When God Interrupted Me
The Hebrew word for intercession, paga, is fascinating. Although in our thinking, “intercession” is typically associated with prayer, this Hebrew word does not necessarily refer to prayer. It has several nuances of meaning, all of which can be done through prayer. The basic concept of paga is “to meet.” The meeting can be between people, animals, or even inanimate objects, as in two people’s lands “meeting” forming a boundary. A meeting or encounter can be good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant, intentional or accidental. Any type of meeting is paga.
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Lightning striking or “meeting” the earth is paga.
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“Meeting” with God in prayer is paga.
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Two or more individuals “meeting” to discuss the future, plan an event, or for any other reason is paga.
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A weapon “meeting” an enemy is paga, therefore is used for attacking, striking, or even impaling with a sword.
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A bull’s-eye when shooting a gun is paga – bullet “meets” target.
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Carrying a load for another – their burden “meeting” your strength – is paga.
So, why would this word be used for “intercession”? Because intercessory prayer accomplishes all of these things. It creates meetings between God and man. It forms boundaries of protection around people and places. It releases God’s light, lightning, and glory into the earth. It wars against our spiritual enemy. It carries burdens for others, and so much more.
When you began your prayer with, “Father, I meet with you today to…” you were using the literal meaning of paga. When you said, “Father, please meet with so-and-so,” you were literally asking for paga. When you said you attended a “prayer meeting,” you were much more accurate than you knew – Prayer Meetings are aptly named!
Jesus said our prayers can connect heaven and earth – paga (Matthew 6:10). God wants to meet with people through our intercession. We can “carry” cities, nations, and government leaders to Him through intercession. God reconciles people to Himself through us. Second Corinthians 5:18-19 states that He “has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ.” But the verses do not stop there. They go on to say He has now “given to us the ministry of reconciliation.” God meets with people through us!
Our part in this ministry of reconciliation takes place in various ways: through sharing the gospel with people, by helping to send and support others who spread the gospel, and certainly through intercessory prayer. Webster even uses “reconcile” in its definition of intercession: “to act between parties with a view to reconciling those who differ.”(1) In intercessory prayer, we place ourselves “between” God and an individual, becoming the reconciling link. When, for any reason, we meet with God on behalf of another, becoming the connecting link between them, intercession has occurred.
Susan Morin was an intercessor, a link between God and people, a reconciler. She connected heaven and earth, impacting destinies:
“Wanting to do something for God, Susan committed to pray during her forty-five-minute daily commute and asked God for whom she should pray. A note at work caught her attention. ‘I’m sorry this payment is late. I have been seriously ill. Thank you, Beverly.’ Susan knew she was to pray for her, but not knowing any details, it was difficult. As she faithfully interceded, however, God’s great love for Beverly was imparted to her. Susan sent her cards, explaining how God loved her and had led Susan to pray. No responses came, but Susan continued praying.
“Nine months later, Beverly’s husband called. Having found Susan’s well-worn cards, which evidently meant a lot to his wife, he wanted to share what had happened. Although diagnosed with lung cancer, Beverly had never experienced any pain. Church had never had any real part in their lives, but two weeks before she died, Beverly had asked to be baptized. The night before she died, she told him it was OK; she was going home to be with her Lord.
“Susan was overwhelmed that God had used her to reveal His love to Beverly, allowing Him to meet with her and reconcile her to Himself.”(2)
PAGA!!
I have witnessed miracles of healing as God met with people. In 1980, I was on another of my many journeys into Guatemala. On one occasion, Ceci, another couple, and I were ministering to an elderly lady who had recently come to Christ. We had gone to her home to encourage her and have a short Bible study.
Approximately six months earlier, this lady had fallen from a step-stool and severely broken her ankle. As is often the case with the elderly, the fractures were not healing well. Her ankle was still badly swollen, and she was in much pain. While visiting with her, we sensed that God wanted to heal her ankle, right then.
After sharing this and asking for permission, we instructed her to place her leg on an ottoman. Then, we began to pray, sort of.
Has God ever interrupted you? He did so to us on this occasion. When I stepped between her and God to ask for a meeting, the presence of God filled the room so powerfully that I stopped in mid-stride and mid-sentence. I had taken only one step toward her and uttered only one word: “Father.”
That’s all He needed!
It’s as though God was so eager to touch this dear lady that He refused to wait any longer. What I’m about to relate may sound overly dramatic, but it’s exactly what took place.
The presence of the Holy Spirit filled the room so strongly that I froze in my tracks, stopped speaking, and began to weep. Ceci and the other couple also began to weep. The lady we were ministering to began to weep. Then her foot began to bounce up and down on the stool for several minutes as she had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit — a meeting! The Lord healed her and filled her with His Spirit.
He wants to meet with others through your prayers. Don’t be intimidated – Jesus has qualified you to represent Him. Don’t let past failures deter you. Be like the small boy playing in the backyard with his bat and ball:
“‘I’m the greatest baseball player in the world,’ he said proudly. Then he tossed the ball in the air, swung and missed. Undaunted, he picked up the ball, threw it into the air and said, ‘I’m the greatest player ever!’ He swung at the ball again, and again he missed. He paused a moment to examine bat and ball carefully. Then once again he threw the ball into the air and said, ‘I’m the greatest baseball player who ever lived.’ He swung the bat hard and again missed the ball.
“‘Wow!’ he exclaimed. ‘What a pitcher!’”(3)
Keep the faith!
Pray with me:
Father, we meet with You today, asking You to meet with others through our prayers. Meet with prodigals and unbelievers, drawing them to You. Save and restore. Meet with those who need deliverance from strongholds – set them free. And meet with those who need to be healed, both physically and emotionally.
Connect with people through our prayers, bringing heaven to earth. Release the power of Holy Spirit to break through barriers, heal wounds, open spiritually blind eyes, and reconcile people to Yourself. We ask that You do this in schools, on campuses, in offices, government buildings, homes, and backyards. Replace deception with truth, confusion with soundness of mind, and rebellion with obedience. Heal relationships, painful memories, and broken hearts.
Meet with government leaders today. Impart wisdom, understanding, ideas, and strategies. Meet with pastors and spiritual leaders, imparting wisdom and revelation to them. Restore to them passion, fire, and first love, where needed. Meet with Kingdom-minded business leaders, providing them with insight, creativity, timing, quality employees, and great prosperity.
Kingdom of Christ come! Will of God be done! On earth as it is in heaven. In Yeshua’s name, amen.
Click on the link below to watch the full video.
Today’s post was adapted from two of my books, Intercessory Prayer and The Essential Guide to Prayer, both of which are published by Baker Books.
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The Consolidation Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary (Chicago: Consolidated, 1954), 384.
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Alice Gray, Stories for a Faithful Heart (Portland, OR: Multnomah, 2000), pp. 207-211.
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Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, Chicken Soup for the Soul (Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc., 1993), p. 74.