We can learn from Paul, though IMPRISONED, he was not spiritually IMPOTENT… for… He had the Ear and heart of God…to INTERCEDE, as do you and I. And though distance may separate you from others, you have the ear and love of God…to INTERCEDE…
What a privilege to “stand in the gap” for those among us, His Beloved ones, who need prayers… and we can stand before God on their behalf, appealing to His Love to meet them with His Love… You have this privilege, any place any time to INTERCEDE to Him on behalf of a weary, disheartened soul. “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer,…” – {1 Peter 3:12}.
GOD RAISES UP INTERCESSORS…JUST LIKE YOU;
For the weary, God put them on Paul’s heart to “stand in the gap” and Intercede for them. God raises up Intercessors who reflect His Son who is Our Advocate and Intercessor and is also a ministry of the Spirit of God. -{Read 1 John 2:1; Heb 7:25;Rom 8;26-27}.
Paul INTERCEDED for the “weary” in Eph 3:13-21- to be inwardly strengthened with power by the Holy Spirit… and to “know experientially, increasingly the love of Christ…” Jesus provides heart rest, Jesus strengthens, Jesus reveals His love, FOR “THE WEARY ONE.” THEY NEED INWARDLY TO BE STRENGTHENED, and for this, it is not “self-help,” but God, “The Spirit’s help,” who alone has the power to strengthen, refreshen, renew and meet the need of the “weary,” as they need inwardly to be spiritually strengthened and stability!
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. ” -{Eph 3:17-19}
The word “Know”-{ginóskó}. Means to come to practically know through personal experience. A First-hand account. It is used for intimacy, as in Luke 1:34}. It is a verb.
God is Love; -{1 John 4:8} God saved you through His Love-{Eph 2:4-5}; God’s love for you is Continuous-{Rev 1:5}; God’s love for you is Unbreakable– {Rom 8:38-39}; God’s Love for you is Everlasting -{Jer 31:3}. God’s Love for you is Personable– {John 3:16; Gal 2:20}. God’s Love Elevates. Paul was strengthened to trust in the love of Christ for him. {Gal 2;20}. Love elevates, empowers, and for us to trust and testify of Jesus Christ! And Paul teaches in this Ephesians 3 passage God’s love is KNOWABLE and STABILIZES the Disheartened, weary soul!
Paul prays they would be “rooted” and “grounded” in The LOVE OF CHRIST. Which speaks of stability, strengthened by…the LOVE OF CHRIST, and this a result of the Spirit’s work in them. Weary, disheartened, followers of the LORD Jesus, can at times lack spiritual stability, emotionally unsettled, and disheartened. Trials, troubles, be they our own or in the case of the Ephesians when they looked to Paul’s sufferings they were losing heart, disheartened, ready to quit. “BUT GOD….” He not only has provision He is the Provision. His love the foundation to inwardly strengthen by His mighty Spirit to bring about the SPIRITUAL Nourishment and Stability they need…, as do you and I when we are weary, or someone else we know.
We can pray to Him who is love and ask Him through prayer to strengthen us, remind us of His love establish us in the assurance and stability that love produces in us. This steadfast love of His Son’s Cross. And also Pray for those who are weary that He may establish, strengthen them in the LOVE of Jesus Christ… you can Pray… with Purpose for the Person who is weary… as Paul in these verses in Ephesians 3:17-19 does.
As the FOUNDATION of our lives is The Love of Christ. The FRUIT from our lives will be the Love of Christ! May He Strengthen, and establish us in His love, so we can worship Him in spirit and truth… and exclusively pursue Him and His business in this world…His people at times grow weary, we all do, me, perhaps you too…and others need hope, and His love is the foundation. We can pray. Paul, was not spiritually impotent, though imprisoned, He appeals to God on behalf of the weary… and though distance may separate you from others, you have the ear and love of God…to intercede… Does anyone come to mind? Pray Paul’s prayer from Eph 3:17-19
You may be distanced from someone but you are always in the presence of God and you can INTERCEDE for others before Him, knowing you have His Ear and loving heart who is able, and willing to meet the heart of His weary ones!
YOU HAVE GOD’S ATTENTION…WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY?
You Keep praying… the Intercessor is often unseen, unknown in this world but not unseen or unknown by Him who sees and knows all… You have His ear and heart… Speak on… pray on… someone is in need and you are entrusted with the Privilege to come before the King of the Universe, Creator, Maker, Redeemer, and Conquering Resurrected LORD, and make your request known to Him for another… who is it that you see troubled, emotionally weary, in need of comfort and to be spiritually strengthened whom you want to pray for? What is it you want to ask Him for?… I am so so thankful for all the intercessors at various times in my life He has raised up for me and mine in a lifetime of struggles, and triumphs, many I know not of, but He does, and great will be their and your reward! Thank you.
GOD’S GOT YOUR BACK!
But what do you say if you have no one to Intercede for you. Oh, but you do. He ever lives to intercede for you.-{Read Hebrews 7:25}. He is ALWAYS praying for you… you pray for others, knowing He’s got your back! Love in Action!
God raised up Paul to INTERCEDE for the weary at Ephesus and He places people on your heart, bringing people to your mind that you too might INTERCEDE for His people… who comes to mind? Will you be one of God’s Intercessors? When He looks for a man or woman, boy or girl to “stand in the gap” and pray for others, will He stop at you? You can by choice, sometimes it means getting rid of things, pursuits, hobbies in your life that displace HIM and His cause, His love for His people, caring for their spiritual condition and welfare. WILL He find you… me? Laying aside things that entangle, let us run the race before us looking away to Jesus and the things and people He cares for… be His intercessor, someone weary you know? Pray specifically for them. Ask him to continue to bring them to mind for we are so prone to forget, “But God” will help us to intercede and remind us to.
In Ezekiel 22;30 The LORD Looked for someone to “Stand in the Gap,” and found… NO ONE! May that not be true of us. How can we begin to intercede? Someone comes to mind? Stop there, and then pray! And as they come to mind… stop and pray… and the wonderful thing, no matter how far YOU are distanced from them. you have the Ear of God and you can pray, interceding for God’s people!
God Provides AN INTERCESSOR For The Weary- Today… that can be …YOU!
Stop now and INTERCEDE for _______ Specifically to be “rooted and grounded” and “know” more and more and stabilized by the LOVE OF CHRIST! Good job! That’s a Godly Job! Keep it up!
Eph 3:16-19 -Meditate- Memorize- Pray it.
God Bless,
Aidan.