Description

Definition
This is the ability to speak on another’s behalf or to act as a mediator in a dispute. One who intercedes often fills the role of an advocate, supporting and defending those who cannot do it for themselves. In the spiritual realm, the Christian intercessor performs his role by praying for others regularly for extended periods. He also sees more frequent and specific answers to his prayers than most believers.
Relevant scriptures include the following. “Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis” (Col. 4:12-13).
The Holy Spirit intercedes for believers, as described in the following verses. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will” (Rom. 8:26-27). Jesus also intercedes for believers: “Christ Jesus . . . is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Rom. 8:34).
From these scriptures, we see that an intercessor works hard in another’s behalf, seeking their best interest. He knows their needs, their weakness, and their intent. He also knows the intent of the person before whom he is interceding. This makes him particularly effective at mediating an agreement that is acceptable to both parties.
As an intercessor, you gladly offer support for the disadvantaged and represent the defenseless. You are likely to be empathetic, which enables you to experience the person’s feelings or attitudes, and knowing their perspective helps you represent them more effectively. You may frequently find yourself representing another person’s interest, usually with great commitment and intensity.
Your advocacy is not limited to individuals, for you will have great concern for the success of projects, programs, and issues you consider important. Depending on your priorities, you may campaign for many different causes.
You may have two intercessory modes, each with a different style and motive. One mode is petitioning God or a human agency in someone’s behalf. You might intercede with God, for example, asking Him to do something for that person. You ask with faith and confidence, knowing God’s willingness and ability to care for people. The model for this mode is Jesus interceding for us before the Father.
The other mode is acting in someone’s defense, such as responding to a spiritual or legal threat. For example, you might use the authority God gave you over evil spirits and command them to stop oppressing someone. The model for this mode is Jesus exercising authority over Satan and evil spirits.
As a Christian intercessor, you might pray in response to an impression or spiritual leading, whether you understand it or not. Very often you will sense another’s problem, yet trust God to resolve their issue and this gives you confidence when you pray for them. In fact, you probably enjoy times of prayer and you consider prayer an active ministry that is essential for all of life. You may be very aware of the spiritual realm and how it affects the physical.
You are likely to be very intense in representing your cause, due to your spiritual intensity. Your spirit is probably very strong, whether you are a Christian or not, and this will be noticeable in your personality. You may be very self-confident because you represent others so effectively.
Your intensity and zeal for others’ needs can make you willing to take risks for them and boldly confront anything that threatens or hinders them.

Typical Characteristics
● Frequently speak in another’s behalf, often with great commitment and intensity.
● Feel another person’s problem, yet trust God to resolve their issue.
● Gladly offer support for the disadvantaged and represent the defenseless.

Tendencies
● Perspective: positive or a mixture of positive and negative. You are very aware of people’s problems, yet confident you can resolve them.
● Priorities:
● People. Your primary concern is probably the well-being of people.
● Spiritual. As a Christian, the spiritual realm may be your highest priority if you understand how it affects the physical and you understand your role as an intercessor. If not, you will focus your efforts on human persuasion or advocacy.
● Cause. Whatever your area of concern, you are likely to view it as needing an advocate and you will represent it with great effort. Your cause may be the poor, the homeless, the unborn, wildlife, domestic animals, the environment, the arts, and so on.
● Issue Perception: subjective. Your empathy causes you to emphasize human feelings and become personally involved. People are important to you.

Misunderstandings
Your empathy, understanding, and zeal as an advocate may cause those you are defending to assume you have great personal interest in them. In reality, you may have no interest in relationship with them; your concern is for resolving their problem.

Vocations and Roles
Advocate, mediator, and legal assistant.

Perversions

Self-Centeredness
(Perverts your aptitude by focusing it on you, emphasizing the pleasure or fulfillment it gives you.)
Your zeal can easily result in preoccupation with your cause and overlooking your personal and family needs. As a Christian intercessor, prayer for others can become an escape from the realities or responsibilities of your own life. Self-centeredness typically leads you to assume responsibility for results, which can lead to frustration or use of excessive pressure. Even when God impresses you to pray for a specific issue or situation, your first thought might be for how it affects you.

Extremes
(Perverts by exaggerating, taking your characteristics and tendencies to extremes.)
Your empathy for another’s situation can cause you to identify with their need, resulting in adverse mental, emotional, or spiritual conditions for you. You might assume responsibility for the results, which leads to frustration or use of excessive pressure. In the extreme, you may invest so much of yourself in your cause that your immediate friends and family feel neglected.

Control
(Self-centeredness makes you want to be in control, and you struggle for control in a way that is unique to your character.)
Virtually every time you see a need for intercession or advocacy, someone or something is about to have their interests compromised, which the world defines as a loss of control. So your involvement is usually an attempt to regain control for them, but this becomes a problem when you assume control yourself. The goal of intercession is to seek the best interest of the person you represent, not for you to gain control.

Redemption

Putting on Important Traits
Certain godly character traits are especially important to you as an intercessor. Consciously developing the following traits will help you effectively represent those who need an advocate.

● Humility (Considers self relatively unimportant compared to others; prevents using abilities for one’s own satisfaction.) Humility prevents you from taking credit for any results.
● Agape (Considers others’ welfare, needs, interests, and desires more important than your own; motivates you to act for others’ benefit regardless of personal impact.) Agape makes others’ needs and intents top priority, so you seek their best interest and are willing to do whatever you can for them.
● Goodness (Action on another’s behalf, whether pleasant or unpleasant to them; motivates you to do what is best for others.) Goodness motivates you to represent, support, and defend those who cannot do it themselves; to do what is best for others, whether it seems pleasant to them or not.
● Faith or faithfulness (Firm conviction regarding something for which there is no proof; action based on such conviction.) Faith gives you great confidence the issue is resolvable and your efforts will be productive.
● Perseverance (Patient endurance.) This enables you to make a continued effort and apply constant pressure until you achieve the desired result, especially if the results do not come immediately.
● Zeal (Intense eagerness to experience a desired result; intense emotion that compels action.) Zeal causes you to represent others with great commitment, intensity, and boldness. It makes you willing to exert great effort for the cause.
● Anger (Hatred for every form of sin and its results.) Anger motivates you to oppose injustice and oppression, and defend the victim.

Repentance, Renewing Your Mind
(The changes you need to make in the way you think, including your attitudes, standards, priorities, and perspective.)
You must see your role as serving those who need help. In one mode, you facilitate a solution between opposing parties, serving the priorities and perspective of the party you represent. Another intercessory mode is using your spiritual skills and authority to rescue someone from a spiritual threat.

Denying and Humbling Yourself
(Rejecting your own desires and self-interests. Refusing to be motivated by desire for recognition or credit for the results.)
Your intensity often causes you to focus completely on your cause, but you must balance this with your responsibilities to those with whom you have long-term relationships. You must submit your personal goals to those of the party you represent. You also must accept the decision of the one whom you petition and not accept credit for success.

Taking up Your Cross
(Accepting that which has potential for great harm, threatens to break you down, or reveals your inadequacies.)
Positioning yourself in the middle of a conflict may expose you to harm. The great effort you exert combating oppressive forces can wear you down. Your inadequacies quickly become obvious because you cannot personally correct the issue, but must serve as an advocate before one who has the necessary power and authority.

Following Jesus
(How you uniquely imitate Jesus by doing what He would in your situation.)
Jesus clearly stated that He only acted in the Father’s behalf and that He did not speak or act on His own. Also, His life and death on earth were entirely for the benefit of sinful mankind. He provided the model for advocacy and intercession.

Becoming Like a Child
(Accepting what God gives you, believing what He tells you, trusting Him to take care of you, and simply doing what He says.)
Rely on God to show you whom you should defend and how you should do it. You must trust Him to care for you in the midst of the conflict and to serve justice according to His standards.