Hebrews 7:25
25 … He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
The
verse says that Jesus always lives to make intercession for us. Once, I
used to think that this meant that Jesus is seated at the Father’s
right hand today, praying all the time for us, waiting and hoping that
the Father will do something for us.
But that is not true.
Look at what Jesus prayed when He stood before Lazarus’ tomb. He
declared, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” (John 11:41) He
prayed these words even before Lazarus came forth from his tomb alive.
Jesus knew that what He said would come to pass because the Father
always hears Him. (John 11:42)
So what does “Jesus always lives to make intercession for us” mean?
Because Jesus is our High
Priest (Hebrews 4:14), we get a picture of what happens when we pray
when we understand what the high priest in the Old Testament did with
the burnt offering of a bird. (Leviticus 1:14–17)
The birds brought to the
high priest are a picture of our prayers “flying” to the Lord Jesus
because we pray to the Father in Jesus’ name. Now, just as the high
priest removes the bird’s feathers after killing it, Jesus removes all
that is superfluous and unclean from our prayers, such as unbelief and
self-centeredness.
Then, just as the high
priest offers the bird as a burnt sacrifice, a sweet aroma to the Lord,
Jesus our High Priest adds His perfection, beauty, excellence and
fragrance, which the Father so delights in, to our prayers. That is how
He presents our prayers to the Father. That is how He lives to make
intercession for you.
My friend, you don’t have
to run to a church leader to get him to pray “more powerfully” for you.
You can pray yourself. Then, take advantage of Jesus’ intercession for
you and say, “Lord Jesus, I don’t know what else to say… please
intercede for me.” And when Jesus gives His personal touch to your
prayer, you can be sure that it will be answered!
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