The Building Blocks of Intercession

How do our hurts hinder our prayers? They can in several ways:

• They can prevent us from praying through an issue.
• They can sour the attitude with which we pray.
• They can render our prayers ineffective.
• They can lead us to adopt a theology that devalues prayer.

First, unhealed hurts can prevent us from praying through an issue. This occurs when we intercede on behalf of another, over a problem similar to our own. As we enter the Lord's presence, our issues get stirred up and our raw hurts are exposed. If we aren't ready to be healed, we may steer clear of prayer to avoid the pain.

If we feel responsible for our condition, the enemy will play the condemnation card on us. The hurt becomes part of the consequence of our sins. We know we've heard some preacher say, while God does pardon sin, He doesn't touch the consequence, to teach us not to sin again. Or, the enemy says that, since you struggle in the same area as the person you're praying for, you don't have the authority to intercede for them. You're a hypocrite who hasn't put to death their flesh.

Second, our wounds can sour the attitude we carry into intercession. This often happens when we've buried or belittled our hurts. A pharisaical attitude often shows up when we pray for someone who openly struggles with a wound we quietly suppress. The only difference between them and us is we're better at hiding things.

Jesus warned about this very situation: "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye" (Matthew 7:1-5).

Religious spirits love to empower that type of pride. Often, a wounded person become so identified with the judgmental attitude, they behave as if the Holy Spirit can't get along without them. The Holy Spirit warns against our attempts to supplement His job: "But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God--each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another, but rather determine this--not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way" (Romans 14:10-13).

Religious spirits say, since people are responsible for their sin, they need to solve their own difficulties. More time is spent blaming the person for the problem than asking God to heal the problem.

A spirit of rebellion may also ally itself with a pharisaical spirit. "That demon is known as a spirit of Absalom, because like that son of David, it tries to supplement God's leadership (Cindy Jacobs, Possessing the Gates of the Enemy", pp. 128-129). The entity shows up in prayer and prophetic circles in the guise of a person who constantly finds fault in others, while elevating themselves as the ideal leader, prophet or intercessor.

Paul, on the other hand said, warned of assuming a religious attitude: "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another" (Galatians 6:1-4).

Besides the healing of our wounds (which we'll discuss in subsequent lessons), putting on the mind of Christ is the best means to undermine a spirit of rebellion: "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men" (Philippines 2:3-7).

Third, our hurts can render our prayers ineffective. This situation occurs more when, due to a legal, work, or blood tie, we have an ongoing relationship with the person who hurts us.

Take for example what Peter said: "You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered" (1 Peter 3:7).

Look at the last phrase in the verse: "So that your prayers will not be hindered." Though Peter spoke to husbands, I believe it applies to both marriage partners. When one or both parties in a marriage carry a hurt inflicted by the other, unforgiveness festers alongside the wound. If we want our prayers to be heard, we must forgive our partner. Otherwise, we threaten the effectiveness of our intercession.

I want to make sure I'm understood here. There is a difference between forgiving a person and trusting a person. We are commanded to forgive, not to be gullible. Trust is not a privilege guaranteed by a piece of paper; it is earned.

I'm not advocating that a woman remain in an abusive relationship. Jesus never said we are to wait until someone is worthy of forgiveness, or asks our forgiveness, before we forgive them. If God applied that standard to humanity, He'd never forgiven us. And four, Christians need to forgive Christians and non-Christians alike. Holding unforgiveness against a non-Christian can also ruin your prayers.

Jesus didn't make a distinction between saved and unsaved people when He said: "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering" (Matthew 5:23-24).

Jesus is literally saying, "If you are praying/worshiping, and you remember something you haven't forgiven your brother or sister of, stop immediately." Don't continue praying or worshipping God, until the matter is cleared up. Otherwise, you've wasted your words.

Beyond impeding our prayers, Jesus warned that unforgiveness opens us up to other problems: "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart" (Matthew 18:34-35).

Teresa Seputis made the following observations about Jesus words on unforgiveness:

"What do the tormentors do? They kill, steal, destroy and make you miserable. Is an enemy counterattack doing this in your life? If so, you need to examine your heart before God and deal with any unforgiveness or bitterness you may be harboring.

I am not trying to say that if you are under enemy attack, this means you have unforgiveness in your heart. We know that Jesus walked in perfect holiness and forgiveness, but Satan attacked Him--I am not saying that if you are under attack, you have unforgiveness to deal with.

But if there is any unforgiveness that might be giving the enemy an open door to torment you, slam that door closed. We need to walk in right relationship with others and to walk in forgiveness. If we don't do that, we are turning ourselves over to the enemy to be tormented"

(That is from Prayer-School Course 17, Getting In God's Order, Lesson Ten, 'Why All of This Applies to Intercession).

Fourth, our wounds can lead us to adopt theologies that devalue prayer. Religious fatalism sometimes hides under extreme teachings on God's providence. One theology says, "the Lord does whatever He wishes, whether I'm involved or not." Some believers are drawn to the teaching when they look for a way to be healed, without going through the pain of healing.

Or, a bad thing happens to a Christian, one that leaves them feeling powerless. People build doctrines around that sense of helplessness in books like, "When Bad Things Happen to Good People." If God couldn't stop what harmed me, to whom shall I turn to get my hurts healed? hose with similar wounds are also out-of-luck.

These theologies can mar our personhood, which thrives on the vision that we are co-laborers with God. It also damages our incentive to pray for others; God can do His work without my intercession. Or, even if I pray, God is unable to change some situations.

In our next lessons, we will learn how healed wounds can enhance your intercession.