What is Intercession?

Intercession as Spiritual Warfare

“Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.”

Colossians 4:12 (NIV)

Colossians 4:12 uses the phrase “wrestling in prayer for you.” It is the imagery of hand-to-hand close combat with an opponent that is trying to defeat you. Paul uses that imagery to describe what someone undergoes when they pray that you “stand firm in the will of God, mature and fully assured.” The Greek word agōnizomai is translated as “wrestling.” The definitions from the Strong’s concordance show the intensity that Paul meant to convey.

“Strong's G75 - agōnizomai

The KJV translates Strong's G75 in the following manner: strive (3x), fight (3x), labour fervently (1x).

Outline of Biblical Usage 

I. to enter a contest: contend in the gymnastic games

II. to contend with adversaries, fight

III. metaph. to contend, struggle, with difficulties and dangers

IV. to endeavour with strenuous zeal, strive: to obtain something” (Blue Letter Bible, n.d.)

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.”

Romans 15:30 (NIV)

Similarly, in Romans 15:30,  Paul says, “Join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.” The Strong’s concordance uses the Greek word  synagōnizomai (Strongs G4865), which means “strive together with one, help one striving.” (Blue Letter Bible, n.d.)

Thayers Greek Lexicon adds this:

“to strive together with one, to help one in striving: τίνι ἐν τάς προσευχαῖς, in prayers, i. e. to offer intense prayers with one, Romans 15:30; in what sense intense prayer may be likened to a struggle” (Blue Letter Bible, n.d.)

Who is Paul implying that he or we are struggling with when we intercede? The answer is found in Ephesians chapter 6:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

Ephesians 6:10-20

I have read Ephesians chapter 6 many times. In writing this chapter on intercession, I saw the chapter through a different lens. This passage could be read take up all your spiritual armor and stand praying with all prayer and supplication for all saints and for me that I may open my mouth boldly as I make known the mystery of the gospel.

Most of the teaching I have heard on Ephesians chapter 6 has focused on preparing ourselves for warfare, not as a preparation to pray for others. Imagine if every time you went to pray for other saints or spiritual leaders like Paul, you postured yourself to wrestle, do combat in prayer, outfitted with the armor of God.

I will close this chapter with a passage from Daniel chapter 10 that further illustrates who we are wrestling against when we pray.

“Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, that is, the Tigris, I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude…

Then he said to me, ‘Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”

Daniel 10:4-6,12-14

Daniel fasted for 21 days at the start of chapter 10. Then, an angel arrives and tells Daniel that from the first moment that he humbled himself in fasting in prayer, his “words” (prayers) were heard and that he had come in response to them.

What the angel says next is the “Prince of the kingdom of Persia,” or Paul would say the “principality” over Persia, part of the “spiritual wickedness in high places,” prevented him from coming for 21 days. The angel tells Daniel that the angel Michael (Revelation 12:7-9, Jude 9-10, Daniel 12:1) came to help him so that he could deliver the answer to Daniel’s prayer.

When we set ourselves to pray for others, we need to consider that there will be opposition in “high places” that we will have to persevere in prayer against, just as Daniel did and as Paul describes.