Genesis 18:27-28 (NKJV) Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?” So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
This passage shows us that Abraham chose to stand in the gap to reason with God before God judged the city of Sodom. Abraham asked for God’s mercy to be shown, even though only a handful of righteous people were left. He asked God to be merciful to the people and to the city. God was also looking for people to stand in the gap so that He could extend His mercy and grace to the people and the situation.
We have a gracious and merciful Father, abounding in love, but because He is a holy God, He cannot accept sin. That is why when sin dominates a place or person, God is constantly looking for people to stand in the gap and intercede. Because God does not want to allow sin and destruction to happen to man, He seeks people willing to stand in the gap whether in the Old or the New Testament.
The excellent news of living in the New Testament is that we are now at peace with God because the wrath of God towards sin has already been dealt with on the cross of Calvary. The blood of Jesus Christ has paid for all our sins, thus appeasing God. Today, we live in an everlasting covenant with God to partner with Him to intercede in certain situations. The consistent thing that God needs from us is to pray and intercede so that He can act, but we need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, who might put a burden on our hearts to pray for people we know or those we may not know.
Romans 8:26-27 (NKJV) Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
We are extremely blessed today! These Scriptures reveal to us that the Holy Spirit is interceding through us, and Jesus is also interceding on our behalf at the right hand of the Father. Do not be discouraged when you are hard-pressed on every side. God is on your side, and Jesus is interceding with you!
Sermon Series： Intercession
站在我这边
创世纪 18:27-28 亚伯拉罕说：“我虽然是灰尘，还敢对主说话。假若这五十个义人短了五个，你就因为短了五个毁灭全城吗？”祂说：“我在那里若见有四十五个，也不毁灭那城。”
这段经文告诉我们，亚伯拉罕在神审判所多玛之前选择站在破口上向神恳求。他请求神施怜悯，即使城中只剩下少数义人。他请求神怜悯这城和其中的百姓。神也在寻找那些愿意站在破口上的人，好使祂能将怜悯和恩典延伸到百姓和他们所处的境况中。
我们有一位恩慈怜悯、满有慈爱的天父，但因为祂是圣洁的神，祂不能容忍罪。因此，当罪充满一个地方或人心时，神会不断寻找那些愿意站在破口上代求的人。因为神不愿让罪和毁灭临到人类，无论是在旧约还是新约中，祂都在寻找那些愿意站在破口上的人。
活在新约之下的美好消息是，我们如今与神和好，因为神对罪的愤怒已经在加略山的十字架上被解决了。耶稣基督的宝血已为我们所有的罪付上代价，从而平息了神的怒气。今天，我们在与神永恒的约中，与祂同工，在特定的情况下代求。神始终需要我们的是祷告和代求，以便祂能施行作为，但我们需要对圣灵敏锐，祂可能会在我们心中放下负担，为我们认识或不认识的人祷告。
罗马书 8:26-27 况且，我们的软弱有圣灵帮助；我们本不晓得当怎样祷告，只是圣灵亲自用说不出来的叹息替我们祷告。 鉴察人心的，晓得圣灵的意思，因为圣灵照着神的旨意替圣徒祈求。
今天我们是何等蒙福啊！这些经文向我们启示，圣灵正通过我们代求，耶稣也在父神右边为我们代求。当你四面受敌时，不要灰心丧气。神与你同在，耶稣正与你一起代求！
讲章系列：代祷
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