For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil (1 Peter 3:12, ESV).
Intercession is standing with God and praying for His purposes. Righteousness is having attitudes and actions approved by God.
Someone who is unrighteous (attitudes and actions that oppose God) will not be standing with God and interceding for His purposes. Only the righteous can be intercessors.
Are we righteous, living in agreement with Biblically defined holiness, discerning His will, and standing in unity with the Father, Son, and Spirit in our praying? This type of intercession changes the world.
Again, the question is, are we righteous? The Apostle Peter says, “The face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Before you can be a great intercessor, you must be righteous.
Righteous living weaves together grace and mercy. Not only must we receive grace and mercy, but we must also give it to others. Jesus taught that when we don’t forgive, then we aren’t forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15).
Grace and mercy yield the righteousness needed for answered prayer.
Someone who doesn’t live in the peace of obeying God will not have a lifestyle or a thought process that discerns God’s will. Their prayers will constantly miss His will and not be answered.
An unrighteous person doesn’t care about answered prayer, as evil doesn’t enjoy good. But how about the rest of us? We care; how can our prayers be answered?
Love God’s holiness!
Let’s put the teaching on intercession in the right Biblical context by reading the verses preceding the Apostle Peter’s teaching on intercession.
Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil (1 Peter 3:10-12).
HHHHMMMHHM . . . turning away from evil and seeking peace — needed for God to hear our prayers. Our lifestyles can become so compromised by the wiles of evil that God’s righteousness won’t allow Him to answer our requests.
Imagine a people and nation cast adrift from powerful intercession.
Is our nation to that point? I don’t think so, but let’s not ask God to raise up intercessors. Let’s ask God to reveal our unrighteousness — for us to experience His grace and mercy . . .
So that we can become great intercessors!