“Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, rather that is risen again, Who is even at the Right Hand of God, Who also makes Intercession for us” (Romans 8:34).

Intercession: (Gr. Entugchano, from Tugchano): To entreat, to confer with for favor or against

For the believer there is a great comfort knowing that the very One Who is our Judge, is the Very One Who pleads our case. The Very One Who justifies (cf. Romans 8:33) is the One Who intercedes for us in the Judgment.

The High Priestly work of Christ in intercession is not, however, a work solely by Christ apart from His Body, the Church. We who are in Christ and of Christ are made partakers of the ministry of intercession by the Holy Spirit of Christ abiding within (cf. Romans 8:26).

The Apostle in his Epistle to Timothy wrote: “I exhort, therefore, that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions (Gr. Enteuxis from Entugchano), and giving of thanks, be made for all men. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior” (I Timothy 2:1-3).

There is a work of Christ in His Body that must be carried out for the sake of the Kingdom, for the sake of our peace, for the sake of souls, for the sake of our civil society in the world. The call to intercession is a call to all believers, not just a chosen few. If it becomes the chosen few, then there are multitudes of saints who are not listening or in tune with the Spirit, the Intercessor.

The Apostle Peter declares to us in his Epistle that we are all a “Chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a Peculiar People. . .” (I Peter 2:9). As that Priesthood, we are called to be intercessors as we abide in the Intercessor, our High Priest, Christ Jesus. Just as Christ is touched with the feelings of our infirmities (cf. Hebrews 4:15); even so must we be touched with the groanings of the Spirit in making intercessions for the saints.

Christ, the Intercessor: The Prophet, Isaiah, was sensitive to the Spirit and to the word of the Lord regarding the ministry of intercession and spoke of it to the people. In an amazing prophecy he declared, “He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore, His arm brought salvation unto Him; and His righteousness sustained Him” (Isaiah 59:16).

Isaiah spoke further on the work of the Intercessor, writing: “Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He has poured out His soul unto death; and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).

One thing of which we can be assured, Christ is making intercession; it is His ministry, and He ever lives to do so as a faithful High Priest of the people. The question is who is interceding with Him? The Spirit is searching for the one, the two, the small group, throughout the whole Body for the vessels through whom the Spirit can flow. Is He still wondering that there is no man to make intercession? Must He continue to do it alone? May it not be so.

Hebrews speaks to this matter declaring; “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost who come to God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Will you join in? Will you be touched by the Spirit to be that vessel of intercessory prayer, for those in authority, for families, for your community?

If you are in Christ, then know this: Christ, the Intercessor lives in you. May He be revealed in all our lives for His glory and the advancement of His Kingdom forever.

________________________________________