The bully in the bathroom, he was itching for a fight, taunting another boy. A circle of boys stood, tense, waiting. My boy, he stepped in, saying, “Dude, he’s bigger than you. He could squash you.”
The crowd laughed – some nervously, some disappointed: situation diffused. The crowd dispersed into the hallway – crisis averted.
Stepping in . . .intervening. . . interceding. . . like St. George and the Dragon, David and Goliath, Christ and each of us . . . . for something as simple as a bully in the bathroom or life-threatening challenges.
We’re designed and equipped for big and little heroic intercession – interceding with their feet, hands, and mouth – and, most importantly, interceding with cross-emblazoned soul shields.
Warriors prince and princesses – sons and daughters of the king, kneeling by the bedside, hands clasped at the steering wheel, head bowed at a work station – interceding anywhere at anytime.
“The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know” (1 Tim 2:1)
- Sometimes interceding is being the shield
David, when his son with Bathsheba became sick, “David prayed desperately to God for the little boy. He fasted, wouldn’t go out, and slept on the floor” (2: Samuel 12:16). David stood in the gap, fighting against the darkness that comes to steal, kill and destroy – interceding for his boy.
- Sometimes interceding is not just being the shield, but the spear, too.
David’s bold words of faith in His God: “GOD, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:36). David stepped in the gap – with faith words and actions, interceding for the Israelites.
- Sometimes interceding helps another bear the shield.
Mose’s standing on the mountain side, hands raised to God – interceding against the forces that deceive about things as little as apples and as big as God- and when Moses weakened, Aaron and Hur stepped beside him, holding Mose’s arms up high when he couldn’t do it himself – interceding (Exodus 17:12).
Our boys-to-men, they’re programmed to stand between the helpless and challenges like giants and dragons – and whatever else the devil can muster up for an attack.
On the way to school the other morning, we talked about intercession – not interceding as if prayers were penny wishes thrown in a fountain. We talked about interceding as if prayers were front-line soldiers holding off the enemy to save someone God wants saving – and you know – God wants every one of us saved – salvation saving, life-and-limb saving, challenge support and rescue saving.
When we intercede, we become like a shield, protecting, destroying or lifting out of overwhelming challenges – either in tandem with the one being attacked or for the one being attacked because he cannot, cannot right now, or cannot on his own.
The intercessor runs to find God – not a slow-walk but like a child running through the house trying to find their mother or father to come help, opening and slamming doors until they find the one who can help:
Isaiah said, “No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you” (Isaiah 64:7) – imagine that – trying to lay hold of God. Searching every room, calling his name, and when you see Him, you run, grab hold of his sleeve, turn Him to you – and beg Him to help. Isaiah laments that the children of Israel don’t see God as available like that – because God is – available – passionately, faithfully available.
Job cried, “Oh, that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbor!” (Job 16:21)
Which is most effective? Prayers like penny wishes thrown in a fountain – or prayers laying seige to a challenge that needs to be torn down:
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men (1 Timothy 2:1).
Didn’t Abraham do that? Plead with God to save Sodom and Gomorrah? Didn’t Esther pray to save the children of Israel? Didn’t Isaac intercede for Rebekah so that she would conceive?
Do you give out heart-cries to the Father?
“Give out heart-cries to the Master, dear repentant Zion.
Let the tears roll like a river, day and night,
and keep at it—no time-outs. Keep those tears flowing!
As each night watch begins, get up and cry out in prayer.
Pour your heart out face-to-face with the Master.
Lift high your hands. Beg for the lives of your children
who are starving to death out on the streets “(Lamentation 2: 18-19).
Are you a relentless warrior?
“I’ve posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. ‘Day and night they keep at it, praying, calling out,
reminding GOD to remember. They are to give him no peace until he does what he said'” (Isaiah 62:6-7).
Heart-cries require believing in the promises of God – really, really believing.
Heart-cries require time commitment, standing firm on the battlefield, a giving up of yourself to save someone else in big and little ways.
My life has been blessed by warrior intercessors who took heart-cries to the Father – women warriors in the blogahood – and in my neighborhood – my life and the lives of my family have been blessed because of the time sacrifice, the battlefield stance – a giving up of self to save in big and little ways.
God seems to have some pretty great team-building activities up his sleeve – what a powerful way to turn the seams of this blended family seamless – through intercessory prayer as if we were the front-line warrior standing between another and the enemy.
Heart-cries to the Father – for the lost and the found.
Who can you stand on the front-line for today?
It does require us giving of ourselves and making a few sacrifices! I believe that God has a weakness for the prayers of his people; prayer is man’s greatest power. Therefore, we must never tire of knocking at the door of God’s heart and asking for help.Our God is a relentless warrior when he is called upon to defend his people, and we must be prepared to stand on the front line with Him with faith and courage! 🙂
Blessings and hugs Maryleigh!
What excellent words of inspiration, encouragement, and challenge as I begin the day. Thank you, Maryleigh. Penny wishes vs. heart-cries… I love that imagery.
I keep thinking about that saying: a soft answer turns away wrath. And that’s what happened in that bathroom. Not confrontative, just quietly defusing.
I do have wonderful friends who will intercede for me, and I hope I can do the same for them. It’s a great subject to talk about, because often people are torn.
Miracles happen with intercession. But some feel that God knows what he is about, so why push an agenda? Jesus says, ask, seek and knock. That’s why we pray to him for ourselves and others. I like what Denise said. god has a weakness for the prayer of his people. Beautiful!
Wow! This is our Father inspired words of who we are and what we’re to be about! Love has a way of reaching to the inner most places of our soul and crying out for our Father to deliver us and our loved ones. We are called. We are blessed. Awesome post. “Blessed are the peacemakers,” and their mom and entire family. Our Father is honored.
I’m so grateful for the way my friends near and far, personal and blogging, have given of their time to pray for me, Maryleigh. So this post is one that I really resonate with and am thankful for. I want to be that for others too. It’s such a privilege God gives us–this fighting in the spiritual realm with our “soul shields” pushing back the darkness and blocking Satan’s fiery arrows. What would happen if we didn’t stand in that gap for each other? I hope we never know! Thanks for sharing, praying and linking up my friend!
And how often we forget that true battles are not seen…I try to remind myself daily that if I have nothing to do…might as well pray! How awesome if we learn to be prayerful at all times. Our lifeline! And I’m so grateful to have friends praying as I try to remember friends and loved ones in prayers…Like you.
God bless and protect you and your family.
The noble work of intercession is one of God’s highest callings. We get to do the work of Jesus as He intercedes for us to the Father, and the Holy Spirit as well. Such a privilege, and a responsibility. May we never take it lightly!
Intercession is so wonderful. I am so grateful for those who have stood in the gap for me and I love standing in the gap for others.
Thank you for linking up with Woman to Woman’s Word Filled Wednesday. God bless.
What a reminder that the battle is won on our knees! Thanks for linking up at Thought-Provoking Thursday. 🙂
Oh how I love how you’re raising up your young men to be brave, valiant warriors for Christ! Never having had boys, I’m soaking in what you’re heart has offered. And I’m grateful …
“…interceding as if prayers were front-line soldiers holding off the enemy to save someone God wants saving…” Wow. That is a word picture I won’t quickly forget. And I love these brave boy images you share here. I’ll be thinking of intercessory prayer a little differently from here on out, my friend. Thank you.