Intercessory Prayer: Seeking God's Presence and Glory

 

Summary

In Exodus 33:12-17, we find Moses in a profound dialogue with God, seeking assurance and guidance for himself and the people of Israel. This passage is pivotal as it highlights the essence of intercessory prayer and the motives behind it. Moses, despite having a unique relationship with God, is not content with personal blessings alone. He seeks a deeper assurance of God's presence, not just for himself but for the entire nation of Israel. This reflects a profound understanding of the need for God's presence as a distinguishing factor for His people.

The context of this passage is a study on revival, emphasizing that the church's hope lies in a mighty outpouring of God's Spirit. Moses' prayer is driven by three primary motives: a concern for the glory of God, the honor of the church, and the salvation of those outside the faith. Moses is deeply concerned about God's reputation among the nations. He argues that God's honor is at stake if He does not accompany His people, as the surrounding nations would question His power and faithfulness.

Moses' intercession is characterized by boldness, confidence, and a holy boldness that comes from an assurance of acceptance by God. He reasons and argues with God, reminding Him of His promises and pleading for their fulfillment. This approach is not presumption but a childlike confidence in a loving Father. Moses' prayer is orderly, direct, and focused on the one great need: God's presence. He demonstrates urgency and persistence, refusing to let go until God blesses His people.

This passage challenges us to examine our motives in prayer. Are we primarily concerned with God's glory, the church's honor, and the salvation of the lost? Do we pray with boldness and confidence, grounded in the assurance of our acceptance through Christ? Are we persistent and focused in our intercession, refusing to let go until God answers? May we, like Moses, become intercessors who are deeply burdened for God's glory and the needs of His people.

Key Takeaways:

- Concern for God's Glory: Moses' primary motive in prayer was the glory of God. He understood that God's reputation was at stake, and he pleaded for God's presence to distinguish His people from others. This challenges us to prioritize God's glory in our prayers, recognizing that our lives and the church's witness reflect on Him. [07:13]

- Intercession for the Church: Moses was not content with personal blessings; he was deeply concerned for the entire nation of Israel. This reflects a selfless intercession that prioritizes the church's well-being over individual needs. We are called to pray for the church's power and witness, recognizing that we are God's people, called to display His glory. [19:04]

- Boldness in Prayer: Moses prayed with boldness and confidence, assured of his acceptance by God. This boldness is rooted in the knowledge of Christ as our High Priest, who grants us access to the throne of grace. Our prayers should be marked by this holy boldness, confident in God's promises and His willingness to hear us. [32:09]

- Reasoning with God: Moses' prayer included reasoning and arguing with God, reminding Him of His promises. This is not presumption but a childlike confidence in a loving Father. We are encouraged to plead God's promises in prayer, trusting that He delights in fulfilling His word. [36:50]

- Urgency and Persistence: Moses demonstrated urgency and persistence in prayer, refusing to let go until God blessed His people. This challenges us to be persistent in our intercession, focusing on the one great need and not giving up until God answers. [41:55]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Introduction to Exodus 33:12-17
- [02:09] - The Need for Revival
- [03:14] - Moses' Intercession
- [05:24] - Motives for Prayer
- [07:13] - Concern for God's Glory
- [10:39] - The Church's Honor
- [14:44] - The Heathen's Perception
- [19:04] - Intercession for the Church
- [22:37] - Power of the Church's Witness
- [25:06] - Concern for the Lost
- [31:17] - Characteristics of Moses' Prayer
- [32:09] - Boldness in Prayer
- [36:50] - Reasoning with God
- [41:55] - Urgency and Persistence in Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Exodus 33:12-17

Observation Questions:
1. What specific request does Moses make to God regarding His presence in Exodus 33:12-17? How does this reflect Moses' understanding of the importance of God's presence? [00:53]
2. How does Moses' dialogue with God in this passage demonstrate his concern for the nation of Israel as a whole, rather than just for himself? [01:14]
3. In what way does Moses use reasoning and argument in his prayer to God, and what does this reveal about his relationship with God? [36:50]
4. What are the three primary motives that drive Moses' intercession according to the sermon? [05:40]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Moses' concern for God's glory challenge the way we typically approach prayer? What might it look like to prioritize God's glory in our own prayers? [07:13]
2. Moses was deeply concerned about the honor of the church, represented by the nation of Israel. How does this concern translate to the modern church, and what implications does it have for our prayer life? [19:04]
3. The sermon highlights Moses' boldness in prayer. How does understanding Christ as our High Priest influence our confidence and boldness in approaching God? [32:09]
4. What does the urgency and persistence in Moses' prayer teach us about the nature of intercessory prayer? How can this be applied to our own prayer practices? [41:55]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own prayer life. Are your prayers more focused on personal needs, or do they include a concern for God's glory and the church's honor? How can you shift your focus to align more with Moses' example? [12:36]
2. Moses was not content with personal blessings and sought God's presence for the entire nation. How can you incorporate a broader perspective in your prayers, considering the needs of your church community and beyond? [19:19]
3. The sermon emphasizes reasoning with God in prayer. Have you ever reminded God of His promises in your prayers? What specific promise from Scripture can you incorporate into your prayers this week? [36:50]
4. Moses demonstrated a holy boldness in his prayers. What steps can you take to cultivate a similar boldness and confidence in your relationship with God? [32:09]
5. Consider the urgency and persistence in Moses' prayer. Is there a specific area in your life or community where you feel called to pray with greater urgency and persistence? How will you commit to this in the coming weeks? [41:55]
6. Moses was deeply concerned about the perception of God among the nations. How can you be a witness to God's glory in your daily interactions with those outside the faith? [25:06]
7. Reflect on a time when you felt a burden for the church or the lost. How did you respond, and what can you learn from Moses' example to guide your future actions? [25:39]

Devotional

Day 1: God's Glory as Our Priority
Moses' primary concern in his prayer was the glory of God. He understood that God's reputation was at stake, and he pleaded for God's presence to distinguish His people from others. This challenges us to prioritize God's glory in our prayers, recognizing that our lives and the church's witness reflect on Him. Moses' intercession was not just about personal gain or comfort but about ensuring that God's name would be honored among the nations. His prayer was a reminder that the ultimate purpose of our lives and prayers should be to bring glory to God. [07:13]

Isaiah 42:8 (ESV): "I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols."

Reflection: In what specific ways can you prioritize God's glory in your prayers and actions today?


Day 2: Selfless Intercession for the Church
Moses was not content with personal blessings; he was deeply concerned for the entire nation of Israel. This reflects a selfless intercession that prioritizes the church's well-being over individual needs. We are called to pray for the church's power and witness, recognizing that we are God's people, called to display His glory. Moses' prayer serves as a model for us to intercede for the collective body of believers, seeking God's presence and guidance for the church as a whole. [19:04]

Ephesians 6:18 (ESV): "Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints."

Reflection: How can you incorporate prayers for the church's strength and witness into your daily prayer routine?


Day 3: Boldness Rooted in Assurance
Moses prayed with boldness and confidence, assured of his acceptance by God. This boldness is rooted in the knowledge of Christ as our High Priest, who grants us access to the throne of grace. Our prayers should be marked by this holy boldness, confident in God's promises and His willingness to hear us. Moses' approach to God was not presumptuous but was based on a deep relationship and trust in God's character and promises. [32:09]

Hebrews 4:16 (ESV): "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Reflection: What specific promise of God can you boldly claim in prayer today, trusting in His faithfulness?


Day 4: Reasoning with God in Prayer
Moses' prayer included reasoning and arguing with God, reminding Him of His promises. This is not presumption but a childlike confidence in a loving Father. We are encouraged to plead God's promises in prayer, trusting that He delights in fulfilling His word. Moses' dialogue with God shows us that prayer can be a dynamic interaction where we bring God's promises to Him, seeking their fulfillment in our lives and the world around us. [36:50]

Isaiah 1:18 (ESV): "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."

Reflection: What promise from Scripture can you bring before God today, reasoning with Him in prayer for its fulfillment?


Day 5: Urgency and Persistence in Intercession
Moses demonstrated urgency and persistence in prayer, refusing to let go until God blessed His people. This challenges us to be persistent in our intercession, focusing on the one great need and not giving up until God answers. Moses' example teaches us the importance of perseverance in prayer, especially when seeking God's presence and blessing for ourselves and others. [41:55]

Luke 18:1 (ESV): "And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart."

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you need to persist in prayer, refusing to give up until you see God's answer?

Quotes

"Now let me remind you again that we are studying the chapter at all because we are looking into the whole question of Revival. We are starting from this assumption that the only hope for the Christian church at the present time is a mighty outpouring of God's spirit such as God gave graciously 100 years ago in the United States of America, in Northern Ireland, in Wales, and in Scotland and in other places." [00:02:14]

"Moses you remember was not satisfied with that he went back again into this Tabernacle this tent this place of meeting with God and there we have looked at him already as described in this section verses 12 to 17 we have looked at him presenting further petitions to God and I would remind you that we have seen that he has asked this particularly for a personal Assurance as far as he himself is concerned." [00:03:51]

"Surely there is nothing that is more important for us than this because if I understand the situation at all it is in this realm of purpose and of motives that we so constantly go wrong we start at the wrong end and therefore we will derive great benefit and instruction as we watch Moses praying here and of course what is true of him at this point you will find is true of God's intercessors God's Saints as they plead with God as you find them everywhere else in the scripture." [00:05:37]

"Moses was concerned primarily about the glory of God now he frequently you read these chapters the surrounding chapters in The Book of Exodus and elsewhere you will find that Moses constantly used this particular argument with God let me give an illustration from the previous chapter 32 you will find it in verses 11 and 12 God was angry with these children of Israel because they had made this golden Cal and so on and had rebelled against him." [00:07:39]

"Are you grieved at the state of the church well why are you grieved at the state of the church is it because you're old enough to remember the end of the Victorian era or the Edwardian period when it was the custom for people to crowd into churches uh is is it just a sort of nostalgia for the great days of the church or do we know something of a concern for the name of God?" [00:13:45]

"Well I might keep you here for a whole morning but we must go on we must press on I'm simply putting it like this my friend it seems to me there's no hope for Revival until you and I and all of us have reached the stage in which we begin to forget ourselves a little and to be concerned for the church for God's body people here on Earth." [00:21:11]

"Boldness, confidence there's no hesitation here there's a quiet confidence oh let me use the term there's a holy Boldness this is the great characteristic of all prayers that have ever prevailed it's a thing of course which is inevitable you cannot pray truly still less can you intercede if you haven't an assurance of your acceptance and if you don't know the way into the holiest of all." [00:31:42]

"Notice the boldness and the confidence and the Assurance with which Moses prayed and as I say this is not only characteristic of Moses but of all the Great Men of Prayer in the Bible and ever since read some of the prayers of the Saints of the centuries and you'll find this self- same thing but let me hurry to a second point which is most valuable and interesting did you notice the element of reasoning and of arguing that came in it's very daring but it's very true." [00:34:50]

"He reasoned with God he argued with God he reminded God of his own promises and he pleaded with God in the light of them he reminded God of his own declarations and said oh God can't you see that having said this you must is it right sir someone to speak to God like that is not this presumption no no these things you see go together." [00:36:56]

"Orderliness it's directness the specific petition you notice that Moses here doesn't offer up some vague indefinite General prayer no no he is concentrating on the one great need of course he worshiped God of course there was the reverence and The Godly fear yes but at this point it is this one thing so he keeps concentrating on that he won't get away from it this presence of God he says I won't move unless you come you must come with us and he gives his reasons he PES him with all these arguments the one thing." [00:39:37]

"The urgency you see Moses here is like Jacob was in that passage we read there at the beginning out of Genesis 32 this element always comes into true intercession I will not let thee go I will not let thee go I'm going on the morning is breaking he'd been struggling through the night let me go no I will not let thee go except thou bless me the urgency read the great biblical prayers it's always there." [00:40:56]

"May God make of us intercessors such as Moses it's no use anybody saying oh but he was an exceptionally great man I've already demonstrated you Sunday morning after Sunday morning that God in the past history of revivals has made use of men who are mere noodies in exactly the same way as he used Moses here James mcquilkin a 100 years ago in Northern Ireland you'd never heard his name before he was the man whom God burdened in this way he was the Moses 100 years ago in Northern Ireland it can be any one of us may God make of us intercessors such as Moses was amen." [00:43:27]

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