In day 10 of Andrew Murray's book, The Secret of Intercession, he concludes with the following question: Why is it essential to be filled with the Holy Spirit before you can be an intercessor?
Day 10 speaks specifically about this question.
Murray starts the day with the words "Abba, Father," using them to tell us what the words meant when coming from Christ's mouth while in Gethsemane: "it was the entire surrender of Himself, even to death, so that the holy will of God's love in redemption of sinners might be accomplished" (40). Through his total surrender, through this short, yet poignant prayer, Christ "exercises the wonderful power of intercession and the power to pour down the Holy Spirit" (40). So, from the start, we see that "The Holy Spirit has been bestowed by the Father to breathe the very spirit of His Son into our hearts" (40).
Christ surrendered his all, even his life, for our lives, our souls.
And, as intercessors, this is what we are to do, too: surrender our all.
Some may see all that Christ had to endure and all that he gave and sacrificed and think, How am I supposed to do that? I'm not Christ.
This is where the answer to the above question is revealed as "the Holy Spirit is actually given into our hearts so that we may pray as Jesus did in His power and in His name" (41).
Murray continues with
And he concludes with
As I read this chapter of Murray's book, I had to chuckle because it is so timely, especially with the goings on of my life.
I've been in a bad bout of depression over the last several weeks (months, if I'm being honest), and over the last week or two, I have found myself closed in within myself, not doing a lot of praying, talking to God, feeling the Spirit... nothing. Just today, I began thinking about how much I need it, how much it all does matter to me in body, mind, and spirit, and I asked aloud, to no one in particular, "How do I stay girded up through life's situations and difficulties so that I can continue to be that prayer warrior I need to be?"
This chapter didn't answer that for me, but it does make me realize that there is a lot of work and a lot expected from us to be these prayer warriors. When we shut down, when we're depressed, when we're unfocused, when we're not keeping the lines between us and above open; we clog up our prayer line and our ability to see and to feel what we are to do: be watchmen and pray for others' souls.
I'm still in the midst of the depression, and I'm fighting hard to scratch and climb out of it, and I know this because I asked that question about how to stay girded up against those things that threaten to overthrow me.
Music often soothes me and helps to alleviate the worries and fears that block me. Reading (and sometimes forcing self to read when the depression tries to lock down on me) scripture helps. Actually standing up, walking about a room and talking (and sometimes yelling and screaming and shrieking and crying) to God aloud is usually the most effective way for me to, as they say, lay those burdens down so that I can be that prayer warrior I need to be. Another thing I do is remember.
Remember what?
All the times I've prayed for others (or for self) and answers were received. I think this one is extremely important. When we're caught up in drama and fog and pain, sometimes, it's hard to look behind us and see the bright spots in our path. But they are there, and we have to document them because if we believe that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, then we have to also believe that if he answered a prayer once, he'll do it again.
Other Posts in The Secret of Intercession series
In day 10 of Andrew Murray's book, Day 10 speaks specifically about this question.
Murray starts the day with the words "Abba, Father," using them to tell us what the words meant when coming from Christ's mouth while in Gethsemane: "it was the entire surrender of Himself, even to death, so that the holy will of God's love in redemption of sinners might be accomplished" (40). Through his total surrender, through this short, yet poignant prayer, Christ "exercises the wonderful power of intercession and the power to pour down the Holy Spirit" (40). So, from the start, we see that "The Holy Spirit has been bestowed by the Father to breathe the very spirit of His Son into our hearts" (40).
Christ surrendered his all, even his life, for our lives, our souls.
And, as intercessors, this is what we are to do, too: surrender our all.
Some may see all that Christ had to endure and all that he gave and sacrificed and think, How am I supposed to do that? I'm not Christ.
This is where the answer to the above question is revealed as "the Holy Spirit is actually given into our hearts so that we may pray as Jesus did in His power and in His name" (41).
Murray continues with
It is the man who yields himself wholly to the leading of the Holy Spirit who will feel urged, by the compulsion of a divine love, toward undivided surrender to a life of continual intercession because he knows that it is God who is working in him. (41)
And he concludes with
Now we understand how God can give such a high place to intercession in the fulfillment of His purpose of redemption: it is the Holy Spirit who breathes God's own desire into us and enables us to intercede for souls. (41)
As I read this chapter of Murray's book, I had to chuckle because it is so timely, especially with the goings on of my life.
I've been in a bad bout of depression over the last several weeks (months, if I'm being honest), and over the last week or two, I have found myself closed in within myself, not doing a lot of praying, talking to God, feeling the Spirit... nothing. Just today, I began thinking about how much I need it, how much it all does matter to me in body, mind, and spirit, and I asked aloud, to no one in particular, "How do I stay girded up through life's situations and difficulties so that I can continue to be that prayer warrior I need to be?"
This chapter didn't answer that for me, but it does make me realize that there is a lot of work and a lot expected from us to be these prayer warriors. When we shut down, when we're depressed, when we're unfocused, when we're not keeping the lines between us and above open; we clog up our prayer line and our ability to see and to feel what we are to do: be watchmen and pray for others' souls.
I'm still in the midst of the depression, and I'm fighting hard to scratch and climb out of it, and I know this because I asked that question about how to stay girded up against those things that threaten to overthrow me.
Music often soothes me and helps to alleviate the worries and fears that block me. Reading (and sometimes forcing self to read when the depression tries to lock down on me) scripture helps. Actually standing up, walking about a room and talking (and sometimes yelling and screaming and shrieking and crying) to God aloud is usually the most effective way for me to, as they say, lay those burdens down so that I can be that prayer warrior I need to be. Another thing I do is remember.
Remember what?
All the times I've prayed for others (or for self) and answers were received. I think this one is extremely important. When we're caught up in drama and fog and pain, sometimes, it's hard to look behind us and see the bright spots in our path. But they are there, and we have to document them because if we believe that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, then we have to also believe that if he answered a prayer once, he'll do it again.
Other Posts in The Secret of Intercession series
- "Kickstarting Intercession"
- "Day 1 - Intercession"
- "Day 2 - The Opening of the Eyes"
- "Day 3 - Man's Place in God's Plan"
- "Day 4 - Intercession in the Plan of Redemption"
- "Day 5 - God Seeks Intercessors"
- "Day 6 - Christ as Intercessor"
- "Day 7 - The Intercessors God Seeks"
- "Day 8 - The School of Intercession"
- "Day 9 - The Power in the Name of Jesus"
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