my head or in my spirit it is hard to work out what's Him and me. It doesn't matter most of the time. If I or we leave the straight and narrow road living a life like this He will soon put us back on track. He desires the relationship far more than we do and is always leading, encouraging and filling regularly.
Do they differ? how? why?
Let's look at this again. The main context in the New Testament is based around the LORD’s Prayer. It’s around Jesus that it comes into purpose and practise as opposed to Holy Spirit coming upon individuals (Abraham, Moses or Elijah) previously. The principle of breaking down strongholds is still there although its more difficult to see with individuals spoken about much more freely. I’m sure that a breakdown of how to free cities is shown somehow or somewhere in Paul’s letters. Cities must flow just like individuals. Perhaps we can see it embedded through Paul’s letters to various cities (Romans, Corinthians, etc).
Can we also see a freeing of nations by understanding the news and seeing strongholds like communism, Islam and mammon removed to bring Kingdom of God into being. He who the Son sets free is free indeed! Can we also see this application coming about through the judgments in Revelation? Look also at Joel 2:29-32. “Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.” The great and dreadful day of The Lord relates to the starting of the Tribulation. Are we nearly there? Look also at Revelation 6 and the sixth seal. This day is mentioned again there. The sixth seal gives signs which will show when these things are coming on the earth. Again, has that time for listening to the LORD and obeying come upon your heart? 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 says: "The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie." Satan will send a lie! Then, God will send 'powerful delusion.' Are you listening to Him? If not, the lie is all around. It will be powerful as mentioned. Will you notice it. Best to listen now, not to be deceived in due course and sucked in.
Conclusion.
Romans 12:1-2. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, Holy and pleasing to God.This is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.
Let’s also look subjectively then at how this might happen in a local church and then on into the local town. Through concentrated prayer/intercession and listening to God for His plan/vision individuals can be set free from sins, for instance, traits in their families which go back one or more generations, things which others have done to them which weaken them and through shock or trauma. With discipleship and healing these individuals can become a good witness, good team player, etc. within the local church setting up programmes (within God’s leading and direction) in the pastoral, ministry, administration and other offices or whatever structure it may have. Amen!
One last scripture: Nehemiah 1:6. “Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against You. Even I and my father’s house have sinned.”
(PUBLISHED: 2013? UPDATED: 20 OCTOBER 2015.)
Philippians 3:4. "If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more." Paul is talking about the flesh! In chapter 3 he goes on to talk about his credentials, (pause) in the flesh. It availed him nothing. Unless you, me and him can say: 'Be Glorified In My Life' it has no meaning. Jesus has to be our Lord, Saviour, Healer and Deliverer. We must know Him personally. (Then, have a relationship with Daddy for which Jesus died and rose again.)
What is Intercession?
Do not look to the five senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting & feeling but listen through the INVISIBLE sense articulating what He (Jesus) is saying and obey Him. Again, put another way, NOT working out through our mind developing understanding and fitting in the pieces of the jigsaw BUT listening and taking on a NEW way of His Spirit.
“So God created us (man) in His own image. In the image of God He created him. Male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27.) Or, spirit (in communion with God), soul (in tune with our spirit) and body (acting/playing out/performing, being/doing, as comes down from first parts already explained) flowing in the Spirit and taking on a NEW way - flow as the waters do!
The Holy Spirit could flow back then because there was no sin. Now, however, there is (sin) so we stagnate and leave the waters. Jesus, however, came to give us life and give it abundantly. (John 10:10.) (Do you begin to see my point about being in the Spirit is like flowing?) A new measure of grace which we can operate in if we give our lives unconditionally. On the day of Pentecost they were all of one mind so it flowed. If we stay within the house, so to speak, He will still come today.
Sin found its way in, though. Let’s, therefore, take Egypt as a case in mind. It’s a type of the world. It didn’t flow. It was rigid. So God made a spectacle of the gods of Egypt. Why was this? Let’s first turn to another case (before looking at Egypt). In the story of Sodom & Gomorrah they were sodomites! (Genesis 19.) When the two angels came didn’t they (the sodomites) start knocking at the door (verses 4 & 5)? Didn’t they know these were angels? Didn’t they want the angels power? Isn’t Sodomy an attempt to take power from God? Wouldn't they take God's power too? Show they are stronger. But God has power over the evil one. He (Jesus) has overcome him (Satan). Fear not.
(Genesis 18:17-21. Complete Jewish Bible.) "ADONAI said, "Should I hide from Avraham (even my servants in this age also now today) what I am about to do, inasmuch as Avraham is sure to become a great and strong nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed by him? For I have made myself known to him, so that he will give orders to his children and to his household after him to keep the way of ADONAI and to do what is right and just, so that ADONAI may bring about for Avraham what he has promised him." ADONAI said, "The outcry against S'dom and 'Amora is so great and their sin so serious that I will now go down and see whether their deeds warrant the outcry that has reached me; if not, I will know.” Doesn’t God know? Of course He does. This is just a way of talking. The same can be seen in the account of The Fall. Though Satan & Adam are talking and He seems to be absent yet He knows what is going on. Then, with questions sees how Adam will reply. He sees how we will reply. He knows all things. So He continues in the relationship with us. Even Jesus pointing to the Father who wants the relationship with us too - much more than we want it. Doesn't He look at all civilisations? Aren't there others which gained there powers from rituals and behaviour like this? Look also at Mystery Babylon the Great in Revelation chapters 17 & 18. Look at chapter 17 verses 1 & 2: "One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.” Also, verse 5: "The name written on her forehead was a mystery: babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth." Look at her destruction. Chapter 18 verse 2: "With a mighty voice he shouted:“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! ’She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal." Do you see a similarity with the verses from Genesis about Sodom? Does God principally destroy civilisations because of this? With Adam & Eve He judged them by omitting them from the Garden of Eden. Also, in Joseph’s day, the Israelites were banished from the land for 420 years because of their sins against Joseph. Even this is just a prophecy of the Messiah. It’s truth hidden in plain sight. They rejected Him too. Even Jesus a type of a greater Joseph. The Jews went into exile for more than 420 years! They disappeared from the land for nearly two millennia!
Getting back to Egypt, only once they had been destroyed could the Spirit flow and the Israelites were able to leave. Of course, moving them out of Egypt was one thing. “Moving” Egypt out of their spirit was another. I will come back to this.
Kingdom life or flowing in the Spirit only comes from being free. Time and freedom are on our side when we listen, love and obey Him. (Joshua 24:15.) "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (2 Chronicles 6:14.) "He said: “ Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way." (Matthew 16:16.) "Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Let’s take a few examples of Kingdom living. (Would you rather flow or be rigid?)
Israelites walked out of Egypt.
Daniel prayed (chapter 9) and they came out of Babylon.
Jesus blew on the disciples. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. From this they became of one mind and flowed on the day of Pentecost.
Getting back to the Israelites. After leaving Egypt they wondered in the wilderness. Was it God’s purpose for them to spend 40 years there? No. But can we be blessed in the desert? Yes. For instance, do you enjoy your job? Are you blessed by it? Yes? The Israelites, in effect, blessed the desert. So we can function but its below what God means for us. God’s purpose was to bring them into the Promised Land or for us to flow.
What is it's purpose and it's practice (from a biblical perspective)?
So can we find a Biblical perspective for the purpose and practise of intercession from this? In Daniel 9:4-6 he prayed: “LORD, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from from Your commands and laws.” So, intercession is identifying with the corporate need. WE have not listened. That is how it is in this case. He (Daniel) was in the Spirit and flowing. What happened? The Israelites walked out of Babylon. (More properly, Medo-Persia as they had taken over.) Or at least those who were flowing did! (Nehemiah after the decree by Cyrus.) That’s the practise. The purpose was to set them free. This has been God’s practise since the Fall. As we know, however, few if any want to be free.
Also, allow His Glory to fill you. Let's look at Elijah. He's a good example of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Here's the passage. (1 Kings 18:41-46.) "And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you. ’” Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.”Look at this again. The Spirit had already been on him before this last event otherwise how could he have done the things he did. He was constantly in (prayer and) intercession before God so as to hear and obey. This again was God's plan. The prophets of Baal were destroyed. God's system had been restored. For a while the Israelites realised that He was God and followed. (Isaiah 55:8-9.) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Let’s agree with His plan before we start working out our away of doing things. Hand everything over to Him at the start of the day. Nip ourselves in the bud before we take ourselves away from Him. If we don't start the day with Him we will start with something else.
How should we as believers put that into practice today?
How then can we as Christians do this now? It’s more a case of thinking what the larger picture is rather than how it works in our local church. See Luke 9:11 - “But the crowds learned about it and followed Him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.” The Israelites were encouraged to think of Promised Land rather than Jerusalem, Bethlehem, etc. Likewise, Peter going to Ceasarea or Paul on missionary journeys is how the Christian is encouraged to think. So, essentially, it is the same thing across testaments/covenants but spiritual now rather than more physical as before hand.
Adding to this, our identity as a corporate body wherever we are enables individual callings to function. We all (as individuals) go where God is leading us. We listen for His voice everyday, living in the present and obeying what He says. As stated, we go where He is leading. Please try not to figure it out, decide in your own strength what is best. Far better to live in the present. It's a case of living the relationship with Daddy God who Jesus points too. Is this for a season or do we "settle down" is up to Him but where we go we learn the things needed at the place where they are already doing it. Then, we fit in corporately practising intercession as part of it to advance the Kingdom. Maybe the individual call doesn't fit in where we are at so we "move on" continuing in the present. Amen! There's a few things, of course, to work out within this. Ministry, discussing, praying to come to a conclusion, etc. Within this, I hear a lot from the Holy Spirit. With such a lot going through my life either in my head or in my spirit it is hard to work out what's Him and me. It doesn't matter most of the time. If I or we leave the straight and narrow road living a life like this He will soon put us back on track. He desires the relationship far more than we do and is always leading, encouraging and filling regularly.
Do they differ? how? why?
Let's look at this again. The main context in the New Testament is based around the LORD’s Prayer. It’s around Jesus that it comes into purpose and practise as opposed to Holy Spirit coming upon individuals (Abraham, Moses or Elijah) previously. The principle of breaking down strongholds is still there although its more difficult to see with individuals spoken about much more freely. I’m sure that a breakdown of how to free cities is shown somehow or somewhere in Paul’s letters. Cities must flow just like individuals. Perhaps we can see it embedded through Paul’s letters to various cities (Romans, Corinthians, etc).
Can we also see a freeing of nations by understanding the news and seeing strongholds like communism, Islam and mammon removed to bring Kingdom of God into being. He who the Son sets free is free indeed! Can we also see this application coming about through the judgments in Revelation? Look also at Joel 2:29-32. “Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.” The great and dreadful day of The Lord relates to the starting of the Tribulation. Are we nearly there? Look also at Revelation 6 and the sixth seal. This day is mentioned again there. The sixth seal gives signs which will show when these things are coming on the earth. Again, has that time for listening to the LORD and obeying come upon your heart? 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 says: "The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie." Satan will send a lie! Then, God will send 'powerful delusion.' Are you listening to Him? If not, the lie is all around. It will be powerful as mentioned. Will you notice it. Best to listen now, not to be deceived in due course and sucked in.
Conclusion.
Romans 12:1-2. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, Holy and pleasing to God.This is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.
Let’s also look subjectively then at how this might happen in a local church and then on into the local town. Through concentrated prayer/intercession and listening to God for His plan/vision individuals can be set free from sins, for instance, traits in their families which go back one or more generations, things which others have done to them which weaken them and through shock or trauma. With discipleship and healing these individuals can become a good witness, good team player, etc. within the local church setting up programmes (within God’s leading and direction) in the pastoral, ministry, administration and other offices or whatever structure it may have. Amen!
One last scripture: Nehemiah 1:6. “Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against You. Even I and my father’s house have sinned.”