So, what are you, again?

Many of you have asked me to elaborate on what it is that I do, exactly. I think that is an excellent question, one which deserves an answer. So, I am an Intercessory Missionary with the Bethany House of Prayer.

Starting with a definition of terms, Intercession is intervening or praying on behalf of another. Intercession and worship are the means through God has chosen to establish His kingdom on the earth. Prayer changes cities and nations (Matthew 6:10, Psalm 149). Prayer brings us into agreement with God’s heart through the knowledge of Him and His Word, and from that place of full agreement and partnership God’s kingdom breaks in to the earth.

"MISSIONS mean the giving of the gospel to those of Adam's fallen race who have never heard of Christ and his atoning death. It means the giving to others the opportunity to hear of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ... Prayer has a great deal to do with missions. Prayer is the hand-maid of missions. The success of all real missionary effort is dependent on prayer. The life and spirit of missions are the life and spirit of prayer. Both prayer and missions were born in the divine mind. Prayer and missions are bosom companions. Prayer creates and makes missions successful, while missions
lean heavily on prayer. In the seventy-second Psalm, one which deals with the Messiah, it is stated that "prayer shall be made for him continually." Prayer would be made for his coming to save man, and prayer would be made for the success of the plan of salvation which he would come to set on foot." - E.M. Bounds

The call of an Intercessory Missionary (IM) is to partner with God in bringing His kingdom to earth as it is in heaven. Jesus will not bring this about without us because He wants us to join with Him. He wants to use us, weak and foolish though we may be. He chooses this way because He loves to walk in deep, personal relationship with His people.

“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, And give Him no rest till He establishes And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”
(Isaiah 62:6-7 NKJV)

Thus, as an "IM" I have been "set" upon the wall to be a watchman, to pray, to intercede, to herald the coming of the Lord Jesus and to proclaim the Gospel. This isn't any sort of special position. I'm not a nun and I don't plan on living in a monastery. This is the same call the Lord gave in the Great Commission (Matt. 28). We have long been familiar with the missionaries who have gone abroad to many nations, bringing the Gospel of Jesus and the healing mercies of ministry in that place. These people have been used greatly by the Lord. He has shaped and challenged me through the legacies of many of them. But even among those who are on the mission field now, the Lord is calling forth new (or not so new) kind of missionary. Prayer and Missions cannot be divorced any more than the knowledge of God and salvation can be.

“Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise in the assembly of saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples; To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgment—This honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 149:1-9 NKJV)

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.”
(Matthew 6:10 NKJV)

““So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!””
(Luke 11:9-13 NKJV)

“And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?””
(Luke 18:7-8 NKJV)

“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.””
(Luke 24:49 NKJV)

Thus, an intercessory missionary is one who has been divinely “set” on a wall of intercession (Isaiah 62:6-7) as one who would give the Lord no rest in prayer until His desires are fully brought forth on the earth. This intercessory mission calling is entirely selfless by definition – it is a giving of oneself wholeheartedly for one Man’s agenda, with the knowledge that His plan and purpose is far greater than anything man could possibly devise. (Deuteronomy 6:5, Joel 2:17).