Intercession

As we continue through our journey of God’s promises, we land on the promise of intercession. This is a deeply important and practical promise of God, but before we can understand that we need to understand what it means. What is intercession? 

Intercession is the action of intervening on behalf of another. 

When I think of intercession, it reminds me of growing up with my family. On a random day when my siblings and I wanted to watch TV, but we definitely had other things we were supposed to be doing, we would choose a representative to go to our mom and ask permission to watch TV. This was always a sensitive operation, but we needed someone to intercede on behalf of the child faction, and that representative was oftentimes me. At the time, I was short and a little bit pudgy with a squeaky voice, but being my mom’s favorite, I was the best option to intercede on behalf of my siblings. Just like my siblings had an intercessor, so do we. 

Romans 8:34 says, “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” 

I know the previous story is a little funny, but the reality is that each and every one of us needs an intercessor. We need someone to stand between us and God, and that is what Jesus is for us. Jesus is the lawyer in the courtroom, who represents us, defends us, and ultimately takes the punishment for our sins upon Himself. Jesus is at the right hand of God, speaking to Him on our behalf and defending us from the accuser through His sacrifice on the cross. 

What this means for you and me practically is that in those moments where we feel disconnected from God, where we feel lost and alone, we can remember that Jesus is at the right hand of God. He is interceding for us, and because of that, if we are believers in Jesus, we can seek God in prayer, knowing that Jesus is there alongside our prayers. We no longer are condemned because we have an intercessor who will “cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9-10). He is our intercessor. Do not forget it; remember that promise.