JESUS: THE INTERCESSOR
PS BRENDEN BROWN | JUNE 07, 2026
Many people don't fully understand what an intercessor is. We often think of intercession as a kind gesture, a prayer offered on someone's behalf, or a religious practice reserved for particularly spiritual people. But biblical intercession is far deeper than that. When we look to Jesus, we begin to see a picture of what true intercession looks like, and that understanding gives us a deeper appreciation for both the gospel and the ongoing ministry of Christ in our lives today.
When we think about the gospel, we naturally focus on what Jesus accomplished in the past. We remember that He came to earth, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again on the third day. These truths are the foundation of our faith.
But have you ever stopped to ask: What is Jesus doing right now?
Scripture tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. Yet He is not distant, passive, or detached. For the last 2,000 years, Jesus has been actively ministering from heaven on behalf of His people. At this very moment, He is interceding for you.
The High Priest and the Breastplate of the Heart
The book of Hebrews repeatedly describes Jesus as our Great High Priest. In fact, Hebrews references His priestly ministry more than ten times, connecting His present work to a powerful picture found in the Old Testament.
The High Priest stood in the gap between God and people.
In ancient Israel, regular people could not enter the Holy of Holies (the innermost and most sacred room at the heart of the tabernacle and temple); to approach a holy God in an unholy or unclean state meant death. Instead, you would bring a lamb to the temple. The High Priest would take that lamb, sacrifice it, and enter the Holy of Holies once a year. He would place the sacrificial blood on the mercy seat, right between the two sculpted angels representing the presence of God atop of the Ark of the Covenant. If God accepted the offering, the High Priest would walk back out to the people and declare them not guilty.
Jesus became our ultimate High Priest. He did not offer the blood of another sacrifice. He offered Himself. When He died on the cross, He became the final and perfect sacrifice for sin. When He rose again, He secured our forgiveness forever.
Unlike earthly priests who eventually died, Jesus lives forever.
“Therefore He is able to completely save those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them." Hebrews 7:25
One of the most beautiful details of the High Priest’s garments was the breastplate containing 12 precious stones, each engraved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel. This breastplate sat directly over the priest’s heart. When he entered the presence of God, he symbolically carried the people of Israel over his heart.
“In this way, Aaron will carry the names of the tribes of Israel over his heart on the sacred breastplate when he enters the Holy Place. This will be a continual reminder that he represents them when he comes into the presence of the Lord.” Exodus 28:29
If Aaron carried the people over his heart, how much more does Jesus carry you? You are on His lips and in His heart. You are the desire of His affection, the apple of His Father’s eye. When God looks at you, He doesn't look at your sinful state. He sees you covered in the blood of Jesus, applies the words spoken over Christ to you, and says: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17
Intercession Begins with God Himself
The Hebrew word often associated with intercession is paga, which means "to go between" or "to stand in the gap." It is a picture of mediation.
In the courtroom of heaven there is an accuser and there is an advocate.
We see this clearly in Zechariah 3:1-5, where Joshua the High Priest stands before the Lord wearing filthy garments while Satan stands nearby accusing him.
But God's response is remarkable: The Lord said to Satan, 'The Lord rebuke you, Satan!'"
Zechariah 3:2
God does not agree with the accusations. Instead, He removes Joshua's filthy garments and clothes him with clean robes.
The message is clear. When the enemy speaks shame, Jesus speaks grace. When the enemy points to your failures, Jesus points to His finished work. When condemnation comes knocking, Jesus stands in the gap and says, "I already paid for that."
Your standing with God is not based on your perfect behavior, but on the constant, perfect intercession of your High Priest.
God → Jesus (Our Intercessor) → People
The result is grace, access, forgiveness, and covering. There is grace for every gap in your life because Jesus Himself stands in that gap.
If Jesus is Praying for Us, Why Do We Suffer?
John Wimber once famously said, "The good news is that Jesus is praying for us. The bad news is that we are going to need it."
This raises an honest question: If Jesus is constantly praying for us, why do we still go through trials, pain, and valleys?
When Jesus intercedes, He isn't trying to twist God’s arm to give us an easy life. Think about what Jesus said to Peter in Luke 22:31-32:"Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail."
Notice that Jesus didn’t pray that Peter would escape the sifting. He prayed that Peter’s faith would endure through it.
Think about Joseph. Betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and forgotten in prison, he could not see what God was doing. Yet every difficult season was shaping him for the assignment ahead.
What looked like a delay was actually preparation.
What looked like suffering was actually formation.
Often we pray for immediate comfort, but God is working toward eternal transformation. He sees the bigger picture. He is forming Christ within us and preparing us for things we cannot yet see.
The Secret Place and the Anointing
We live in a world overflowing with information.
Technology can generate content in seconds. We have access to countless sermons, podcasts, books, and resources. Yet there remains a profound difference between information and anointing.
Anointing cannot be downloaded. It cannot be manufactured by talent, charisma, or technology. Anointing is cultivated in the secret place.
The disciples lived with Jesus for years, yet they never said, "Teach us how to preach" or "Teach us how to prosper." Their singular request was:
“Lord, teach us to pray.” Luke 11:1
They saw that Jesus’ public power came from His private history in the secret place on the mountain with the Father. The Apostle Paul operated in this same reality. He admitted he wasn't a dazzling orator, writing, "I did not come to you with eloquence of speech... I came to you with a demonstration of God’s power."
When Jesus came down from the Mount of Transfiguration, His disciples were struggling to cast a demon out of a boy. They failed because they were trying to use a magic formula instead of staying connected to the Source. To move in the presence of God, we must be a people who know how to tarry in His presence and stay connected to the Vine.
We must become a church that saturates and marinates in the secret place. This means making tough choices. We cannot rotate our lives entirely around our schedules, our jobs, or our children; we must rotate our lives around God. As Hebrews 10:25 reminds us, we must not neglect meeting together as a church family. Miracles take place in His presence, and our hearts stay tender when we refuse to grow cold toward His house.
What if “Teach Us How to Pray” Became Our Number One Request?
In Romans 8, we learn that Jesus isn't working alone. He has also given us the Holy Spirit to intercede inside of us.
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans... because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him...” Romans 8:26-28
When you are too weak, too exhausted, or too confused to find the words, the Holy Spirit steps in and prays perfect prayers on your behalf. He partners with Jesus to shape, transform, and mold you into the image of Christ.
Knowing that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are both interceding for us according to the will of God, our response should be to align our prayers with heaven. Instead of bringing God a laundry list of our own desires, what if we asked:
"Lord, what is heaven praying over my family today?"
"What is heaven praying over my pastors, my team, and my city?"
When we learn to pray according to His will, He hears us, and His will is done on earth. And when you realize that Jesus is praying for you and not angry at you, everything changes. You don't have to shrink back in shame.
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
If you are hitting a brick wall or facing a breakthrough you cannot achieve on your own, look to the Great Intercessor. Run boldly into the throne room of grace. There is an abundance of mercy waiting for you today.
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