Living Hope Fellowship Church

INTERCESSION

Training Material

by Pastor Kevin Badgley

INTERCESSION

Preface

(your calling to pray and intercede)

Nobody is called to warm the pew, though plenty do it.  A child of God is supposed to be on fire, too hot for the devil to hold down.   

          God looks for somebody to stand in the gap and make up the hedge between man and the judgment of God. 

          God wants to give us power, and authority, and influence on what happens.  He wants us to subdue the earth, but He is looking for someone with faith. 

God sometimes reveals things ahead of time so you can pray, and it can change things.  You can intercede and move God. 

Sometimes it is hard for us to believe that we can make any difference, but God wants us to know that we CAN, because He is looking for people to do it!

INTERCESSION

by Pastor Kevin Badgley

You are special!  God has chosen you.  He has a calling, a plan, and a design for your life.  For some, it is hard to think that with all of the people on earth, and with all the angels, that God would even think about us individually, let alone have an actual work for us to do. 

Folks, there is plenty to do in the kingdom of God.  As we are faithful in the beginning of our calling, He will make us ruler over more (see Luke 16:10).  One of the greatest callings is INTERCESSORY PRAYER, but few people are interested in it.  You pray in the Spirit for others, not always knowing what you are praying.  God uses your mouth, your lips, your heart, your tongue, and your faith. 

1 Peter 2:9 speaks to the church, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”  Royal has to do with kingship.  A holy nation is the kingdom of God.  We should show (demonstrate in power) the praises of God.  He has called us out of darkness, sin and natural living, to live in HIS light in this life. 

The Bible declares that we are a chosen people, and everybody in the body of Christ has a certain amount of calling.  Not all are preachers or prophets, but all are called out to be different from the world, and we are chosen as individuals to do certain works in the kingdom of God!

We have a job, and we should be conscientious.  We are in the royal priesthood so we can intercede and do wonderful things in the name of the Lord.  Every Christian is called to see God.  Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”  He means just that.  When I see a sparrow, I don’t see God in it.  That is His handiwork.  If someone sees just my jacket, they don’t see me.  That is something I might wear.  We are called into His marvelous light as we obey Him. 

Jesus hasn’t changed and the Word of God will never pass away.  He is talking to you and me in John 15:16 which says, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”  Jesus said we have not chosen Him, so it was not our idea.  This burden you carry is not just you carrying it.  God put it on you, and He gave you power to carry it. 

He said, “. . . whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”  It says He MAY give it to you, because you have to ask! 

We didn’t call ourselves.  It is His idea, His revival, His work and anointing, His blessing and healing, saving, and delivering power.  It is not my responsibility except to obey the Master.  You don’t have to think up something to do for God.  He has plenty for us all.  If you don’t know what to do, get down and pray, and God will tell you.  If you don’t hear from Him at first, be still and know that He is God, and wait on Him. 

When you are at a job, and you have accomplished the task at hand, you wait on the boss.  You tell him you are done, and you need another assignment.  The Lord is the same way.  Also, anybody can come up the ranks from nothing.  I’ve read about our civil war where some men became generals in the army or admirals in the navy in a period of just a few months, because they displayed leadership potential and ability.  They didn’t fail under fire.  They were willing to take risks to get the victory for their country.

That is the way it is with God.  As God sees your obedience and your willingness to sacrifice all to get the victory, the Lord will assign you higher and greater things.  Some of you could be preaching to thousands.  Some of you could be delivering whole kingdoms out of the hand of the devil, so that God would bring revival to them. This is possible. 

Paul was praying and a man from Macedonia, many miles away, appeared before him and said, Come and help us.  Paul was down in intercessory prayer.  God opened to him a vision, and showed him the man.  God doesn’t need television or telephones in this revival.  It can go to the African bush or it can go to the middle of New York City, but God needs people who know they are chosen and are not willing to turn around for anything.  They are going on with Jesus.

Nobody is called to warm the pew.  There are plenty who will do that, who are not saved.  A child of God is supposed to be on fire, too hot for the devil to hold down.  You need to get into intercessory prayer and find out what your calling is. 

Daniel moved the whole nation of Israel closer to God by just his prayer.  Three times a day he would open his windows toward Jerusalem and pray, and God moved.  God is using people today who know they are called and chosen. 

Don’t let the devil say in your ear, “Yea, hath God said . . . .” like he did to Eve.  The devil will tell you that you are not called; you are just called to be still.  Psalm 46:10 does say, “Be still, and know that I am God. . . .”  However, that is only after you have bound the devil, and you are praying, believing God, and waiting for an answer for the next direction to go. 

God is looking for people who will pray and work in the kingdom of God.  When you know that there is a lot of desire on God’s part for you to do this, it is harder for the devil to keep you away and dissuade you from working for the Lord.  I will try to establish it in your mind and heart by the Word of God that He is calling you!

Psalm 53:2 says, “God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.”  Psalm 14:2 says the same thing verbatim.

God is looking for someone on the earth to intercede and seek His face concerning the things of the children of men.  Knowing this, you can go on in boldness in God as He deals with you.  Let these scriptures drive it home to you and give you faith to know you do have a calling and a work, and that your words and prayers are not in vain. 

Ezekiel 22:30 says, “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”  He looked among His own people, the church, but nobody believed they were called to do it, or they were disobedient to the call. 

If you know you are called, moved, and driven by the Spirit of the Lord, you will work till you drop, if it takes that, until you see it through.  If you are not sure, you will be a little leery about some of the areas you go in until you know the fullness of your calling.  When you were invited to a place, but you did not get an official invitation, someone may meet you at the door asking how you got in.  If you don’t have proof, you may turn away, even though the master of the house was expecting you to be there! 

You have more drive if you KNOW you are called of God, and if you know God is moving you in certain areas.  I know I am called of God to do certain works, but He has also called me to other things that are hard to fathom.  God has called every one of us to be set apart from the world so that we will have boldness to enter into the throne of His divine grace. 

God sought for a man in Israel that would make up the hedge before Him.  When it comes to the dealings of any given generation in the affairs of men, according to the Bible, God always has a man, a woman, a people, a remnant that will pray and seek His face and stand in the gap.  They also do great things in the name of the Lord.  There has always had to be someone down here praying up there.

Some people think it is enough that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father making intercession for the saints.  Jesus does not always make intercession to the Father until the saints down here WANT intercession.  Jesus can talk of His own free will to the Father anytime about our difficulties.  However, He will pray more as we pray more.  In the measure you meet, it is measured back to you. 

Jesus, the Son of God, is our mediator and intercessor to God.  He is calling us by the Holy Ghost, saying, Church, pray.  The Father is about to come and talk to me about the rapture and judgment on the earth.  If you pray, He may wait a little longer.  He may give a little more space for your children and the rest of your family to repent, but you have to talk to Him and show Him you mean business. 

God has always had somebody on the earth to intercede to Him for others.  If it wasn’t for Noah, man would have been wiped out long ago.  Thank God for the others who have interceded for mankind.  God looks everywhere for somebody to stand in the gap and make up the hedge between man – and the judgment of God and destruction of the world.  He looks for someone to pray for redemption and revival. 

Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  Pray for sinners.

People who spend time in prayer have more visions than other people.  People who spend time in the Word of God have more spoken word from God than anybody else, because they are able to interpret the word back as He talks to them in the Spirit.  God wants people to stand in the gap and receive back an extra measure of faith.  Then when they come into an assembly, the blessing of God will confirm the faith of that believing intercessor.     

We need to intercede for America.  God did not hide from Abraham what He was going to do in Sodom.  Amos 3:7 says, “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”  If you intercede in prayer to God, He will talk to you. 

God reveals things to believers.  The world does not believe in Him.  He is trying to find someone in the church to warn them what sin is, of the wrath of God, and of judgment coming.  He wants the church to intercede for them that He would hold off a little bit longer.  You can preach another sermon or speak another word to them. 

Moses prayed more than once, when God was about to destroy the whole lot of them.  He reminded God of what the heathen would say if He killed them after delivering them out of Egypt.  What if Moses had not stood in the gap and humbled himself for a stiff necked people?  He knew God’s wrath was not on him and his house, but he loved the people and prayed for them.  If you love somebody, you will pray for them!

A person who knows they are chosen of God can do powerful things.  You don’t have to be behind a pulpit or on TV.  You can move whole nations, change elections, stop the sun and the moon.  Joshua was by himself in a field, and there was not going to be enough daylight to win the battle, so he prayed, and God answered.  Joshua 10:13 says, “And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”

A man commanded the universe to be still so he could do something down here!  Joshua 10:14 says, “And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.”  That was the longest day!  God destroyed the enemy by the prayer of one man.  Your prayer makes a difference when you believe God! 

Jeremiah 49:19 says, “. . . who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?”  In other words, God wants to know who is like Him.  He wants a man like Jesus to pray down here.  Who will tell God the time when to do it? 

Isaiah 45:11 says, “Thus saith the LORD. . . concerning the work of my hands command ye me.”  God looks among His chosen people to appoint someone to pray and talk to Him.  Joshua appointed a time for the Lord to make the universe stand still.

Some say they are too young, but Samuel was a very young boy, just weaned. He was used of God.  If you think you are too old, look at Methuselah.  God can use you.  God asked what shepherd would stand before Him.  What preacher can stand before Him?  When you get down and pray, the Lord can stand before you and give you a message for the people straight from God in heaven.  Every shepherd should be able to do this.  The anointing should be there to confirm that word with signs following. 

Many are called, but some are looking back.  Luke 9:62 says, “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”  That is not just reminiscing.  Some people look back to see if signs are following.  When a farmer is plowing, he does not turn around and look to see if the corn is ready to be harvested!  Why would you think signs would follow that closely?  You may plow today, and it may be years before you see results.  Some have plowed in the heat of the day, and some have plowed in the dark of the night, but harvest time will come, because God told you to work.  He has called you to do great things in this last hour.

Your job gives you a sense of value, worthiness.  There are some wonderful jobs that some people call worthless.  One of them is the housewife.  It is probably the most important job on this planet other than bringing people to God.  The greatest career you can have is to raise children in the kingdom of God and keep your house in order for the glory of God.  In Proverbs you will find out about the virtuous woman.  I am impressed with the woman whose children all make it to heaven because she was willing to pray and burn the midnight oil until they got in.  People can make big money and watch their children go to hell.  Success is fulfilling the call of God and watching God save your household!

Isaiah 59:16 says, “And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.”  If nobody is praying, God will send judgment to the family, the church, the nation.  God’s wrath is already against the world since Adam and Eve sinned, but God seeks for an intercessor.  If somebody will pray, it changes things.  We have Jesus and the Holy Ghost.  We need a space to repent so revival will come.  We are called to pray and move God, but God doesn’t answer prayer that is never prayed. 

Matthew 18:18 says, “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  If you don’t PRAY and bind the devil for a situation, nothing is done in heaven, and judgment automatically comes.  It was a wonder to the Lord that there was no intercessor.  No doubt He sees what is coming.  God is awestruck that people won’t pray and intercede. 

In prayer, I had a vision.  I saw the church floor packed with people to each wall.  I saw a couple, and the woman had long black hair.  With them was a child who was like a blob.  The arms and legs were not formed, it had no eyes, and it had holes for breathing.  There was terrible deformity.  I don’t know if it was from radiation or what.  They came up, and the air was ALIVE with FAITH!   At that time, people will be healed even as they hear the Word preached.  This is something the Lord told me in prayer.  He will talk to you if you pray.  They came forward and they said the child was supposed to be a little girl.  I asked if they could believe God.  The people were going, Yes.  Yes.  We want to see God do another miracle!  It was totally different from what it is now. 

You can have a godly vision before it happens.   You can rest assured it will happen.  Just wait on God.  You have chosen to pray!  God wants to show His people what is going to come. 

I picked up the child and began to pace back and forth as I prayed.  The parents had just received the Lord, and that baby began to pop out arms and legs.  I looked down and that face was forming just as fast as the hand work of a potter.  The first thing she said was, Mommy.  Daddy.  I thought the people were going to take the walls out!  People of all colors were shouting YES!  I set her down, and she ran over to Mom and Dad.  She was about two or three years old.  I saw this in prayer.  Do I believe it will happen?  Oh, YES.  

This thing God showed me in a vision in 1988!  I prayed for someone with a hand with no fingers.  I grabbed that hand and started pulling out fingers and picking them apart.  I told him to work that hand, and he did.  As far as I can recall, he was a doctor.  He was having a good time! 

Mark 3:3 says there was a man with a withered hand.  In Verse 5 Jesus told him to stretch forth his hand.  It says, “. . . And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.” 

You have to be in prayer so God can reveal things to you.  You faith fails when you don’t pray. 

Isaiah 41:28 says, “For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.”  God looked even among the church people.  What if God spoke to you suddenly, and asked you what the church needed.  He was only there for a few moments.  Would you ask for a paint job for the bus?  When you pray, it causes you to get your mind on the more important things and to be effective.  We really need REVIVAL.  If you are in prayer, and God asks you, you will have an answer and believe it or not, you can give HIM counsel on it.  Counsel the Lord? 

Jesus asked James and John what they wanted from Him.  We can stand before the Lord in prayer and do the same thing.  God hasn’t changed.  God has given us the ability to come see Him in prayer, but few will do it!

Isaiah 63:5 says, “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.”  You know what that meant.  It was judgment again.

Sometimes it is hard for us to believe that we can make any difference, but God wants us to know that we CAN, because He is looking for people to do it!  He does not care about your stature.  He cares about your faith. 

Amos was just a shepherd who was called out.  Amos 7:2 says, “And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.”  He told the Lord His people were small, that He was destroying them, and he wanted God to stop it!  Verse 3 says, “The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.” 

God showed Amos a vision of Him destroying all the grass in the land as Amos got into intercessory prayer.  He warned him ahead of time, and Amos interceded.  God turned away from it, and didn’t do it.  Why did the Lord change His mind?  It is because Amos prayed.  What if Amos had not prayed? 

You make a difference when you get down and pray.  God has called you to be different, and pray, and move God.  Sinners can’t move God.  Only people who are saved and filled with the Holy Ghost can move God.  God can be moved.  God ordains and anoints you to move HIM.  I brought my children into this world, but as they got older, I let them drive me around a little bit.  I am older, more powerful, and have more experience than them, but I let them move me around.  That is alright.  I can stop them anytime I want, but I kind of like it.  That is the way the Lord is with His people.  He is trying to get somebody to believe for this victory. 

Amos 7:4 says, “Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.”  He was talking about destroying the water.   Verse 5 says, “Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.”  Remember Isaiah 45:11 says, “. . . command ye me.”  He entreated the Lord to stop, because it would destroy them.  Verse 6 says, “The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.”  He turned away his wrath again.  The Lord was going to destroy them, but Amos said, “O Lord God, cease,” and the Lord stopped! 

God will turn away His wrath for a period of time so that we might have revival, IF we pray.  You have to believe and pray, and it shall come to pass.  Amos 3:7 says, “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”  He reveals things ahead of time so you can pray, and it can change things.

What about Abraham?  Genesis 18:17 says, “And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;”  Abraham’s nephew, Lot, lived in the city God intended to destroy.

The Lord brought the animals before Adam to see what he would call them.  He created them, but he let Adam name them.  God wants to give us power, and authority, and influence on what happens.  He wants us to subdue the earth, but He is looking for someone with faith.  He is not going to give it to just anybody that wants the Lord to do it all.  He wants your input, your prayer, your faith.  It moves God.  Jesus told a man, “. . . Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee,” in Matthew 8:13. 

You can sometimes change the mind of God.  Men in the Bible did.  God gave one man a tremendous vision about 22 chapters long.  Part of it he could write down; part of it he couldn’t reveal.  John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.  John was faithful, and God blessed the whole church because of him. 

Sodom and Gomorrah are known to be utterly destroyed.  That ground today is saturated with acid and sulfur and salt; nothing grows or lives there.  Before their destruction the Lord appeared to Abraham.  It was several hours, because He had a meal with him and the two angels.  Tonight may be the night you go into prayer and God appears and talks to you.

God would not have destroyed those cities if He had been able to find just 10 that were right.  Abraham started out with 50, and he dickered with the Lord until he got down to 10.  Perhaps Abraham figured Lot had raised his family for God, and there were probably ten of them, so that should save them.  However, only Lot and two of his daughters fully escaped.  Abraham was praying.  You don’t know what intercessory prayer can do.

When we pray, believing, God will answer.  2  Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

CONTACT INFORMATION:

PASTOR KEVIN BADGLEY

LIVING HOPE FELLOWSHIP, P. O. BOX 111, GRAND CHAIN, IL  62941

CHURCH / FAX (618) 634-2541

E-mail  livinghope@hughes.net

www.livinghopefellowshipchurch.org

These condensed Bible studies have been published to help new Christians in their new walk with the Lord.  Kevin Badgley, the author, is the pastor of Living Hope Fellowship Church.

This is a Living Hope Fellowship publication.