Jesus intercedes for us

By Elizabeth Prata

When you were in grade school no doubt you had friends who helped you if you fell down on the playground, or picked you to be on their team at recess. In High School, you were probably in some clique, that’s what we called them back then, a group of kids who always hung out together, helped each other with homework, had your back. As you grew up you had family who would go to bat for you in any situation.

It feels good to know there’s people behind you. They’re on your side no matter what. It is a relief to have this support. It’s part of relationships to love someone by offering the gifts of loyalty and protection.

Now multiply that feeling 100 times infinity…

And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)

Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. (Romans 8:33-34)

We see that word “intercede” three times in rapid succession in Romans! The Spirit and the Christ intercede for us!

Holman treasury of key Bible words defines and explains the word intercedes here-

“The New Testament writers borrowed the Greek term enteuxis to describe Christ’s heavenly ministry of “intercession.” After Christ offered Himself on the cross as the sacrifice for sins, He ascended to the Father and entered the heavenly sanctuary where He now represents His people (Heb. 7:25). The letter to the Hebrews depicts Christ as a Priest engaged in His continuing ministry of intercession. Christ’s heavenly intercession is a sequel to His earthly sacrifice accomplished once for all (Heb. 10:10–18). Jesus said, “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32, NASB). His continuing intercession is recognized in such New Testament phrases as “through Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:8; 16:27; 1 Pet. 2:5) and “through Him” (Col. 3:17; Heb. 13:15).”

“The doctrine of Christ’s heavenly “intercession” is explicitly affirmed in four New Testament texts. The apostle Paul spoke of Christ, “at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us” (Rom. 8:34, NASB). The writer of Hebrews affirmed that Christ “is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25, NASB). Further, Christ has entered “into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb. 9:24, NASB). The apostle John also described that ministry: “If anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1, NASB). The Greek word for “advocate” meant a legal counselor who appeared before a magistrate to plead a client’s cause. John thus pictured the ascended Lord as appearing before God on behalf of His people.”

(Source: Carpenter, E. E., & Comfort, P. W. (2000). In Holman treasury of key Bible words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew words defined and explained (p. 312). Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

I don’t know who feels alone at this moment. Maybe a mom, folding laundry alone in the house except for the baby who’s fussing. Or a young woman alone in a dorm room trying to study and having a hard time adjusting to the hectic pace of college or the military. Or an older woman whose grown kids are scattered and gone and feeling like she’ll face a long widowhood alone.

But if you are in Christ, then the Spirit of God is in you. Jesus is physically in heaven, interceding for you. That means offering help, making peace, listening to the Spirit translating your groanings that you can’t even articulate, to the Father. You have HELP. You have support, aid, attention. You have a group, a posse, clique, in the form of the Three-In-One God! You are not alone.

Put your hands together and pray. He is a God who hears your prayers and supplications and petitions and even groanings. Open your eyes and read the sweet promises in the Word. In Psalm 17:6, when we ask this,

I have called on you, for you will hear me, O God: incline your ear to me, and hear my speech.

He will listen. 1 John 5:14 says,

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

He intercedes. If you are born-again believer, you have the biggest most perfect, wise, and loving support in the universe.