by Wade E Taylor
“But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.” Matthew 6:6
This speaks of the importance and the power of private, personal prayer.
To go into our “closet” and shut the door in order to pray is a very private, personal experience. Here, in the privacy of our “set apart place” of prayer, we can express our heart to the Lord. To express our deep inner desires and feelings in prayer, is as medicine to our soul. But there is a greater and more important blessing. Our Heavenly Father hears our secret prayer, and He will openly reward us.
Because no one is involved in our “shut in” time, we can come aside and pray at any time. We “choose” when to pray.
However, intercession is quite different; we “respond” to an intercessory burden which “impregnates” us, and we intercede until it is “birthed.”
This speaks of the importance and power of private, personal intercession.
“Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Romans 8:26
We must respond when this impartation of an “intercessory burden” takes place. Thus, the price of our being an intercessor is very high, as it intrudes upon our time and personal desires. This intercession may come with deep groanings, as in a birthing process. As much as possible this should be done in private. If in a gathering of the saints, quietly slip out into a private place to give birth to the intercessory process.
I can say, “I will pray now,” or, “I will wait and pray later.” I cannot say, “I will intercede,” either now, or later. I can only say, “I will respond to an intercessory burden, if I am moved upon by the Holy Spirit to intercede.”
Intercession is at the heart of the end-time intervention of our Lord. It is the “enabling” that will release and make a way for the Lord to enter the affairs of man. Just as John the Baptist was raised up as a “forerunner” of the birth and ministry of Jesus, so also, in our day a corporate John (intercessors) are being raised up.
“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.” Revelation 12:1-2
These intercessors will become a “gateway” through whom the Lord will be able to greatly affect and alter the affairs of individuals and nations, in order to prepare them for their place and function in the Millennial Kingdom of God.
“And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up to God, and to His Throne.” Revelation 12:5
This “man-child” does not refer to the birth of Jesus two thousand years ago in a manger. Rather, the Book of Revelation is a revelation of “things which must shortly come to pass” (Revelation 1:1). It is a revelation of the future, not an affirmation of the past.
This “man-child” is a fully matured and qualified body (overcomers), of whom Jesus has become the active head. This “catching up” can be thought of as being a “rapture,” not away from the earth in escape, but our being “lifted” to rule nations in power, and authority with consequence.
The “woman” who gives birth to this “man-child” is a committed body of intercessors, within the present day Church. She is clothed with the sun (Son) and has the moon under her feet. That is, she is receiving direct (sun) revelation from the Lord, being impregnated directly by Him for intercession, rather than moving in reflected, indirect (moon) revelation, that is received from others.
Being birthed through intercession and caught up into a higher realm, these are “ruling with the rod of iron.” This speaks of end-time authority, which is imparted to a body of overcomers whom the Lord has prepared to rightly use this authority. These ruling “overcomers” will bring tribulation to the un-godly, and impart righteousness, peace, and joy to the godly. This will lead into the establishing of the Millennial Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And has made us to our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:9-10
This body of overcomers is being birthed from within the church of our day, and is presently being lifted in intercessory anointing, to bring forth the end-time birthing of the purpose of our Lord.
May each of us, who are feeling these birth pains, understand, and rightly respond. And if not, may we present ourselves to the Lord as being willing to become an intercessor.