It’s Inauguration Time

Friends, our world has changed so much since I last wrote. The most obvious of these changes is the recent inauguration of the 46th U.S. President, Joe Biden.

As I reflected last week on his inauguration, I was gripped by the reality that there’s an inauguration happening in heaven too.

To inaugurate means to begin or introduce a system, policy, or period; or to admit someone formally to public office.

I believe this is an inaugural season for the Church of Jesus Christ, especially for intercessors.

What is an intercessor? The dictionary defines it as “a person who intervenes on behalf of another, especially by prayer.” Jesus and the Holy Spirit are intercessors. Hebrews 7:25 says that Jesus “lives to make intercession for [those who draw near to him]. The Bible also says that “the Spirit himself intercedes for us” (Romans 8:26).

If two-thirds of the Godhead fulfill this role, then surely it is important! To intercede is to do more than merely pray for our needs or the needs of others, but to pray, as the Holy Spirit does – “in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:27).

Intercession requires agreement with God. But we can only agree with Him if we know his Word y His heart. Consequently, the intercessor is always listening, and always surrendering their own take on things.

When Isaiah sees a vision of “the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne…” (Isaiah 6:1) he becomes so aware that he is “a man of unclean lips” and lives “among a people of unclean lips” (v. 5). The intercessor must see themselves and the world around them through the lens of God’s holiness.

A seraphim then touches his mouth with a burning coal and says, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for” (v. 6-7).

It is only after this process of sanctification that Isaiah overhears a conversation amongst the Trinity. “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’” (v.8) Of course his response was, “Here am I. Send me!”

Pressing our ear to heaven does not just lead us to pray, it leads us to our assignments.

Isaiah’s assignment was to “Go and tell this people…” (v. 9). That should be a model to us all. An intercessor must represent the needs of man to God and the voice of God to man.

If our prayers don’t lead us to action, if they don’t lead us to be the voice of God in the public square, then we have missed the point of intercession.

Take a look at the Biblical accounts of Noah, Abraham, Moses and Elijah (for starters) to see if you can trace a similar pattern.  All of these giants of the faith were considered intercessors.

The challenges we face today require a people determined to lay aside personal opinions and solutions derived by man to hear heaven’s strategies.

As God told my friend, Renee Walker, “I will only back My words.” Once we have apprehended His words, He will empower us to implement them.

It could be overwhelming to think of all we must confront – a global pandemic, racism, raging addiction and suicide rates, corruption, the suppression of our rights, a divided church…the list goes on.

Thankfully it’s not our job to carry the weight of it all on our individual shoulders. We are one body with many parts (1 Corinthians 12). Our Father in heaven has a plan for how His ecclesia should shoulder this.

Tormenta de oración founder James Aladiran recently said that watchers (or watchmen) are “intercessors with jurisdiction”. This definition resonated deeply with me. Jurisdiction starts with your smallest circle of influence – your marriage, your family, your church, your city. It can extend outward to your region, the nation, and so on, but that’s not necessarily the case for everyone. What’s important is to be faithful to your jurisdiction.

I picture these watchers having seats in the court of heaven. For too long those seats have remained empty because we have refused to accept God’s assignment. Some of us have deserted our posts.

I ran away from the call to carry God’s burden in intercession  for several years. I think mostly because of distraction, and inadequacy. It took a global pandemic and the greatest political turmoil I have ever witnessed on American soil to convince me it was time to say ‘yes’ to the Lord.

Could that also be you? Don’t wait a minute longer! Let us accept our intercessory assignments and take our seats in the court of heaven.

I believe many new watchers are being formally admitted to office in this season.

It’s inauguration time.