One Intercessor
Posted by: biblenotes <biblenotes@...>
From: Martin M Overfield
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000
One Intercessor
"And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge,
andstand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it:
but I found none." (Ezekiel 22:30)
"Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his
chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he
should destroy them." (Psalm 106:23)
One subscriber to Bible Notes expressed disbelief at the idea that a
revival could cease because just one person had ceased to pray. He had
some very thoughtful and valid points. One point that he made was as
follows: "Our God is a great and merciful God who forgives a multitude
of sin. Can he be so easily miffed?"
Now, I would like to clarify something about the story I told to which
this subscriber was responding. I did not tell the entire story. One
aspect of the original was that no one seemed to know why the revival,
which lasted 13 years, had come. When it ceased, everyone wondered
why it had ceased -- just as suddenly as it had started. Then the young
man, who had been making true intercession on a regular basis, came
forward and confessed to having ceased his interceding.
While I cannot with certainty say that I know this is why the revival
ceased, I believe that this incident is entirely possible and in accordance
with the Scriptural principles of cause and effect within the kingdom of
God. John Wesley said that God does nothing but in answer to prayer.
I do not believe that whether or not God was "miffed" is an issue. God
IS angry with sin and sinners, and He loves the sinner all the while, but
God works in answer to prayer -- not just prayers which are SAID, but
prayers which are GROANED with the help of the Holy Spirit. I speak
of the kind of prayers which become a reflection of the very heart of God.
You know many people have thought, especially Calvinists who have
(historically) tended to emphasize the sovereignty of God to the minimizing
of man's free will, that revival comes whenever God decides to send it
regardless of what we do. When Charles G. Finney came along in the
1800's preaching that man's free will played an important part in bringing
about revival -- like plowing a field and planting the seed and depending
upon
God for the rain and harvest -- THEN the United States of America had
revivals which were so genuine and powerful that they could be compared to
those of the early church and of John Wesley's day.
I say, with the Word of God to back me up, that if God can find one man
(or woman) who would put himself in the gap -- or "breach" as the Scripture
says of Moses -- and truly intercede, we could still see revival today of
the type that many have concluded are no longer possible. I dare say that
much of the reason that we do not see revival as they did in days gone by is
because of the lack of prayer and faith on the part of the soft church of
our day. The blame falls on the shoulders of the church, ministry and laity
alike. If you are a Christian, please join me in getting back to the basics
of true, godly, Holy Ghost religion -- the kind that makes true intercessors
out of ordinary people.
One intercessor can make a tremendous difference. Let's you and I make
that difference today!
Oh God, help us -- HELP ME -- to PRAY!
Yours In Christ,
Martin Overfield
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