Our Awesome Intercessor!!

Frankly speaking, I believe the Apostle Paul wrote the two most important and relevant scriptures regarding prayer in the following two verses: “Even so the Spirit helps us in our weakness for we do not know what we should pray, if we are to pray as we ought. But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings which baffle speech to utter; and He who searches the hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because it is God’s will that that He intercedes for those whose lives are consecrated to God!” (Romans 8:26,27).

Several years ago, prior to writing his book “Prayer Shield”, Dr. C. Peter Wagner counseled me that I needed a prayer shield made up of what he termed “A-1 intercessors”.  “These intercessors, he said, need to have a calling and gift of intercession - plus experience and they need to understand spiritual warfare. They also must be people in whom you can trust, and you only need a few of them, Kelly.”

I now have a small family of gifted intercessors among whom is my key intercessor and wife, Helena. Called to pray and intercede, they more than fit the counsel Dr. Wagner shared with me many years ago. I am so very glad I have them. The Apostle Paul revealed that there is an even greater intercessor Who is within us, one Who intercedes for us. When we are in the weakness of mourning, emotional pain, physical pain...when we witness a tragedy or our personal world is falling apart, we need His intercession. I have experienced all of that, being made speechless and then discovering that is when the Holy Spirit goes into passionate intercession for us!

A New Testament scholar, C. H. Dodd, describes this prayer event in these words: “Prayer is the divine in us appealing to the Divine above us”.

The Holy Spirit Who dwells within us takes our sighing, our crying, our screaming, our sorrows and translates those moanings and groanings to God for us!!

 My pray for you is to have A-1 intercessors’ and that you routinely tell them your prayer needs. And my prayer for you is to increasingly allow the Holy Spirit to pray for and through you. He is always with us to carry our burdens (Romans 8:26).   

Building together with Him and you,

John P. Kelly