Intercession 101 by Aaron

Intercession 101:
Well this is our 4th week in our rotational fast and we are going to focus on intercession. It’s a powerful yet simple concept meaning to plead or make a request in behalf of others. So basically our focus has now shifted purely from me to those around us.
The first passage that I want to look at is a familiar passage that I can easily identify with. It is found in three of the Gospels so feel free to look at this passage from all three versions. Also, as you peruse the passage you see it’s not really an intercession passage but rather one of pleading for themselves. Look past that to see some of the practical sides of how it applies to intercession.

Matthew 26:36-46
“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?’ he asked Peter. ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.’
He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.’
When he came back, he again found them sleeping because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!’”
*Also found in Mark 14:32-42 and Luke 22:40-46

Now just some quick thoughts to point out and then to let you get to interceding.
1) Notice Jesus first action when he began to pray. “He fell with his face to the ground and prayed.” Jesus new his response that he would give to his disciples; “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” In other words, don’t try to intercede for people when you are laying in your nice cozy bed or couch because many times your intentions to intercede for the one you feel led to pray for may end in a one hour nap! Trust me it happens all the time if you know what I mean.
2) Jesus prayed for the same things over and over again. Sometimes when interceding it’s not a once and done issue. Many times it takes frequent prayer over several days.