(Please listen for much more detail.) Nehemiah was an example of an intercessor. He had great identification and compassion for the Jews who had gone back to Jerusalem after captivity. His identification and compassion for the people caused him to weep, intercede, fast, and pray for them. He acknowledged God and His promises, stated the problem, and then prayed the solution. After a period of three months he went into action. As the king’s cupbearer, he could speak to the king. He appeared in service to the king with a sad face, which could have cost him his life, but because prayer preceded him and the hand of God was on him, the king granted him favor.
To intercede means to go to a higher authority on behalf of someone else. We can do that through prayer, but intercession is more than prayer. Jesus intercedes for us. He is not praying for you, but as our High Priest, He represents your prayers before the throne. Jesus receives them and then presents them to the Father. Identification is the key to intercession. When you identify with someone, you’re concerned about them, and the best thing you can do is pray for that person. Compassion is responding from your heart as you respond to another in need and affliction. Identification leads to compassion which leads to intercession and action to benefit the other person. Identify with the sins of the people and take responsibility for them. Compassion carries a weight (burden) to it. It causes you to take action by stirring your heart. Phase two of intercession is to do something to be part of the solution. Take responsibility in your heart. You may have to carry something for a time until the delivery time. You cannot have any sin in your life. Jesus identified with us and our sin as He took it upon Himself and became our intercessor. Intercession is identification with compassion, which will drive you to action.