The Ministry of Intercession: A Plea for More PrayerMurray, Andrew
Religion
The Ministry of Intercession: A Plea for More Prayer
Murray, Andrew
Intercessory prayer -- Christianity
We all admit the place the Father and the Son have in our prayer. It is
to the Father we pray, and from whom we expect the answer. It is in the
merit, and name, and life of the Son, abiding in Him and He in us, that
we trust to be heard. But have we understood that in the Holy Trinity
all the Three Persons have an equal place in prayer, and that the faith
in the Holy Spirit of intercession as praying in us is as indispensable
as the faith in the Father and the Son? How clearly we have this in the
words, "Through Christ we have access by one Spirit to the Father." As
much as prayer must be _to_ the Father, and _through_ the Son, it must
be _by_ the Spirit. And the Spirit can pray in no other way in us, than
as He lives in us. It is only as we give ourselves to the Spirit living
and praying in us, that the glory of the prayer-hearing God, and the
ever-blessed and most effectual mediation of the Son, can be known by us
in their power. (Note D.)
Our last lesson: _Pray in the Spirit for all saints_ (Eph. vi. 18). The
Spirit, who is called "the Spirit of supplication," is also and very
specially the Spirit of intercession. It is said of Him, "the Spirit
Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be
uttered." "He maketh intercession for the saints." It is the same word
as is used of Christ, "who also maketh intercession for us." The thought
is essentially that of mediation--one pleading for another. When the
Spirit of intercession takes full possession of us, all selfishness, as
if we wanted Him separate from His intercession for others, and have Him
for ourselves alone, is banished, and we begin to avail ourselves of our
wonderful privilege to plead for men. We long to live the Christ-life of
self-consuming sacrifice for others, as our heart unceasingly yields
itself to God to obtain His blessing for those around us. Intercession
then becomes, not an incident or an occasional part of our prayers, but
their one great object. Prayer for ourselves then takes its true place,
simply as a means for fitting us better for exercising our ministry of
intercession more effectually.
May I be allowed to speak a very personal word to each of my readers? I
have humbly besought God to give me what I may give them--Divine light
and help truly to forsake the life of failure in prayer, and to enter,
even now, and at once, upon the life of intercession which the Holy
Spirit can enable them to lead. It can be done by a simple act of faith,
claiming the fulness of the Spirit, that is, the full measure of the
Spirit which you are capable in God's sight of receiving, and He is
therefore willing to bestow. Will you not, even now, accept of this by
faith?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account