There's a misconception in the Church that prayer and intercession has a certain look ---even a certain feel. We pray and intercede for ourselves, our Churches, our family, friends, country, etc,--because we are instructed:

Eph 6:18 "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with ALL KINDS OF PRAYERS AND REQUESTS. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

However, the Lord Himself is just now, in this season (be it the last month or the last few years) clarifying that ALL KINDS OF PRAYERS means just that . . . ALL KINDS!

An analogy of this involves how we are to encourage one another. In one place it says:

Eph 5:19-20 "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

LIKE DIFFERENT MUSIC TO ENCOURAGE; MANY TYPES AND WAYS OF INTERCESSION

There are even different types of music we are to use as encouragement to one another: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. . . and while you're at it, you are to "make music IN YOUR HEART to the Lord!"

Ah, a key here is unfolding as to a type of prayer, not normally spoken of--one of the "all kinds of prayers"--- Music IN YOUR HEART to God" This is another form of communication with God and therefore IS PRAYER. You can be the world's worst singer, unable, as they say, to "carry a tune in a bucket" and yet you can pray with MUSIC IN YOUR HEART to God. And God will receive that "music" as a sweet smelling savor--coming from your heart.

In another place in Scripture, Paul says it like this:

Col 3:16 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

MUSIC FOR A FRIEND

It is for this reason that we now better understand that since we should-- ". . .pray in the Spirit on all occasions with ALL KINDS OF PRAYERS AND REQUESTS . . ."--- and since one of those ways is to ". . . MAKE MUSIC IN YOUR HEART TO GOD," many are also now seeing how their prayers and music in their hearts makes them friends with God.

WHAT WERE YOU PRAISING HIM FOR--ONLY MINUTES AGO?

There is a caution however. The Lord loves our music and praise to Him and He takes it seriously, just as a spouse takes seriously the words of his/her lover, expressed in times of great intimacy. It can hurt when intimate love is expressed and then immediately denied. Here is what I mean:

How often do we find ourselves, filled with joy, gratitude, awe, and all kinds of praise and worship--during an intimate corporate gathering --- only to find ourselves, no further than out in the parking lot of the gathering place--- before we begin to verbally complain of our list of unsolved and "impossible" life problems.

At such a time, we might hear the Lord say to us:

"Loved one, what were you just praising me FOR!? Was it not for My goodness, your completeness IN ME, the sufficiency of MY Son and His Cross for your lives? Then how do you so quickly forget what you were just praising me for?"

BUT WHEN OUR HEARTS CONDEMN US . . .

Fortunately, we also understand that we have a very real adversary and if "he" causes our hearts to feel condemned-- at even the thought of our momentary hypocrisies-- we have the Lord's precious promise,

I Jn 3:18-20 "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence WHENEVER OUR HEARTS CONDEMN US. FOR GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR HEARTS, and HE KNOWS EVERYTHING."

To our utter amazement, we learn that the Lord knew we were DUST all along, that we are vulnerable to such hypocrisies-- even moments after praising His Name. We slip up and our hearts condemn us. But praise the Lord, HE is "greater than our hearts" because HE knew everything all along . . our weaknesses, our vulnerabilities, and yet, He still knows of our love toward him, conditional as it may be.

INTERCESSION OF A DIFFERENT NATURE

Back to "Psalms, hymns, and Spiritual songs, making music in our hearts to GOD," ---we begin to understand that so much more is involved in intercession and prayer than what we first believed. Dance and the very motions and movements in our dance have begun to be discerned as prayer, intercession and yes, even WARFARE against our great adversary. This is most certainly why the worshippers were sent out ahead of the battle. [For a more in-depth article on this type of dance/intercession/warfare ---click on this web address on our site: http://www.elijahlist.com/dance051100.htm ].

ANOTHER INTERCESSORY WAY TO "PUSH THROUGH" --WITHOUT BEING ON YOUR FACE

Even as Singing, Dance, Dance-expression, and other types of deep groaning in the Spirit help in this battle of prayers and intercession on behalf of ourselves and the Body of Christ-- there is yet, it seems, another way to PUSH THROUGH in the SPIRIT to spiritual breakthrough.

Some have read the book, "Reese Howels, Intercessor." He was famous for turning the course of history, even possibly a world war-- with his prayers. I remember reading of the things the Lord required of him earlier in life---things which were just raw obedience--all part of his training for what the Lord would eventually ask him to do in intercession. Interesting, isn't it, how the Lord, when training us for our next assignment, seeks new and unprecedented OBEDIENCE; BY US---beyond what was previously required OF US--to prepare us for what he has FOR US, to do things in the Kingdom THROUGH US.

IS IT ONLY BOOT-CAMP TRAINING? OR SOMETHING MORE?

There's something in obedience that we are yet, I believe, to fully understand. Is this newly-required obedience just boot-camp training, something that is just really "good for us?" Or beyond that, is it spiritual discipline that puts us in tune with the Lord Himself?

Yes, It's both, but more than that.

The Bible teaches:

James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

WARFARE THROUGH OBEDIENCE

There is a warfare, even an INTERCESSORY WARFARE that takes place in obedience. I mentioned that to a friend that other day--- that perhaps she should PUSH THROUGH to obey a certain task of a "writing assignment,", that God had been calling her to. "It's intercession, you know," I said. "Obedience in this is for you, a form of intercession." It just sort of came out of my mouth.

"Are you teasing me, or are you serious?" she asked

"I'm serious!" I said, as if I'd pre-thought it all out. (God usually talks to ME as words come out of my mouth.) I continued, "When you intercede for yourself and others, you are doing battle, you're PUSHING THROUGH what the enemy is trying to prevent from happening in your life." "If we intercede or PUSH THROUGH until we have victory, then . . . when the Bible says, 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,' THAT'S ANOTHER KIND OF INTERCESSION.

OBEDIENCE AS A FORM OF INTERCESSION?

To put it another way -- to obey what God is telling you to do---can sometimes accomplish the same thing as intense intercession. Read on.

INTERCESSION TO DO BATTLE WITH THE ADVERSARY! OBEDIENCE TO DO THE SAME

"What?" you ask

Think of it like this: We often intercede so that the devil will leave us. Remember the Lord instructed us to pray, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the EVIL one." Obedience to God-- (when we are being tempted NOT to obey) is to "RESIST THE DEVIL." Resisting the Devil causes him to "FLEE FROM US!" The very thing we would have interceded for, and accomplished through intercession--to dispatch the devil--- can often be accomplished through raw obedience! Again, 'Resist him and he will flee."

This is not to suggest that prayer is therefore unnecessary, but that which we would try to accomplish by prayer alone, may well be accomplished more quickly through obeying what the Lord has already told us to do (or not do).

HAVING DONE ALL, TO STAND

Remember the first Scripture we talked about:

Eph 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with ALL KINDS OF PRAYERS AND REQUESTS.

Only five verses before this, we are getting other instructions about our strategies for this great battle we're in:

Eph 6:13 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to STAND YOUR GROUND, and after you have done everything, TO STAND.

To stand is to stubbornly, insistently OBEY GOD, no matter how intense the opposition

FIGHT THE ENEMY AT HIS WEAKEST POINT --- YOUR OBEDIENCE

If there's one thing the enemy can't stand, it's our obedience. If I'm called by the Lord to give sacrificially, for instance--the enemy will fight me at this very point. Instead of ONLY pleading with the Lord to give me strength to "give," I should pray AND --- GIVE! This is resisting the devil and he hates it so intensely, he FLEES.

So my boot-camp training in obedience accomplishes much more than spiritual and physical discipline. It causes the enemy to not want to be around--at least in those victorious areas. Obedience to God is cancer to the devil!!

If God is calling you TO WRITE, and you are not writing, (as an example) then you have not or are not PUSHING THROUGH his attack--at least not to the degree you could. You can pray for victory. Or, you can simply obey the Lord and watch the enemy flee! But you will have to PUSH THROUGH, just as in intercession. Those who are good at inter- cession will tell you that it can be HARD WORK. Such is the case with raw obedience, especially if you've put it off for a long time.

In "Old Testament" days, Saul was sure the Lord needed HIS intercession-- the sacrifices of bulls and goats--because that's what the sacrifice accomplished. The smoke of the burning "offering" became a sweet smelling savor--that is, INTERCESSION before the Lord. Saul became impatient with the timing of God, and so offered up his own version of intercession--his sacrifice of a living animal according to the Law.

OBEDIENCE TRUMPS SACRIFICE--EVERY TIME!

This is what Samuel the prophet told Saul about that very "sacrifice" as he prophesied the end of Saul's kingdom for his disobedience of NOT WAITING:

1 Sam 15:22 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

THINGS TO DO, PEOPLE TO SEE, PLACES TO GO!

But we all have work to do for the Lord, don't we? Actually, if the truth were known, perhaps half of us who are working should NOT be, and half who are working, should be "resting." But that's just a guess.

One man's requirement from the Lord, as with Saul (perhaps with you) is this . . . . "STOP AND WAIT FOR MY COMMAND!"

Another man or woman's requirement from the Lord, (perhaps with you) is, "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU WHAT TO DO!"

THE "STOP AND GO" LORD WE SERVE

Obedience is the key! God tells one to stop and the other to go. He tells one to rest and the other to WRITE, or go, or work, or catch a plane, or come home from a trip. Another He instructs to pastor a new church and yet another to RETIRE from pastoring; He tells one to go into business and another to quit business and go into ministry.

The question is, what is He asking YOU to do, and more importantly, are you DOING IT?

If you resist the devil, he will flee from you.

MOSES STOPPED AT THE RED SEA

Moses got Himself, by the Lord's command, stuck between the sea and the approaching Egyptians. He cried out to the Lord.

Wouldn't you?

In absolute desperation, Moses cries out to the Lord to deliver the perhaps two million men, women, and children, from a certain death. At this point, we are expecting God to be pleased with Moses' intercession on behalf of the people.

Moses, even confidently addresses the people:

Exod 14:13-14 "Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again."

Now that's confidence in the Lord, from my vantage point. Here's the Lord's response--the next verse, by the way:

Exod 14:15-16 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.

GET THE PEOPLE MOVING!!

God had told Moses he was to deliver the people and he put Moses right between the proverbial "rock and a hard place." It appears at this point that God's idea was, "Let's MOVE 'EM ON OUT, MOSES." He asks Moses, "Why are you crying out to me?" --as if to say, "YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, NOW LET'S GET GOING!"

Is it all confusing to you? You're in good company! Saul doesn't wait--but moves ahead and he loses his kingdom because of it. Moses cries out for help and WAITS for the Lord to help --and God tells him, "Why are you crying out to me? Get the people moving!"

The one "in-common factor" was OBEDIENCE--or lack thereof.

THE REST OF THE STORY WITH MOSES AND THE RED SEA

You see, we left out part of the story with Moses. God had, (a few verses earlier) said this to Moses:

Exod 14:1-4 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon."

Ok, so he told Moses to put himself and the people in harm's way. Why? Because God is the greatest strategist there ever was. And he lets Moses in on the plan . . .

God continues, " Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.'And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD."

God had told Moses that this was a plan to sucker ol' Pharaoh into thinking that Israel was confused. But it was God's plot to destroy them. And it seems that God expected Moses to get the rest of the story---they were going to have to either walk on water, through water, or there was going to have to be NO WATER--because Israel was going to win this one--because God was going to get the Glory and Pharaoh was not going to get Israel!

WHAT HAS GOD TOLD YOU?

For many, God has not only told you WHAT to do. Beyond that, He expects you to BELIEVE that He can come through for you, if you will only obey what he has told you to do, whether that "to do" is to wait or work. One way or the other, if you obey, -- in your obedience, you will "RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU."

If God has told, "You sit back and rest, and I will make mincemeat of your enemies and detractors!" then THAT is what you should do, no matter how many "Egyptians" are pursuing you.

Whatever God has told you, this might be a good time to obey---because, quite frankly, obedience with God is a big deal. He likes it. And He will pour forth huge favor in this hour--to those who will step up and simply OBEY what they've already been told to do.