Tag Archives: Intercession

The Fullness of Him

4 Aug

Circle of Prayer

“and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”  Ephesians 1:22-23 (ASV)

Many years ago I worked for a large church in Phoenix.  Christmas was a bustling time as we pulled together our huge Christmas event – not the play or the kids dance event – it was an event called “Drive-By Blessings.”  For weeks we pulled together bags of nuts, candy, toys, a tract and a piece of fruit to hand out in the worse parts of Phoenix.  On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we took trucks and vans into the most impoverished and dangerous streets to hand out Blessings to the kids and clothing and food to the adults.  I treasure the memories of those years.

We left at 6 am to group together and didn’t get back home until 6 pm.  There wasn’t a traditional Christmas meal waiting for us, no aroma of a cooking turkey, and no fragrance of a pumpkin pie; but there was a most warm and fulfilling feeling deep in our souls as we talked about those we encountered and how their frowns and frustrations turned to smiles with our simple Blessing.

As we drove into these Phoenix neighborhoods, we became the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing a little bit of hope and happiness into a dark world.  We became the only Jesus many of those people will ever know.

In our scripture reference, God has put “all things” in subjection to Jesus, His Son.  All Things!  Subjection means that others must be submissive and under the authority.  All good and all evil were in subjection to Jesus; all living things and all death.  All angels and all demons were under subjection to Jesus; even Satan himself was placed in subjection to the instructions and authority of Jesus.  All things are under the feet of Jesus (Psalms 8:6).

God also made Jesus the head over the church, which is the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27).  The church which is the hands and feet of Jesus (Proverbs 31:20).  The church which is the unified body of believers who will one day become the Bride of Christ (Revelation 21:2, 9).  Jesus sends the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16) and cleansing of Baptism (Acts 1:5).  And as He stands in this place of authority, He takes the time to kneel in intercession for all of the needs we lay before him in prayer (Romans 8:34, John 17:9).

We, the believers, become His body.  We become His fullness on earth, which is the satisfaction of our deepest needs, which is the fulfillment of His deepest needs.  We become His hands and feet to a hurting and dark world.  We become the spoken word to a desperate person at a critical moment.  We listen carefully for His guidance and recognize our duties and call, stepping forward to fulfill that life changing moment.

 “Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours, Yours are the eyes through which to look out Christ’s compassion to the world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good; Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.”   ― Teresa of ‘Avila

My Lord, help us to remember that although You can move mountains and change a person’s condition in a heartbeat, that you prefer to work through the Believers, to continue that precious relationship You place within the Body of the Church.  We can receive the supernatural healing while all alone in a hospital room, but oh the joy of knowing that there are people standing in prayer and encouraging us to go forward to a stronger and greater call for Christ.

*A Journey through Ephesians – Chapter 1, Part 13

Written by Linda J. Humes

10-25-2014

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YOU’RE THERE

23 Sep

 

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:  And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.   1 Kings 19:11-12 (KJV)

 

I can't hear You, Lord,

I can't hear You today.

Just a quiet whispering;

A rustling.



There was a day when we walked together, 

Talked together,

Closest friends.



Your words were loud and sure,

I knew Your will,

No doubt which path to take.

But I can't hear You, Lord,

I can't hear You today.



There were joyful times,

Times of tears,

Times of intercession,

And deepest prayers.



I felt You then,

You heard my cries and held me tight.

But I can't hear You, Lord,

I can't hear You today.



Somewhere I fell faint,

Neglected to listen,

Perhaps I disobeyed.

Or is this a testing time,

To see if I will remain,

Even in Your silence.

How will I know, Lord,

I can't hear You today.



I'll go on, as You've taught me,

I'll overcome,

Walk in joy,

Sing Your praises,

Again and again.



And when You've finished,

Testing and trying,

Pruning and purging,

Loving and lifting,

I will know.



Even in silence You are there,

Even in darkness You are there,

Even in diligent unanswered prayer,

You are there.

In Your word,

 And in the hearts of Your children.

Written 9-3-91

 

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Daughter of Zion

11 Jul

 

woman-bowing-down-prayer

Micah 4:8-10  And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. [9] Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. [10] Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. . . . . [13]  Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.

 

Why do you weep,

Daughter of Zion?

Have you forgotten who you are?

At the hem of your garment,

Cling the children of Israel,

Dare they see your tears?

 

Why do you cry out,

Daughter of Zion?

Your voice was created,

To put your enemy,

In his place,

Beneath your feet,

Far from the children,

You protect.

 

Let your tears be saved,

For intercession,

And your crying out,

To birth a new mission,

That your children,

Will take forth.

 

Forget not that you are birthed,

Of royalty.

A king and a priest.

Stand your station,

And raise your head high.

 

Forget not that you were birthed,

To counsel.

Prepared to call forth,

The promises and armies,

Of God.

 

Reclaim the territory,

Stolen by the enemy,

The cities and the lands,

That once were a testimony,

To the One true God.

 

Stand in faith,

And watch the evil,

Slither away,

As the hand of the Lord,

Forbids its sting.

 

Stand up,

Daughter of Zion,

With dignity

And righteous pride,

For what is yours.

 

Don’t let the momentary pain,

The enemy has wrought,

Overcome the truth,

Of who you are.

 

Stand up,

Daughter of Zion.

For into your hand,

Have I placed the hope,

Of the Nations.

 

Stand Up!

 

 

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In The Gap

13 Nov

 

Angel with Censer

“And he stood between the dead and the living;

and the plague was stayed.”     Numbers 16:48

—-

I stand in the summer of my life,

weighing and balancing

yesterday and tomorrow.

—-

I have made a choice,

I have taken my stand

  on the firm foundation of truth.

—-

Yesterday’s worldly decisions haunt and torment me,

calling out from behind the veil of blood,

that separates me from a deadly past.

—-

The Spirit of God allows me to remember,

Burdening my heart for the souls left behind.

My eyes don’t want to see them,

my ears don’t want to hear them,

for what they are,

I once was.

—-

But the Spirit calls me to them,

to pray.

—-

I fill my censer with sweet incense,

   lighting the fragrance from the fire

 of the altar of sacrifice.

—-

I step into the land of giants,

  the essence of God in my hand,

the words of God in my mouth.

—-

My soul trembles, my heart breaks,

as I look into the empty, hollow eyes

of the children.

—-

 Who will help them to choose?

—-

There to the right is the goodness of God.

There is mercy and grace,

peace and rest.

—-

  This is the life I have chosen to share.

There at the left are the quick and simple pleasures,

received at a price,

packaged so elegantly, temptingly, deceivingly.

—-

Snares so easily fallen into.

My prayers cry out,

praying the lost away from temptation.

—-

My testimony gives them hope,

  I am proof that there is a way out.

The fragrance of intercession

strengthens the fire in the censor.

The wings of angels gently move the aroma

through the crowd.

—-

For a moment they turn and look.

For a moment they taste the sweetness of the manna

that is laid before them.

For a moment the lure of sin is stopped.

For some it will only take that one moment

to recognize and follow the truth.

For some it may take two or three glimpses

to birth their testimony.

—-

Yet, for others, it may take moment after moment after moment

to break the generational curses

 that have trapped them on the path of destruction.

—-

There, in the fields of the land of the giants,

I lay down my life,

as a living sacrifice,

  daily standing in the gap,

  between the living and the dead.

—-

There will I stand again tomorrow,

my censer lit,

 my prayers rising up,

as a sweet sacrifice to heaven.

There, in intercession, will I stand,

turning as many eyes as the Spirit can touch,

to the right.

—-

         Believing that every seed planted will root and grow.

 Believing in the resurrecting power,

from death to life,

       that rests in the anointing.

Believing that the eternal plague can be stayed,

     by the strength of my faith.

—-

I can not stop my sacred vigil,

for the fear rests in my soul,

that in any moment of disconcert,

I might miss one child

that might have looked.

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A Pocket Full of Miracles

17 Sep

Cross coin

1 Thessalonians 5:17  “Pray without ceasing.”

 James 5:16  “. . . The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.“

All of my life I’ve had a terrible habit that I haven’t been able to break.  My mother always lets me know how unladylike it is – and I agree – I just can’t stop!  No matter how hard I try I just can’t keep my hands out of my pockets.

Over the years I’ve lost my ability to remember things (even my name once or twice).  To compensate for my memory “challenge”, I have been known to write myself notes and stuff them in my pockets.  Sometimes the notes prove useful, but most of the time they get wadded and creased and become illegible by the time I truly need them.

One day, while browsing through a Christian Bookstore (my very favorite pastime), I came upon “A Cross In My Pocket” coins and medals.  They come in several shapes and sizes.  I began to search for five separate medals, each with its own special purpose.  Before long I had found just what I wanted – the miracles had begun.

The largest coin has a cross on the front with “Dad” engraved over the top.  On the back is a prayer of thanksgiving for who he is.  This coin would represent my husband.  With a silent prayer I slipped him into my pocket.

The next largest coin says “Jesus” across the front and it cites a scripture on the back.  It is the heaviest coin and represents my heaviest burden at this time, my teenage son.  So easily he could turn the wrong way, yet through prayer and intercession I have faith that he will remain on the right path.  With a silent prayer I slipped him into my pocket.

Next comes a nickel with a cross stamped out of the center.  It was new and shiny, and the perfect coin to represent my 9-year-old son who has not yet shown an interest in drawing close to the cross.  With a prayer I slipped him into my pocket, along with the other two.

Next is a coppery penny with a heart stamped out of the center.  This is the coin, which represents my 7-year-old son.  This is a child abundantly filled with a love of God.  This is a child that will, one day, help the broken-hearted heal from their wounds.  With a prayer he was slipped into my pocket.

The last coin is a light aluminum coin with a cross on one side and the “Cross In My Pocket” story on the other.  This coin represents the special needs of the people of the church.  One day it represented my two youngest sons’ birth mother, the next day an ill friend, and the next an evangelist with a special prayer request.  This coin changes daily, yet it rests in the closeness of my pocket, in covenant with the prayers for my family.

This is my pocket full of miracles.  Every time I thrust my hand down into my pocket I feel the coins and I begin to pray.  I caress each coin, identify the shape and design with my fingers, and say a special prayer as I hold them.

Like the bit of sand that irritates and festers in the shell of the oyster, the small metal coins that fill my pocket, and jingle as I walk, will bring forth a precious gift, more beautiful than a pearl, in miraculous answered prayer.

What a small price to pay to always be reminded of those people I love, dozens of times a day, and offer up specific prayers to guide their precious lives.

Lord, remind me daily that I can never pray too often for the wonderful people you’ve placed in my life.  And, even though I may never see the answer to all of those prayers, may I always remember that You have the answers in the palm of Your hand, and that you will release them when the moment is right.

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A SOLDIER

16 Sep

Praying Soldier

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. [20] And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.     1 Corinthians 3:19-20  KJV

I have a picture of a young black man in fieldworker’s clothes holding a small baby.  At the bottom of the picture is a caption “I Cannot Do Great Things, But I Can Do Small Things in a Great Way”.  The Lord brought me to that picture over and over today.  But, how Lord, how can I do small things in a great way?  How can I make any size difference in God’s Kingdom?

The Bible says that all portions of the Body are essential to the whole body.  No one position has greater worth, no one portion has lesser worth.  All are called to a position, to serve in a position they have been prepared for.  I can do small things in a great way.

I have been called to be a soldier.  I’m not a General, I’m not a Captain, I’m not a Lieutenant – I’m a soldier.  I will not lead the troops into battle, but I will fight to preserve the Kingdom, I will devote all my abilities to protect the General, the Captain and the Lieutenant.  They will never have to worry about looking back for I will be there – and if I fall, my brother/sister will step forward into my place.  We will move always forward in battle to make a safe place for those we have yet to meet – those who have not yet heard the truth – those who have yet to come to the Lord.

What can I do as a soldier?  How do I battle?  How can I do small things in a great way?  How?

I am a soldier.  I wage war with the words I speak.  I can wage war against evil or I can send turmoil among the troops I walk with – all by the words I choose to share.  I can speak life or I can speak death.  I can spread comfort and healing or I can spread gossip and dissent.  I can do small things in a great way?  It’s my choice.

As a soldier in the Kingdom I have the tremendous responsibility to protect those above me when they are at their most vulnerable.  I can scan the horizon while the General prepares the way for those that will follow.  I can be the strength to hold his arms, the inspiration for his words, the confidence that allows him to rest.

As a soldier in the Body I can pray a cover of protection over my Pastor and my Church.  I can intercede when the spirit of confusion moves into the assembly.  I can watch the body while the Pastor is concentrating on delivery of the message – critical to the hearts, prepared and hungry, in the assembly.  I can intercede when confusion and fear overcome the musician or soloist.  I can set the shield against the attack of the enemy.  And, if I feel overwhelmed, I can engage my brothers/sisters to join with me in battle.  For it is my job, as a soldier, to pray for a safe haven for the searching to come into.  It is my job to pray a cover of protection over those called to provide the atmosphere for the message for those whose hearts have been tendered by Jesus.  It is my job to intercede when the enemy attempts to steal away the anointing – so carefully placed.  I cannot do great things, but I can do small things in a great way – I can pray.

I can hear the faint whisper of a name and pray.  I can see the faint image of a face and immediately begin to intercede.  I can be a thousand miles away at the time, or ten thousand miles, it matters not.  I can wage a warring battle for a soul in need – even when I have no clue as to the situation at hand.  I am not big, but I am mighty.  I am not brilliant, but the wisdom of the ages rests within me.  I have no material wealth, but I will inherit a jeweled, golden mansion.  I am quiet and meek in this world, but determined and confident in spirit.  I am not great – I cannot do great things – but I can do small things in a great way.  I am a soldier for God.

But  –  What if I choose to fail?  What if I choose to step away and let you carry your burden as well as mine?  And what if you choose to leave it to someone else – and so on – and so on – then who will prepare the way for the lost?

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