Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them - Hebrews - 7:25
We all need someone to pray for us, don’t we? Well, let not your heart be troubled my dear Christian; believe in God, believe also in Jesus who lives to make intercession on your behalf. I cannot stress enough the importance of this doctrine, especially to us who live in times when some leaders have popped up and presented themselves as the “saviours” of people’s lives and “spiritual coverings” of their destinies until they cannot breathe without depending on these “powerful prayers” from the “powerful men of God” and their “anointed” bottles. Whenever you lose sight of Christ; what He is and what He has done for you, then you have no choice but to get impressed with men until you attach yourself; life and death. Certainly, Scripture does encourage and even warns us to acknowledge and respect those who are above us in the Lord (who even pray for us many times), but only as far as knowing that our leaders are humans like us who are saved by the same grace that saved us, hence have no ability, power nor authority to fully control our lives in the name of “staying under the covering and prayers of the man of God”. That ministry belongs to Christ and Him alone.
Question; Why would the Almighty Saviour, the One who is prayed to, choose to be the One doing the praying, since prayer is a sign of weakness and dependence upon some higher authority? Answer; because He is such a High Priest who was in all points tempted as we are, hence is humble and caring enough to sympathize with the weakness of His followers (Heb 4:15). As much as it thrills and gives me so much peace that my Lord intercedes on my behalf, I am a little curious as to what exactly is Christ praying for in my life. What are His prayer points for you and me?
That you may be protected from the evil one (John 17:15)
As we all know, there is another world that is beyond our five senses. This is the realm where that evil lion roars and roams about, seeking to steal, kill and destroy our souls. The benevolent King would not leave us as orphans, but continually prays that we may be spared from such wicked forces that we do not see.
That we might be sanctified (John 17:17)
The big word “sanctification” simply describes the process by which a believer grows in Christ, particularly in the area of holiness. Interestingly, our Lord prays that the same Word we read every day be the means of our growth, or I should say sanctification. In all our prayers, we seldom pray about this because we do not know its significance to our faith, yet Christ knows exactly what we need, and constantly prays in that regard.
That we might be united (John 17:21)
This unity that Jesus frequently prays for is definitely not ecumenism, which teaches that all churches and/or religions must be united regardless of differences in beliefs. Well, any unity that is not based on the truth of the Gospel is certainly not unity – a social club, perhaps. Our great Intercessor was and is still praying that His true sheep be united under the same Truth that He prayed to sanctify them. To be of one mind and heart in Him through the Holy Spirit. We see the good Apostle pleading for the same in his beloved Corinthian church (1 Cor 1:10).
That your faith should not fail (Luke 22:31-32)
Being a believer, as we have all experienced, is no child’s play. There are all kinds of thorns and thistles that work overtime to make sure that we do not arrive at the finish line of our faith. Hence the old saying, “we all need grace”. Jesus knew what Satan had determined to do in Peter, and that the faithful disciple would not make it to the other side unless He intervened and prayed for Him. Therefore, me and you can rest on the fact that no matter what the devil, the world and sin throws at us in the days ahead, our faith will hold on because we have Christ the Almighty Intercessor!
Conclusion. There is no religion as beautiful as the Christian faith where our own God prays for us. This, my dear friend, ought to be always in your heart; that whatever happens to you, no matter how dark your surroundings, no matter how hopeless the situation, it will all work out for good because you have Jesus whose ministry is to make intercessory prayers on your behalf. May you go out with peace and joyfully rest in this. Do not be bothered nor intimidated by the vain threatenings of false teachers who preach that you cannot live outside their imaginary “spiritual coverings”. Christ is all we need! If He is for us, I ask, who then can be against us?
Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Romans 8:34
Sinothi Ncube
Amen to that🙏
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