Table Of Content

The Interceding Christian By Kenneth E. Hagin Third Edition Fourth Printing 1995 ISBN 0-89276-030-4 In the U.S. Write: In Canada write: Kenneth Hagin Ministries Kenneth Hagin Ministries P.O. Box 50126 P.O. Box 335, Station D Tulsa, OK 74150-0126 Etobicoke, Ontario Canada, M9A 4X3 Copyright © 1991 RHEMA Bible Church AKA Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved Printed in USA The Faith Shield is a trademark of RHEMA Bible Church, aka Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc., registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and therefore may not be duplicated. Contents 1 Interceding for a Nation........................................................... 4 2 Dealing With Strongholds...................................................... 14 3 Praying With the Help of the Holy Spirit............................... 21 Chapter 1 Interceding for a Nation 1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. —1 Timothy 2:1-4 In beginning our study on intercessory prayer, notice the word "first" in the above Scripture. Things work when we follow directions; therefore, we want to take the Bible literally and do exactly as it says. Too many times we say we believe in prayer and let it go at that. You could say you believe in driving an automobile, but that doesn't mean you can drive one. You could learn a lot by studying a handbook on driving, but there are some things you never would learn until you got in an automobile and started driving. You learn by experience. Paul said in our opening Scripture, "I exhort therefore, that, first...." Let's put first things first. We let secondary things predominate, and neglect things that should be first. In our spiritual life we blame God for our failures. We wonder why certain things don't go right, when, really, we are not putting first things first. Usually, people are putting themselves first, even when it comes to praying. But the Bible doesn't teach that. Many times prayers are not answered for you because you are putting yourself first. 4 Interceding for a Nation 5 Too many times people are like the farmer who prayed, "Lord, bless me and my wife, my son, John, and his wife—us four and no more." We may not put it exactly in those words, but that's the extent of our praying much of the time. Paul said in our opening Scripture that before we pray for ourselves or our families we should pray "for kings, and for all that are in authority." That means we are to pray for our government—for those who are in authority—from the national level down to the local level. A few of us may be doing this now, but not many. If Christians were praying for our leaders, things would not be as they are in our nation. Paul wrote under the anointing of God's Spirit, which means these words in First Timothy are God's words. God is not going to tell us to pray for something He's not going to give us. No father would tell his child he was going to buy her a doll for her birthday and then not do it. Certainly our heavenly Father is not less faithful in His promises than an earthly father would be. God is not a man that He should lie. He will do what He says— when we meet His conditions. So many times there are conditions to be met in connection with prayer. "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings...." (vv. 1,2). In the time in which Paul wrote, most countries had kings for leaders. Today's equivalent in our country would be our President. Paul then said, "for all that are in authority" (v. 2). That means all our leaders—congressmen, senators, governors, mayors—all who are in authority. It even includes policemen. It's so easy to criticize. I hear people criticize and I know they are not praying for our leaders; for when we pray for others we are not so apt to criticize them. As Christians, however, we are not to put politics before Christ. Some people are so politically minded they are no good spiritually. 6 The Interceding Christian One time, for example, some political leaders in one section of the country were under criminal indictment. Later on they eventually were convicted and even sent to the penitentiary. But I overheard some Christians say they were going to vote for these men anyway. They didn't care if they had stolen two or three thousand dollars. They were going to vote for them because they were of their particular political persuasion, and they vehemently declared that one ought to vote a straight party ticket. It didn't make any difference who the candidates were. Fortunately, these politicians didn't get re-elected. There are some people who, if they did pray for someone who was not a member of their political party, would pray for him to be defeated. If the person were already in office, they would pray that he wouldn't be successful. That is a selfish prayer, and one that won't be heard or answered. The Lord has impressed upon me that we should pray especially for our nation, for things can be changed through prayer. God doesn't tell us to do something just to put extra words in the Bible, or to fill up space. He has a purpose in mind. In our Scripture text we can learn the purpose of praying for our leaders. Paul said to pray for those who are in authority so that we who are Christians "may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (v. 2). God is concerned about us and will move, even though those who are in authority may not be Christians. He will answer our prayers and do things for us that we "may lead a quiet and peaceable life." Notice the ultimate purpose of our praying for our nation. "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour" (v. 3). If we, as Christians, want to please God, what are we going to put as number one on our prayer list? Me? My Children? My grandchildren? My church? No. We are going to do exactly as God said to do: to pray first for all who are in authority. Interceding for a Nation 7 Notice the fourth verse: "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." God's ultimate purpose in having us pray for those in authority is that we will be able to spread the Gospel. If we do not have good government where there is quietness and peace, it hinders the spread of the Gospel. In time of political upheaval we are hindered in spreading the Gospel. In time of war we are hindered in spreading the Gospel due to travel restrictions and other limitations. God wants us to get the Gospel out. He wants us to get the truth out. Jesus said when He was here on earth, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matt. 24:14). The devil would do his best to see that this is not accomplished. Ministers who have traveled extensively in other countries in Gospel work tell me that while other countries are doing a certain amount of missionary work, America is about the only one carrying the Gospel to the world. Naturally, we see why the devil would oppose our nation so he could stop the flow of truth to the whole world. And we can see why God wants us to pray for those in authority, because He would have "all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (v. 4). Now that we see why He told us to pray for our nation, let's look into the matter of how to pray for our nation. The Scripture is clear enough about who we are to pray for when it says, "for kings, and for all that are in authority" (v. 2). But let's talk a little about the how. Notice that Paul said, "Supplications, prayers, intercessions" (v. 1). In this chapter we will discuss "intercessions." The prayers of intercession and supplication are, of course, prayers for others, and this Scripture is talking about praying for others. An example of intercessory prayer is found in Genesis 8 The Interceding Christian 18:20-27 where we see Abraham's intercession for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. GENESIS 18:20-27 20 And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord. 23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26 And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. 27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes. Notice that Abraham humbled himself before the Lord, referring to himself as "but dust and ashes." It's good for us to go into the presence of God and get on our face before the Lord. In many places in the Bible we read of certain ones who laid on their faces before the Lord. The Bible tells us to humble ourselves, to submit ourselves to God. "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you" (James 4:8). I've heard people pray, "Lord, make us humble." But He is Interceding for a Nation 9 not going to do that. That is one prayer that never will be answered. He is not going to make you humble. He tells you to humble yourself. When Israel dedicated Solomon's Temple, God promised He would do certain things. Even if they went into sin, when they returned to God and humbled themselves He would hear them, answer them, and restore them. "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" (2 Chron. 7:14). He is not going to humble you. He may permit some things to happen that will humiliate you, but He's not going to humble you. You must humble yourself. So we see that Abraham humbled himself. There is nothing good in us, from the natural standpoint, except that Jesus dwells in us. Without Him we are nothing; we are "but dust and ashes" (v. 27). As I pray in private before I enter the pulpit to preach, I simply say, "Lord, I have no merit of my own to base any answers to prayer on. I don't come in my own name. I just throw myself on Your mercy. Without You I am nothing." There is an important principle, a nugget of truth, in Genesis 18. GENESIS 18:28-32 28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. 29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. 30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. 10 The Interceding Christian 31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. 32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once .... How I wish Abraham wouldn't have said he would speak just one more time. I believe if he had asked, "Lord, if you can find five .. . ," the Lord would have said, "All right, if I find five righteous I won't destroy the city." I'm thoroughly convinced the Lord would have spared the city for even one. But Abraham stopped at ten. "Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake" (Gen. 18:32). What a tremendous statement! "I will not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for ten's sake." Imagine God's saying He would spare that wicked place! He had already spoken about the sexual impurity of those cities. Yet, He said He would spare them for the sake of ten righteous men. This world certainly would be in a mess if it weren't for Christians. It already would have been destroyed if it weren't for us. No wonder Jesus said, "Ye are the salt of the earth" (Matt. 5:13). I can remember back before we had refrigerators or freezers when my grandmother used to can a lot of fruit and vegetables. When my grandfather killed hogs, he put salt on the meat to preserve it. Without the salt the meat would spoil and rot. This world is bad enough, but if it weren't for Christians, it certainly would be rotten. "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men" (Matt. 5:13). Have we lost our savour? We can change things by prayer. We can hold back judgment even on the unsaved, and give them a little more of a chance to hear the Gospel. God told Abraham that if there were