In my message today, I want to define what Intercession really is according to the scriptures and then discuss the practical side of Intercession and then how to intercede.

So, what does it really mean to intercede?

Many think intercession is simply a synonym for prayer.

Intercession is not just another name for prayer but rather a distinct dimension of applied prayer.

We are going to take a look at three definitions for intercession.

The first definition is this... Intercession is:

The Hebrew word for intercession occurs about fifty times.

The word “Pagah” means “to impinge,” by accident or by violence.

Impinge can be defined as “to encroach or to advance beyond the usual limit.” In this definition is the concept of taking territory, of forward movement, or a pressing into.

This use of the word occurs often in the book of Numbers when in chapter 34, Israel’s boundaries were being allocated by the Lord.

Just as God ordained boundaries for the tribes and families of Israel, so He has determined boundaries for your life and mine.

This is what David meant in:

In these verses David is describing his “good
inheritance” from the Lord.

• He is the source – “You are my portion”
• He is the One who defines the inheritance – “You maintain my lot”
• He determines the quality of the inheritance – “Beautiful inheritance”

God has already determined your lot and your inheritance.

This concept is even applied to the nations, the seasons, the harvest, and the day.

Paul makes reference to this in Acts 17, while preaching to the philosophers on mars Hill.

Even ministry has specific boundaries.

Paul defines his ministry:

Sometimes we may wonder about our lives. There are times when we may feel restricted or limited by circumstances.

Is it right to intercede and ask God to re-define and enlarge your boundaries?

So, the concept of Intercession carries with it the possibility of pressing boundaries to what was originally intended by God to be.

Jack Hayford says it this way:

“The redemption we have in Jesus Christ provides not just “covering” for our sin and failure, but “recovering” His intended boundaries.”

That means, no matter what you face today of limitation, there is always hope for recovering God’s original boundaries for your life.

In Is 59:16 – The Lord wondered that there
was no intercessor.

Intercede comes from the root word, “Pagah” in Hebrew.

Again, in this definition, the boundary is to be interceded into.

The intercessor follows God’s plan and purpose to bring about His will of enlargement.

The boundary will never reach its full extent UNLESS it is interceded into!

For example – While the Israelites had their boundaries assigned, the land itself still needed to be conquered.

Though God had defined a set of boundaries for each person, it was left to the individual to press into them … to intercede into them.

That’s when you hear Caleb requesting his inheritance from Joshua …

God’s boundaries are never limiting. Where we find ourselves today or where we see a family member struggling – These are never the extent of what the Lord has for any one of us.

He has called us to enlargement in every dimension of life but that comes by pressing into, by recovering the boundaries through intercession.

So, intercession is that prayer that refuses to yield to the limits that try to confine or reduce us.

Intercession also carries the concept of extending by violence or by battle.

The second definition of intercession is this:

As soldiers do in battle.

We can see this in 1 Sam 22: 6-23. In a negative story it says that the enemy “fell upon” the priest of the Lord and killed 85 of them.

“Fell Upon” translates the same verb “Pagah.”

Even though this is set in a negative context, it still presents a key lesson in the use of intercessory prayer.

As we intercede we are falling upon the enemy to see God’s will done upon the earth.

That’s why Paul calls us to war:

The third meaning of intercession is responding to a situation you have:

In Gen 27: 41-45, Jacob was running for his life from his brother Esau.

The Bible says that as Jacob was running he:
“Lighted upon a certain place” (KJV) or “Came to a certain place.” (ESV) Gen 28:11.

That term is “Pagah,” our word for intercession.

It is used here in the sense of happening upon a place, a place where God has arranged a “Divine Appointment.’

A place when God’s purpose is understood and responded to.

Three terms for intercession:

1. To see the boundaries of God’s Kingdom intentions extended as far as they were meant to reach.

Jesus is the ultimate Intercessor – He even makes intercession on behalf of the saints.

So, it is that His cross introduces God’s recovery program. To redeem and restore on earth everything that was lost through the fall.

He is calling us to become instruments of redemption – instruments of interceding into the intended boundaries.

2. To direct prayer as an executing of God’s justice against evil according to His Kingdom order.

The “falling upon” through intercession describes an offensive, NOT a defensive action.

It is by “falling upon” with faith and the sword of the Spirit, that we strike down the enemy.

This is what Jesus meant in Matt 11:12 when He said: “The violent take it by force!”

The result is the birthing of souls from the powers of darkness into the Kingdom possibilities of God.

3. Chance Encounters

His will is that we be involved in His purposes.

We must be about the Fathers Business.

In these days of deepening darkness in our world – the Lord is calling for intercessors.

God, by His Spirit, will move to raise up warriors to pray and lift up a standard against the enemy.

He is calling the church to penetrate the darkness by extending particular boundaries at:

• His Command
• With His Guidance
• Through the Power of the Cross

• Will you be the man or the woman who will be the standard bearer?
• Will you take back what the enemy has stolen?
• Will you allow God to re-define the boundaries of your inheritance and then ask Him, “Lord, enlarge my borders?”
• Will you seek to execute God’s justice against evil and advance the Kingdom of God in our communities?
• Will you draw the proverbial line in the sand and say to your enemy, “Not one more inch!”
• Will you drive him out of your home, out of your marriage, and out of the lives of your children?
• Will you make a quality decision in life to be about the Fathers Business?

Let’s Pray!