Myths We Believe (Part 3): Does God Intercede with God?

This is the third article on myths we believe in. If you have not read the first two, please read them first to understand why I am calling these topics myths. When Christians read the scriptures we take our cues about how to understand what God is saying from so called “Intelligent” people who claim they know Greek and Hebrew words and sentence structure. But, have we been brainwashed to believe false ideas about what God is saying? History is not always right, especially when it comes to scripture. 

Take the word “INTERCESSION” when it relates to God.  Most of the time we are directed by others to think about this word in scripture as it relates to the topic of prayer. We are called as believers to intercede for others, or intercede for our country where we live, or maybe we are called to be interceding for someone who needs a financial or healing breakthrough. We are taught it’s all about requesting God to act on our request for ourselves or others because God has the power to change life as we know it. The problem comes when we don’t understand the word “INTERCESSION” given in the context of God himself.

I am referring to two main passages in the book of Romans in which the apostle Paul says the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, and then a number of verses later he says Jesus intercedes for us. The question I am asking is this: Does God, meaning the Holy Spirit and Jesus, intercede for us to God? To me it seems ridiculous that God is asking God for a favor or help! Before you stop reading because you think I’m crazy, stick with me and look at the purpose of intercession and ask yourself: is God only talking about prayer when using this word about himself? Is this concept about himself different in the context of the verses used, and is he trying to get us to see something different about how he is moving in our lives for a good reason?

Romans 8:26

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

The context is our inability to know how or what to pray, so the Holy Spirit “Groans” within us without words. Why not just speak to us?

Romans 8:34

Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

The first road block to considering a different view of intercession is the fact that Jesus prayed to God while on earth. With this idea we fail to realize that Jesus was not always in the flesh in human form. Before the world began he created the universe and in fact Paul says he presently “Sustains” all creation.

Colossians 1:16-17

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things have been created through Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Scientists have been baffled about why atoms hold together: the building blocks of creation. They have figured out the forces engaged in that process, but they still don’t know why these forces work as they do.

In an atom there are three fundamental forces that keep it together: electromagnetic force, strong nuclear force, and weak nuclear force. The electromagnetic force keeps the electrons attached to the atom, while the strong nuclear force keeps the protons and neutrons together in the nucleus.

Scripture teaches that Jesus is at the right hand of God at this time, governing.  The Jews understood that the throne of God is where power and authority reside and is dispensed, and thus Mark clearly says that is where Jesus is currently, and he doesn’t pray to the Father but rather rules with him.

Mark 16:19

So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

When Stephen was martyred he actually saw Jesus in his current place, next to the Father ruling with him. He was put to death because the Jews believed he was speaking blasphemy to equate Jesus with the Father.

Acts 7:55-56

But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

In the book of Acts, Luke states that Jesus is responsible for pouring the Holy Spirit into those who are born again, who desire to follow Jesus in their lives. He is, in fact, acting as God at the present time on behalf of every believer.

Acts 2:33

Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.

The word “Intercede” has a two-part meaning which relates to “For The Sake Of “ as in a legal idea and as a primary preposition; “Over“, of place, above, beyond, across, or causal, for the sake of, instead, regarding; with the accusative case superior to, more than.

Strongs Greek dictionary says that the word comes from 1722 and 5177; to chance upon, that is, (by implication) confer with; by extension to entreat (in favor or against).

In the first reference, Romans 8:26, where Paul says the Holy Spirit “Intercedes” for us with groaning too deep for words, he is saying the Holy Spirit speaks in the believer, without words, to convey God’s heart for us when we are beyond our own understanding of what or how to pray. What if the Holy Spirit moves us to pray with insight and wisdom beyond our understanding by moving us to speak in “Tongues”?

I know many professing Christians don’t believe in speaking in tongues, or that the gift still is given to the saints, but what if we believers have, as it were, been trying to live the Christian life with one hand tied behind our back because we refuse this gift? I know of many who have received the gift of tongues after their first initial baptism in the holy Spirit, but now rarely use the gift at all. So the question is: why would we deny such and asset if the Holy Spirit “Counsels” us to use it? Are we not listening to the Holy Spirit groaning in our spirit to thus exercise tongues and move in the Holy Spirit accordingly?

I think there are a number of reasons many struggle with using the gift of tongues. First, we fail to read scripture with open hearts, but rather close our minds to anything that makes us feel “Weird.” Secondly, we fail to realize that Paul said when we exercise the gift of tongues we “Build Ourselves Up.” I believe the building part is the spiritual insight that speaking in tongues releases in us. If the Holy Spirit groans within us to motivate us to pray in the Spirit, and we follow his lead, we become stronger because, like in Acts chapter 2, we declare with our mouths the glory of God for the purpose of rising in faith and trust in God, not our human ingenuity. When our faith increases God moves on our behalf.

Acts 2:11

Cretans and Arabs — we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.

Speaking and praying in tongues gets us to speak in faith what God can do, rather than trying to muster up faith in our own souls. It acts as a “Jump Starter” to get us to move in the Spirit rather than praying in the flesh.

1 Corinthians 14:2

For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.

With regards to Jesus interceding for us, many think or believe that Jesus prays for us while he is in heaven. Why would Jesus pray to the Father when the three, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one? Some commentaries say Jesus asks the Father for mercy. If that were true then we would have to conclude Jesus loves us more than the Father which is flatly denied in scripture. John 3:16 does not say Jesus so loved the world that he gave but that “GOD” (meaning the three in one) so loved the world. The Father does not love us more or less than Jesus. because they are one in purpose.

John 3:16-17

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

So, the word “intercede” means to “Go Before and to Confer Upon.” In the context of Roman’s 8:34 Jesus at the right hand of God stands to justify our forgiveness of sin because of what he did on the cross. He paid for our forgiveness and redemption. If this is true he does not pray for us, but rather stands to defend us. Why would this be important? The book of Revelation gives us the answer.

In the book of Revelation we learn a sobering truth about Satan: He goes before the courts of God even today and accuses believers of their sins. Jesus stands as our “Advocate,” or attorney, to defend us and justify forgiveness. I think we often fail to see the continued battle which goes on in heaven over God’s justification in providing forgiveness to those who are submitted to God. Until Satan and his demonic hordes are thrown into the lake of fire this defense Jesus makes on our behalf continues to go on until Jesus returns and judges the world.

Revelation 12:10

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.”

Let me close in saying that we often look at scripture and the words within it with “Preconceived” ideas that take away the power of God’s word to our own detriment. It has always been Satan’s strategy to twists God’s word just enough to keep us from the victory God offers us.  It is our job to search the scripture with open and moldable minds so that the wealth of scripture would, and could, be ours.

Questions:

1) Have you been in a habit of only listening to others’ interpretation of scripture, or do you let the Holy Spirit lead you into all truth? Jesus said he would give us the Holy Spirit to explain the words of Jesus. (John 16:13)

2) Are there other topics in scripture that you could have misunderstood because of some person’s spin on scripture just because they have a degree in theology? Scripture teaches that we are to study to show ourselves approved by God not to trust others’ study alone. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit still,

Pastor Dale