During the days of Jesus' birth, there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the LORD's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign LORD, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
Notice the part where it says, "Sovereign LORD, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace." Simeon indicates that he was just a servant waiting for a promise to be fulfilled in his life and then he could die peacefully. In other words, he wouldn't die till the promise was fulfilled. So he had to pray that it would happen. God made him pray.
Sometimes God does press upon some believers to intercede for others and their blessings would depend upon how they go about interceding for the people that God had asked them to intercede for. If you have been called to pray and intercede for others and you are slack in doing so, your own blessings may be hindered. There are others who when called to intercede, live the "Jonah life" and then undergo the "Jonah experiences".
Job, the Old Testament saint, was an intercessor.
God told Job's friends, "My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." So Eliphaz, Bildad,and Zophar did what the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job's prayer. After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.
If you are called to intercede, be faithful. Your blessings depend on your intercession.
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