SBS Sermon Notes
SBS     Sermon Notes     Note 01/08

Prayer / Intercession

Prayer: A solemn request or thanksgiving to the Almighty: speaking to, communicating with Yahweh - the Creator, for one's-self or for others.
Intercession: To intervene on behalf of another person or as a peacemaker; can only be made for others.

1. Prayer Likened to Fragrant Incense

Revelation 5: 8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Revelation 8: 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4: And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

2. Ask

The Most High is an extremely generous Person. Like every kind father He is keen to give His children good gifts. But to ensure that we really want them - we must first ask.
1 Kings 3: 5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what shall I give thee.
Matthew 7: 7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9: Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10: Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11: If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

3. Ask Without Doubting

Doubt is the opposite of faith. Doubt is a form of sin. It exists, in varying quantities in all of us. Fight doubt. Conquer doubt.
James 1: 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6: But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7: For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
James 4: 2 ...Ye have not because ye ask not. - So ask.

4. Ask in Messiah's Name

To ask in Messiah's Name does not mean simply to voice the word Jesus (Yahshua, Yeshua or Yahoshua) after a prayer. It means to ask for the glory of Yahweh, for the good of Messiah's cause, for the spiritual benefit of the church and for the salvation of souls etc. It is most essential that the following mandatory conditions are met. If they are not, worthwhile results will not be obtained.
John 14: 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13: And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14: If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Settle Differences First

Matthew 5: 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24: Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

1 Peter 3: 7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

The Greek word for 'hindered' is 'ekkopt' means 'to cut off.' In other words if you don't want to have yours prayers ignored, 'cut off' or disregarded then as far as is possible be at peace with family and neighbour.

5. Intercession

The Most High wants His people to pray for others and He marvels when we do not. It is one of the few things that really surprises Him.
Isaiah 59: 16: And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: ...

Intercession

An intercessor is an advocate, a pleader, a person who makes a request on another's behalf. Believers should intercede for others.
Isaiah 59:16 Yahweh wondered that there was no intercessor!
Romans 8:27 The Holy Ghost makes intercession on our behalf.
8:34 The Saviour also makes intercession on our behalf.
Hebrews 7:25 He is able to save to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing that he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Isaiah 53:12 ... he hath 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.
1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men

Summary

Prayer is spiritual incense. Let it rise before the throne of God each day. To get good results follow these few basic rules: Note: Intercede for others. Meaningful miracles will happen! Souls will be converted to Yeshua. Believers will begin to obey the commandments. Yahweh's Signature (His sacred Sabbaths) will appear in the minds of the hitherto rebellious. The good fruit of: faith, obedience, holiness, praise, thanksgiving and sacrifice will soon become apparent. These are the real miracles of grace the Saviour came to perform in the soil of the human mind. These are far greater miracles than the healing of the physical body or the feeding of a multitude with bread and fish. The greatest miracles are seen when sinners give up sin and become holy like their heavenly Father is holy. You could be part of this almost incredible, miraculous process. Join me in aiming to make these verses a reality in our lives:
John 14: 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13: And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14: If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

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Elder: David B Loughran
Stewarton Bible School, Stewarton, Scotland
Updated: May 1999