hello! : )
1. intercessory weapons
βgod is looking for somebody, a wall builder; somebody who can prevent calamities and avert disasters through importunate tears of supplication,β writes father oforka. βsuch wall builders attend the divine council and, like spiritual attorneys, passionately argue their cases in order to achieve their purpose.β
an example of an intercessory warrior is moses in the old testament. βmoses acted as a bridge between god and his people. that was an office that god called him to when he appeared to him in the form of a burning bush. he therefore respects both moses as his faithful servant and his office of mediation between him and his people,β father oforka writes.
how does intercession play a role in our lives today, as the spiritual battle rages on still? βwe must go back to our roots and repossess the right of attending the divine council through the ministry of intercession,β father oforka explains. we intercede through prayer, petitioning for others before the throne of god.
2. the name of jesus
βthere is something in the name of jesus that is awesome and fascinating,β father oforka writes. βhence, the quiver of the intercessory cannot be complete without it.β
saints paul, peter, and john write extensively about the power of the name of christ. no one can make demons subject to him without the name of christ.
in the early church, justin martyr wrote, βfor every demon, when exorcised in the name of this very son of god β who is the first-born of every creature, who became man by the virgin, who suffered, and was crucified under pontius pilate, who died, who rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven β is overcome and subdued. but though you exorcise any demon in the name of any of those who are among you β either kings, or righteous men, or prophets, or patriarchs β it will not be subject to you.β
3. the power of praise
praise is a underrated arrow in the quiver of a christian. βitβs important that intercessors should learn the power of praise,β writes father oforka. βa group of prayer ministers may gather for hours praising god and soaking the air with divine waves. . the father cherishes it when his awesome deeds are recounted and his person is addressed accordingly.β
what does this have to do with spiritual warfare? βat those times when the thick clouds of evil begin to gather, when the smoke of satan begins to blur our view and choke our breath, intercessors might opt to descend into the bright cloud of praise, invoking these awesome names, instead of a mournful prayer-fight.β
heaven canβt resist soulful praise of the faithful β and satan canβt stand to hear god praised here on earth.
4. the fire of the holy spirit
the fire of the holy spirit has a two-fold purpose in the life of the spiritual warrior. βit could be used as both an offensive and a defensive weapon,β father oforka explains. βit is like the word of god, which is double-edged and therefore dual in purpose.β
we often see god through the medium of fire throughout the old testament. he appears to moses in a burning bush, and as a pillar of fire through the desert wanderings of the israelite nation. in his letter to the hebrews, saint paul writes that god is an βall consuming fire.β
5. the eucharist
in the gospel of john, christ says: βvery truly i tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you have no life within you.β the institution of the eucharist is an event recorded meticulously by three of the synoptic gospels and saint paul.
when catholics worship in the mass and receive the body of christ through the eucharist they can βdraw more strength than he can image,β explains father oforka. βan intercessory, who identifies with jesus in the eucharist, can handle difficult cases. he does not just end with the invocation of this treasure. he must, as often as possible, be part of the sacrifice of the mass through which this power flows.β
hope this and i hope i answered in time!
good luck!
~ destiny ^_^
