 Licensed with Shutterstock Fore note: The term "prayers" of today's intercessor is prophetic for the offerings or sacrifices of the Old Testament Levitical priests. "For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderer's soap. He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years." Malachi 3:2b-4 God wants intercessors to be pure and holy so that their prayers are pure and holy. Intercessors are made pure by being in God's refiner's fire. We want to pray continuously for God's fire in our lives. We want to dwell in the fiery furnace with God. As we do, the fire burns off all impurities or defilements from sin and from the battles that we've engaged in with the enemy. When intercessors are pure and holy, then their prayers or "offerings" are pleasing to the Lord. If we are not pure and holy, then our prayers are not pure and holy, and consequently, they are not as effective. As we wage war against our enemy, we want to hit the target every time! We do not want our prayers (or sacrifices) to be like the "strange fire" that the Levitical priests Nadab and Abihu offered God, which was not pleasing to Him (Leviticus 10:1-2). When trials come in any form, whether through persecution, rejection, sickness, or sorrow, let's pray that God uses the fire to burn off all the things that aren't beautiful in us. Let's pray like Job did in the midst of his trials: "When He has tried me, I will come forth as gold" (Job 23:10). Make Me Gold By Kathleen Bailey Holy Ghost fire fall on me Burn away the dross In the ashes and the flames In the fire, gold remains Find the gold in me I bring my soul unto your altar I humbly bring my heart there too I lay them down as flames surround them I present them now to You Fire of God fall on me Fire of God set me free I have counted the cost I count nothing as a loss Burn away the dross In my heart, in my soul Bring the fire Make me whole Make me gold *Used with permission Comments are closed.
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