The highest calling of the Christian life is a call that has nothing to
do with gifts to minister. There are gifts of ministry and gifts to minister
(Ephesians 4:11-12, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10). But beyond these, and behind and
empowering these, is the call which God extends to each of His own.
It is the highest honor, the most fruitful effort, the most Christ-like
life: it is the ministry of intercessory prayer. The blessed service to God
of pleading for the release of His grace and power for the salvation of the
lost.
Jesus “ever liveth to make intercession”. He does this through those
willing to share the deepest desire and longing of the Savior’s heart
(Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:26-27).
The Christian life is described as a strenuous race, or a war-like
struggle. While we are empowered by a heart filled with His “Love, Joy and
Peace”, this power is given so we can serve effectively, not float along
enjoying the good life until we get to heaven.
The Apostle Paul wrote:

“Praying always for you.”

“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf.”
Colossians 1:3, 2:1

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit.”
Ephesians 6:18

Pleading with God for the lost is work, but it is glorious work;
knowing we are doing the greatest service for His Kingdom and sharing
Christ’s burden for those for whom He gave His life.

The consistent message throughout God’s word is that He has ordained
that His saving purpose moves through the prayers of His people.
In the wise words of Russell Elliott:

“There is a divine principle in regard to prayer which runs all
through the Scriptures. It is that God is pleased to unite His
people with Himself in whatever He is about to do. He first
of all leads them to pray, and then does what He intends in
answer to their prayers.”

The battle begins in our daily struggle with other things that devour
our time: other important things, but nothing can compare with the
importance of a genuine work of God, as at the first Christian Pentecost. As
every great revival in history, it began when God’s people “.continued with
one accord in prayer and supplication….” Acts 1:14
If there is no fear in God’s people of the impending judgment on our
nation, if it is business as usual, then there is little hope for America.
At this point the prayers of true believers should be for the God who is
full of mercy to awaken His people to cry out for a purifying work of His
Spirit in the Church, that He might reap a precious harvest before His sword
falls. If this sounds extreme, you need to go to the word of God to His Old
Testament people and realize His perspective on what is happening all around
us.
Genuine, purely motivated, intercession is rare today. There is a
desperate need for more. Only the Spirit of God can bestow it in hearts, and
that begins with those willing to pay the price that comes with an act of
absolute surrender to His Will.

On that first Easter Sunday, the disciples were holed up in fear, when they began to receive reports of Jesus being seen alive after His death and burial. As they were dis-cussing these things: “…Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And He said unto them…Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have.” Luke 24:36-39
These words, among many, are a clear assertion that Jesus actually died and literally-physically came back from the dead.
This historical reality is based on the clear statements of the most trustworthy writers of the ancient world.
Not one of the skeptical, so-called “Biblical Scholars” has ever brought forth a single particle of empirical evidence that the eyewitnesses who documented the events of the Savior’s life, death, and resurrection were not perfectly honest and accurate in their accounts.
Those of us who have read and studied the “theories” of these theological rationalists have found their ideas to be pure baseless guesswork; superficial, and often less than honest.
But we must remember that it is expected that a spiritually blind anti-God culture would receive and promote anything that seems to undermine the authority of the Word of God. For that Word condemns their love of sin.
Until God by His grace and mercy releases His power (through the prayers of His people) the world will continue to hijack the Holy Days. The shameless distortion of the meaning of Easter (and Christmas) is evidence of the spiritual blindness of natural man without the life of God.
Our calling today is intercessory prayer for a return of the Presence and power of the original Pentecost. Without this the Church will continue with its innocuous “business as usual” and the world will continue to die in unbelief.
The living Christ deserves an infinitely greater level of commitment and love than He is receiving from His people today.
Easter may mean no more than decorated eggs, chocolate bunnies, and pretty flowers to the lost majority, but for those who have heard the call to repent and believe the glorious Gospel of Christ, and said the eternal “yes”, it is resurrection life in and through us.
But the needed power to maintain and share that life only comes to hearts prepared to die to sin and self, and allow His Spirit to fill and purify every area of our lives. This involves a daily “absolute surrender”.
As the life-giving rays of the spring sun brings forth new life in nature, may the Son of His love shine brighter and stronger in each of our lives.