THE CALL & URGENCY OF INTERCESSION

Teaching by Br. Francis D'Souza

Saturday 24.11.2012

Intercession has the power to change tomorrow morning’s headlines.

The ACTS of prayer are:

The act of ADORATION – WORSHIP

The act of CONTRITION - REPENTANCE
The act of THANKSGIVING – 1 TH 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for 

                                                                                      this is the will of  God in Christ Jesus for you.

The act of SUPPLICATION – PRAYER ON BEHALF OF

                                                 ANOTHER

The 3rd Goal of the Charismatic Renewal is to help Catholics re-discover the beauty and power of prayer.

Personal and collective or community prayer is essential and must include prayers of thanksgiving as Scripture reminds us in  Mark 11:24 So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours, as well as intercessory prayers as the prophet reminds us in Isaiah 65:24 Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear.

It is most encouraging to know that even before we see the answers God grants us our petitions simply because He is our loving Father.

This is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say on the subject of intercessory prayer in CCC 2634 – 2635

2634 Intercession is a prayer of petition which leads us to pray as Jesus did. He is the one intercessor with the Father on behalf of all men, especially sinners.¹¹² He is "able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them."¹¹³ The Holy Spirit "himself intercedes for us . . . and intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."¹¹⁴

2635 Since Abraham, intercession - asking on behalf of another has been characteristic of a heart attuned to God's mercy. In the age of the Church, Christian intercession participates in Christ's, as an expression of the communion of saints. In intercession, he who prays looks "not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others," even to the point of praying for those who do him harm.¹¹⁵
 

A summary on the life of Christ will reveal that of the 33 years that Jesus lived He spent 30 years in secular living, 3 years in ministry and 2000 plus years in intercession.  

 Hebrews 7:25 says, Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Intercessory prayer is praying on behalf of another.

One definition is:  ‘Standing in the breach,’ like  Abraham who stood as an intercessor before God pleading for Sodom and Gomorrah.

Another definition is, ‘Standing in the gap.’

Moses like Abraham also stood in the breach and prayed for the people.  This is how Moses pleaded for the chosen people of God when He wanted to wipe them from the face of the earth on account of their sins.  
Exodus 32:32 But now, if you will only forgive their sin—but if not, blot me out of the book that you have written.’ 
  

Here are a few great examples of intercession from the Bible…

• Daniel prayed on behalf of his people. (Daniel 9:4-19)
• Abraham prayed on behalf of the people of Sodom (Genesis 18:20-33)
• Moses prayed on behalf of Israel (Exodus 32:11-13and 32:31-32)
• Ezra prayed on behalf of his people (Ezra 9:6-15)
• Nehemiah prayed on behalf of his people (Neh 1:3-11 and 9)
• Jesus prayed on behalf of His people (John 17:6-26) and for those who killed Him (Luke 23:34)
• Stephen interceded for those who killed him, Paul interceded for the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians…. 

The prayers of these men were selfless, God seeking, humble, heartbroken prayers.   

In the prayer of petition God does something for us.

In intercessory prayer God does something through us

In communion God does something in us.

The intercessory ministry is a powerhouse of prayer and together with fasting has the power to move the heart and hand of God.  It is the backbone of all Christian activity.  We become partakers with Jesus for this is what Jesus is doing  as He sits at the right hand of the Father – He makes ceaseless intercession for us.

In intercession God does something through us as He did in the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish.  He takes what we have and offers it to the Father and a miracle is performed.  It took a little boy’s small, humble offering to feed the multitude.

It is fair to stay that 2 Timothy 3:1-7 gives us a clear picture of the state of the world in the 21^st Century

You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid them! For among them are those who make their way into households and captivate silly women, overwhelmed by their sins and swayed by all kinds of desires, who are always being instructed and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

The same sins that were committed since the creation of man goes on ad infinitum ad nauseam.

-Corruption

-Killing

-Robbing

-Sexual immorality

-Child abuse

-Occult

-Involvement in New Age, Yoga, Pranik healing, Vastu, Feng Shui, Laughing Buddha, Reiki etc.

We must not be fooled into thinking that Yoga is harmless.  A Hindu convert had this to say about Yoga, “The philosophy of Yoga filters through the practice of Yoga.”

Today we are in dire need for people who will stand in the gap.

St. Padre Pio has said, “If sin were to be converted into matter, it would form a cloud so thick that it would prevent sunlight from reaching the earth.”

We need the intervention f God through the prayers of intercessors praying for forgiveness of our own sins and the sins of the world.

God may yet show mercy as he showed mercy to Noah and his family. 

Genesis 6:5-8

The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the Lord said, ‘I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found favour in the sight of the Lord.

There is a vacancy for this type of people as indicated in Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought for anyone among them who would repair the wall and stand in the breach before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

The kind of people who are called to be intercessors are:

·        People with a believing heart

·        People with a listening heart

·        People with a strong heart

·        People with a compassionate heart

·        People with clean hearts

BELIEVING HEART          
                        Believes God is a God of promise. 

Believes He makes and keeps His promises. 

Believes He hears and He answers.

A believing heart knows that God is faithful:  Isaiah 65:24: While they are yet speaking I will hear.

A believing heart knows that God is faithful Matthew. 7:7  ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.

A believing heart puts his faith in God:  John 4:2 although it was not Jesus himself but his disciples who baptized

CLEAN HEART    
                        Admit you are a sinner and ask for pardon and forgiveness.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.

Psalm 41:4 As for me, I said, ‘O Lord, be gracious to me;  heal me, for I have sinned against you.’

Luke 18:13 But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

LISTENING HEART    
                        Thou shall not intercede without first hearing God.  We do not inform or persuade God.  He informs and persuades us.  He puts words in our mouth.  We must be people of prayer.  Familiar and conversant with prayer, faithful in prayer.

John 10:2-4 ²The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

We must ask the Lord, “What do You want me to pray for?”  He will reveal the needs we must pray for.

STRONG HEART    
                        Moses was a meek man.  Meekness is not weakness.  Intercessory prayer is not for the fainthearted.  We do not send the leftovers to be intercessors.  It is not for the weak. Numbers 12:3 Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.

COMPASSIONATE HEART    
                        An intercessor cares for people and wants to save the life of others.                            

Isaiah  53:12Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,     and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many,    and made intercession for the transgressors.  

How does an intercessor operate?

The common constant is:

PRAYER :  Prayer is of paramount importance. One cannot 
                    overemphasise this truth.  Prevalent prayer,

                    persevering prayer, persistent prayer.

BIBLE:      The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. We                                 know the mind of God through the Word of God.

An intercessor must have the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.  We  ought to make the news channels, internet and newspapers the subject of our intercessory prayer.  We must pray for the needs of the world and the evil prevalent in the world.

What is my response to the condition of the world?  Is it the response of Cain or of Isaiah?

Cain’s response – Am I my brother’s keeper or

Isaiah’s response – Here  I am Lord, send me.

1 Tim 2:1

Instructions concerning Prayer

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be made for everyone,

2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

DAY 3 : Br. Francis D'Souza - 21st November 2012 *Material also taken from the website given below

The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Holy Trinity.  He is God as the Father is God and as the Son is God.  The Holy Spirit never comes empty handed.  When we receive Him in Baptism and in Confirmation He comes to us bearing gifts in order to equip and empower us to fulfill our mission.  When we use these gifts in accordance with their purpose the fruit of these gifts will become visible in our life.

The gifts that we receive from the Holy Spirit are to be used to serve others in imitation of the Master who said,Mt 20:28 ‘Just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’

The gifts are given to us to fulfill our calling  Mt 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

We do not decide what our calling will be, it is God who appoints and chooses.  This fact is made exceedingly clear in

John 15:16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.   Just as a date palm bears dates and a mango tree bears mangoes so too the Christian call is to bring forth another Christian.

Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’

MESSIANIC GIFTS

The Isaian gifts mentioned below were found in their fullness in the Lord Jesus Christ Himself .  These gifts are meant to edify, and strengthen us.  Unless I am fed I am unable to feed and strengthen others.

Isaiah 11:2

The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
   the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
   the spirit of counsel and might,
   the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

The rest of the gifts are also called Pauline Gifts as they are all found in the epistles of St. Paul.

 

MOTIVATIONAL GIFTS

These free gifts are talents given to us when God formed us in the womb so we can contribute to our society and bring glory to Him as we utilize them. They us help us to develop our personalities, character, and often our vocations.

Rom 12:6-8  We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

PROPHECY (Prophet / Perceiver) – one who clearly perceives the will of God. (Such  person would be a strong intercessor, having great faith that God answers prayer)

MINISTRY (Server / Doer) – one who loves to serve others and manifests hospitality.

TEACHER – one who loves to research and communicate truth – a person of faith who leads others to grasp and hold on to the truth.

EXHORTER – one who loves to encourage others to live a victorious life - one who moves others to achieve or accomplish or be what God calls them to be and do.

CONTRIBUTOR (GIVER / ALMS GIVER) -one who loves to give time, talent, energy and financial / material means to benefit others and advance the Gospel; a person of faith who knows that God supplies every need, and is willing to put themselves and their resources at the service of others.

ADMINISTRATOR (FACILITATOR / LEADER) - one who loves to organize, lead or direct, knowing by faith that any project can be accomplished by bringing together the right people to do it – one that is "over others" - a person of broad vision, the administrator grasps the overall picture and sees all that is involved.

ONE WHO SHOWS MERCY (PERSON OF COMPASSION) – one who shows compassion, love and care to those in need; one who readily recognizes the pain people experience and reaches out to bring healing and love into action; as a person of faith, helping others to work together in love.

If we are to be truly charismatic we must have a full understanding of what the charisms are in order to use them wisely and profitably.  The charisms are a Spirit given ability for Christian service.  We are but servants at the service of our brothers and sisters.

Peter 4:8-11 shows us how to use our Motivational Gifts – "As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace. Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God; whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

MINISTERIAL  GIFTS

Not all members of the body have the same function. The ministry gifts are the gifts of function / position in the body. "And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ." Eph 4:11-12 St. Paul tells us that God has given these ministry gifts to the church for the purpose of equipping the saints (the people of God) for their work to build up the Body of Christ. 

MANIFESTATION GIFTS

These gifts are also called the charismatic gifts or charisms of the Holy Spirit.  They are given for the common good to build up the body of Christ. 1 COR 12:7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 

1 Cor 12:8-10 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

1831 The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations. 

These gifts are supernatural abilities bestowed upon individuals by the Holy Spirit. They are not natural abilities. These manifestations are for the common good of the Church and are not to be used to promote the importance of the person bearing the gift. We do not ‘possess’ the manifestation gifts. We are the vehicles the Lord uses for the outpouring of His blessings upon His people. We are the ‘gift bearers’ and must function "with humility, willingness to take risks, trust in God, and love for our brothers and sisters in Christ" –Catechism of the Catholic Church. 

The Manifestation gifts consist of

     - GIFTS OF COMMUNICATION - UTTERANCE

.    - GIFTS OF POWER – DYNAMIC GIFTS

     - GIFTS OF INSIGHT – REVELATION 
                                             Knowledge Wisdom and Discernment of 
                                             Spirits

A.     GIFTS OF COMMUNICATION - UTTERANCE

·        Power to Say

·        Word Gifts

Fellowship Gifts

1.      Tongues

2.      Interpretation of Tongues

3.      Prophecy

These gifts are meant to edify the Body of Christ.

1.      GIFT OF TONGUES

It is an ability to worship God in an unknown and unlearned language. To speak or sing in Tongues or "to pray in the Spirit," as it’s called, is what happens when a believer allows the indwelling Spirit to guide and form the words they utter. To pray, to speak or to sing in Tongues is to pray in what could be an earthly or heavenly language. Praying in tongues brings deliverance, inspiration, refreshment (both spiritually and physically), revival, wisdom and is a means to victory in spiritual warfare.

Two kinds of tongues – speaking in tongues and praying in tongues. 

There is a limitation to human vocabulary when words fail the Spirit takes over Romans 8:26  Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. The end of vocabulary is the beginning of tongues.  Emotions of the heart are not exhausted but words fail the Spirit takes over.  It is the ability given by the Holy Spirit to worship God or to pass on a message.

1.      Praying in tongues – no interpretation required

In your prayer language you pray in tongues. It is a permanent gift in which you are edified. It is the ‘gateway’ gift to the other gifts. If we humble ourselves in our relationship with the Lord so much as to yield to His Holy Spirit within us in order to ‘babble’ in a ‘strange tongue’, then we open ourselves so much more to surrender to the other gifts to be manifest in us for the good of the Church.

2.      Speaking in tongues – interpretation required

The ministerial gift of tongues is really ‘speaking’ in tongues.

When you minister to the community by anointed utterance this is ‘speaking in tongues’ it is a transient gift used only when there is an anointing. Rev Robert De Grandis SSJ

The gift of speaking in tongues, while praising God, has as its goal, the release of interpretation, or speaking God’s message.’ (Rev. Msgr. Vincent M. Walsh) it is a calling forth of the ‘interpretation prophecy’.

3. GIFT OF PROPHECY

There are three kinds of prophecy

Self prophecy  - does no harm but does no good either. The purpose of prophecy is lost.

Evil Prophecy – Dangerous

Genuine Prophecy - Effective

It is a supernatural communication from God to an individual or a group of believers. Prophecy builds up, encourages (this could include warnings), exhorts and consoles draws us closer to God in worship, and stirs up a response in God’s people such as joy, freedom, peace, tranquility, excitement, enthusiasm, a willingness to give all to the Lord, and gives us guidance in our daily walk.. It always brings glory to Jesus. "…even if a prophecy corrects or calls one to forgiveness, this is a positive message from the Lord for the up-building of the community or person." (DeGrandis, The Gift of Prophecy, p.31)

Prophecy is "forth-telling" of the mind and heart of God to His people. Prophecy can manifest through a vision, words, and thoughts or be prompted by a form of physical sensation to alert us to listen. A person yielding to this gift must listen and expect that God will speak, and always yield to the authority and order of the event and yield to the authority/body for discernment.

B.DYNAMIC MANIFESTATION GIFTS

·        Power to do

·        Sign Gifts

·        Wonder Gifts

1.      Faith

2.      Healing

3.      Miracles

SIGN Gifts are very important as they draw people to God through signs and wonders

FAITH IS a supernatural outpouring or anointing of the Holy Spirit which enables us to confidently believe without a doubt that what is spoken or undertaken in Jesus’ name will be accomplished. Faith involves entrusting oneself wholly to God and to believe absolutely and completely what He reveals. In order to operate the other gifts we need the mother gift of FAITH.   The kind of faith we require is a mountain moving faith which moves at the unction of God.  Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’  When such a faith is in place wonders will happen.

HEALING is the charism of praying with a lively faith in order to receive physical, emotional or spiritual healing.  God is interested in healing our total person. The Church reaffirms the gift of healing and encourages this gift. . Healing is given as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit to build up, encourage, strengthen, make new or whole an individual or a group for the glory of God and the blessing of His people – to sanctify or to make holy the recipient, to glorify God, to build faith, to be a sign of the power and presence of God, to meet the need, to change the circumstances, to build up the Church.

MIRACLES  are interventions into the course of events which seem to contradict the so-called laws of nature. Through ‘working of miracles’ the Holy Spirit manifests the power of God to produce works which go beyond the natural: overriding natural laws, such as turning water into wine, multiplication of the loaves and fishes; healing beyond the ordinary, such as healing the withered hand (Luke 6:6-10), The Lord bestows miracles to encourage, strengthen and support the faith of His people or to correct a given situation which cannot be accomplished by any natural means; or to show His power at work in response to a ministry of preaching or teaching. A miracle brings about awe and wonder at God’s power so that glory is given to God. Miracles , which always happen instantaneously, are a much more powerful sign of God’s presence and action than healings, which may be instantaneous, gradual or a speeded up recovery.

D.  MANIFESTATION GIFTS OF INSIGHT – REVELATION

·        Power to Know

·        Higher Gifts

·        Revelation Gifts

1.      Knowledge (Isaiah 46)

2.      Wisdom   (1 Kings 3)

3.      Discernment of Spirits

EXPRESSION OF KNOWLEDGE (WORD OF KNOWLEDGE) - a supernatural revelation of facts past, present, or future which we did not learn through the efforts of the natural mind. This is a supernaturally imparted Word.  True supernatural knowledge starts with knowing God personally, through Jesus Christ.

EXPRESSION OF WISDOM (WORD OF WISDOM / WISDOM IN DISCOURSE) - a supernatural insight given to the members of the Body of Christ which reveals God’s timing and method of ministry in a given situation. It explains or illuminates a given revelation such as a word of knowledge, discernment of spirit or the communication of revealed prophecy. A ‘word of wisdom’ is a supernatural revelation of God’s timing and method of ministry in a given situation.  Saying the right thing at the right time and in the right way

DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS – a supernatural ability to recognize whether a person or situation is being motivated by the Holy Spirit, their human spirit, an evil spirit or a combination of these spirits.  This revelation can come through a vision, a sense, or a specific word similar to a word of knowledge. The gift of discernment of spirits is essential in ministry to people who have been involved in drugs, premarital sex, witchcraft, and other habits of grave sin, when they seek to change their lives. It is also important to pray for the gift of discernment when we listen to teachings or prophecies, read Christian or secular publications, and watch Christian or secular TV programs, movies, videos, or view websites. As with the other gifts, a word of wisdom should be sought through quiet prayer before bringing forth what is being revealed.

How do I develop these gifts?

1.       Accept the truth that we have received the gifts and thank God.

2.      Join a community where we can exercise the gifts, pray, receive advise and use the gifts.

The gifts are not instant seldom do they emerge overnight they take time to develop.  We must be patient and not anxious.  God is never  in a hurry but always gets there in time.

Romans 11:29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Once God has given us these gifts He does not take them back.  They can become ineffective if we do not use them though.  They are given to us in order that we may use them as God intended.

I must be a contributor not a passive listener. 

Matthew 25:14-30  The parable of the Ten Talents serves to remind us that the gifts are given to us in order that we may use them for the glory of God and in order to establish His Kingdom on earth.  If we do not use them we will be asked to give an account for not doing so.  With rights and duties comes accountability. 

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