God Is Lowering His Scepter as We Intercede in the Courts of Heaven
“Should not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25c).
God Presented as the Judge of All
As New Testament believers in Christ Jesus, we have a scriptural privilege to enter into the judicial courts of heaven in prayer and spiritual warfare. To do so, we must first have a revelation that God is the Judge, and we have a rightful position to present our case through our advocate and lawyer, Jesus Christ, the righteous!
Primary Scripture Reference
A Look at Hebrews 12:22-24:
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels; to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven; to God, the Judge of all; and to the spirits of the righteous ones made perfect; and to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant; and to the sprinkled blood that speaks better than that of Abel.
- First, we find a description of God’s dwelling place.
- Second, there is a description of those who dwell there with God.
- Third, there is a presentation of God Himself.
- God as Judge of all.
- Jesus as the mediator of the New Covenant.
- Blood that “speaks” better.
Prevailing Upon the Unrighteous Judge
“And the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge says. And shall not God avenge His own elect and be patient with them, who cry day and night to Him? I tell you, He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?'” (Luke 18:6-8, especially verses 6-7).
Even a casual glance at Luke 18:1-8 containing Jesus’ instructions concerning the prevailing prayer of the persistent widow who pestered the unrighteous judge to act, shows us that there is more to prevailing prayer than most people believe. If an unrighteous judge can rule with justice, what would happen if we saw ourselves approaching our good, good Father God, also as a righteous judge? It would change everything!
The Power of the Ekklesia
From Matthew 16:18 – The Prevailing Church: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
The Greek Word and Meaning of ‘Church’
The Greek term used here for “church” is the word ekklesia. It was used in the Roman times and language to express an assembly of people who essentially served as a congress or parliament. Its job was to see that the culture of every conquered region was altered to match that of Rome.
The Spiritual Interpretation of ‘Ekklesia‘
Governmental intercession happens when the church functions in its role as the legislative body through intercessory prayer and turns a nation back to God’s will (kingdom or ambassadorial intercession are other terms that could be used here). We the church, agreeing with God’s word, will and ways, are to enforce the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Today, this is often referred to as operating in the courts of the Lord.
An Invitation to a Courtroom Hearing
Christ Is Our Advocate
A Look at 1 John 2:1-2: “My little children, I am writing these things to you, so that you do not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Jesus Is Our Defense Attorney
At our new birth, Jesus is our defense attorney. As intercessors of the Lamb, we serve as assistant advocates of the kingdom, charged with defending the King’s people and prosecuting the King’s enemies in the spirit realm (the adversary and his rebellious followers). Each time we come before the “bench” of the Judge of all, our chief advocate comes alongside and takes us by the arm to formally present us before the Judge and enumerate the legal credentials that He has delegated to us. We literally “practice before the bar” as assistant advocates sent from His high office as firstborn, the Lamb of God, chief intercessor and chief advocate of the redeemed.
Our Royal Court Privileges
Presumption is to act on authority that one does not have or has not been given. Obedience only acts on the authority of another or upon the authority that has been given by a higher authority. As believers in the New Covenant, we have been granted “royal court” privileges and the corresponding authority by our Lord Jesus Christ. He has personally made each of us priests and kings with right of entry to the very throne of God.
Examples of Tenacious Pleading with God
From the Life of Abraham: Genesis 18:22-33
- Abraham pleaded and humbly argued the justice of God. How could God punish the righteous with the wicked (v. 23)?
- He pleaded for the wicked to be spared for the sake of the righteous, and he pleaded again for God’s justice for the righteous (v. 24).
- Abraham argued from the righteous character of God (v. 25).
Repeatedly Abraham pleaded, “Don’t be angry with me, but let me plead one more time.” Did God become angry? Absolutely not. He loved and honored Abraham all the more for his longing for God’s righteous mercy, for longing for the doomed sinners. Abraham had a heart like God’s. God always longs to be merciful. Abraham proved himself the friend of God (James 2:23) by his holy pleading and bargaining for mercy.
The primary principle presented here is that “God quits when man quits!”
From The Preaching of Charles Spurgeon:
“It is the habit of faith, when she is praying, to use pleas. Mere prayer sayers, who do not pray at all, forget to argue with God; but those who would prevail bring forth their reasons and their strong arguments.”
From The Lost Art of Intercession by James W Goll:
How could you presume to argue with God? It is not presumption to obey the Word of God, nor is it presumption to remind God of His mighty works and unmatched power. God is pleased each and every time we come before His throne as we are whispering, reciting, declaring, and pleading for the speedy fulfillment of His unfailing promises in Jesus’ name. He is glorified when His children humbly urge and entreat Him to rise in His power on behalf of those in need—when they recite the countless ways He has delivered in the past, is redeeming in the present, and will overcome in the days to come.
The Divine Invitation
The Scepter Has Been Lowered
As in the times of Esther, the body of Christ has been going through royal preparations. We have been prepared for “such a time as this.” But instead of being only one Esther, this time we are corporately the ruling and reigning bride of Christ approaching the throne of the King with confidence to decree and make history through prevailing governmental intercession.
An Invitation to Courtroom Prayer
Father, in the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe that You are our Judge and final authority over the affairs of this life and the life hereafter. We declare that Jesus Christ is our advocate with the Father. We choose to take our role as New Covenant believers to rule and reign with Christ Jesus. Teach us these ways of kingdom authority in which we enforce the victory of Calvary through intercessory prayer. Let the ekklesia of God arise in this hour for the glory of God. Amen and Amen!
Be sure to tune in to my podcast, “God Encounters Today,” on the Charisma Podcast Network. Click here to subscribe! And listen to the podcast below to hear Goll’s latest episode on his series about prophetic seers.
