Ayo Bello Memorial Baptist Church, Ilorin – Nigeria

Introduction

Beloved, we are gathered under a profound theme today: “Grace for Support and Sustenance.”

• In a world marked by uncertainties, delays, and disappointments, God’s grace remains the unshakable pillar that upholds us from the womb to our grey hairs. The foundational scriptures today reveal both the nature of God and His commitment to those who are His.
• Let us journey through Isaiah 46:3–6 and 2 Corinthians 9:8 to see how God, who made us, continues to bear, carry, and deliver us through all seasons of life.

Definition:

Support:

• bear all or part of the weight of; hold up.
• a thing that bears the weight of something or keeps it upright.

Sustenance/Sustain:

• to keep (a person, the mind, the spirits, etc.) from giving way
• Divine’s self – sufficiency – “Dododanwa”

1. God’s Voice Is Foundational (Isaiah 46:3a)

“Listen to me, O house of Jacob…”

• The first call in Isaiah 46 is not an action but an instruction to listen. God’s voice is the beginning of all sustenance. He spoke the world into existence; He upholds the world by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3).

Implication: Hearing and obeying God positions you to access His grace. Support begins with divine instruction.- Job 33:14-16; Isaiah 30:21; Rom 10:17

Application: Many are sustained not because of resources but because of relationship. Tune your ears to the Shepherd’s voice–Psalm 23:4-5

2. God’s Grace Is Exclusive to His Children (Isaiah 46:3b; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 9:8)

“…all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by Me from before your birth.”

• Grace for support is not universal in application. It is specific to the redeemed.
• Those who are in Christ are new creations (2 Cor. 5:17), and God’s grace is made to abound toward them (2 Cor. 9:8).

Implication: The starting point of sustained grace is new birth.

Application: If you are born again, God’s grace is your inheritance. If not, today is the day of salvation.

3. God’s Intimate Knowledge of You Qualifies Him to Support You (Isaiah 46:3c; Psalm 139:13–14)

“I have made you, and I will carry you.”

• He made you. He knows your design. He formed your inward parts- Psalm 139:13-14; He even numbers your hairs (Luke 12:7).

Implications:

• God is not an experimental sustainer. He has the blueprint of your life.- Gen 2:7; Psalm 8:4-5
• His support is custom-built, not mass-produced.

Application: Trust God’s detailed support system. No burden escapes His notice.

4. God’s Personal Sustaining Promise (Isaiah 46:4)

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”

• Nothings is so certain as God’s personal involvement in your life as Your Father- The I am that I am
• Sustaining grace: This verse shows God’s grace in all seasons—from youth to old age.
• Supportive grace: God carries and delivers, not just passively watches.
• Covenantal grace: God’s care is based on His covenant relationship, not your condition.
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Implications:

• “I am He” (Hebrew: Ani Hu) — a declaration of God’s unchanging identity and eternal presence.
• “Even to hoar hairs will I carry you” — “Hoar hairs” = old age, grey hair. “Carry” (Hebrew: ‘esbol’) — to lift up, sustain, bear burdens.
• “I have made, and I will bear” — Creator and Sustainer. What He makes, He takes responsibility for. He doesn’t outsource His care
• “Even I will carry, and will deliver you” — A threefold assurance: Carry, Bear, Deliver.

Application: No matter your age or stage, God is your unchanging help.

5. Biblical Harmony on Grace

Theme                Isaiah 46:4                  2 Corinthians 9:8

Divine Source      “I am He… I have made you”         “God is able…”

Sustenance“I will carry… sustain… rescue” “All sufficiency in all things”

Continuity“Even to old age and gray hairs” “Always having all sufficiency”

Purpose of GracePreservation and rescue Abounding in good works

Nature of GraceTender, faithful, personal Overflowing, enabling, generous

6. Grace Is Not Seasonal

From birth to old age, God remains constant. He does not abandon His own when they are weak, frail, or aged. This reality is emphasized in both Isaiah and Corinthians.

Each day walk with Christ is anchored on Grace- Philippians 2:13; Proverbs 18:1; John 15:5

Implication: Grace does not expire. God does not run out of strength or mercy.

7. Grace Is Covenant-Based

God’s sustaining power comes from a place of relationship and ownership.

• Isaiah: “I made you”
• Paul: “God is able”

Implication: God’s ability flows from His nature. His commitment flows from His covenant.

Conclusion: He Is Our God Forever (Psalm 48:14)

“For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death.”

• Let this sink in: You are never alone. In Christ, you have unending grace for unrelenting support.
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Reflection

Are you relying on your own strength?

Are you born again and truly walking with Christ?

Are you facing a stage in life where support seems distant?

Come back to the God who carries, supports, and sustains.

Prayer Uproar for Divine Support

• Lord, help me to recognize and rest in Your sustaining grace.
• Root me deeper in Christ that I may never fall.
• Carry me through every season of my life.

Let your grace abound in every area of my need.

(AN INTRODUCTION TO 2025 ANNUAL BIBLE STUDY)

TEXT: 2PETER 1:1-4.

INTRODUCTION

God has not left us to struggle through life alone. He has made provision through grace to live victoriously and consistently in Him every single day.

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Second Peter is a short but significant book of the New Testament, written to warn believers against the activities of false teachers and combat their heresis.

The first verse opens with the IDENTITY OF THE AUTHOR (2Peter 1:1a).

The author identifies himself in two ways- by “name” and by “title.” Both are very significant.

(i) By Name- Simon Peter

▪︎ Simon is a Greek name given to him at birth, meaning to “hear or obey”.

▪︎ Peter is a Hebrew name given to him by Jesus, meaning “Rock or stone”. Look up Matthew16:16-19.

He needed to add this name for proper identification, to differentiate him from other Simons in the New Testament.

Exercise: Read the following scriptures and identify the Simons mentioned there: Matthew 10:4; 26:6; 27:32; John 6:71; Acts 10:6.

(ii) By Title – Servant And Apostle of Jesus Christ.

Servant:

▪︎ A place of submission to a higher authority.

▪︎ A place of service and obedience, bound by duty to do whatever the Master tells him.

▪︎ A servant has no right of his own (Possessed by the master as he possesses his property).

By implication, all Christians are servants of Jesus Christ, belong to Jesus Christ, and must always be at the Master’s service.

Apostle:

▪︎ An Apostle means “the sent out” (like an Ambassador).

▪︎ He has authority behind his mission.

▪︎ Though he is a servant, he carries spiritual authority.

Spiritual leadership should be a combination of submission, the sacrificial obedience of a servant, and the strength, boldness and courage of an apostle, with no pride or arrogance.

Reflection: (a) Mention some of the characteristics of an ambassador.

(b) Compare and contrast Peter’s identity with that of the contemporary “servants of God.”

THE OPERATIONAL DIMENSIONS OF GRACE IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER

1. Grace is God’s Gift in Salvation

“… them that have obtained like precious faith with us…” 2Peter 1:1b.

▪︎ The faith received by the recipients of this letter is the same in value with that of the apostles.

By implication, all believers in Christ have received the same precious faith.

▪︎ No first-class nor second-class Christians.

▪︎ No basis for pride or feeling of inferiority.

This faith is based on the righteousness of our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

▪︎ No man is truly good. Look up Isaiah 64:6.

▪︎ We are saved because God imputed the righteousness of His Son Jesus into our lives.

▪︎ Nobody is more worthy than another person. Check Ephesians 2:8-9.

▪︎ We are all saved by grace through this same faith. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men”- Titus 2:11.

2. Grace is Not Static- 2Peter 1:2

▪︎It is fuelled and increased through insatiable thirst and  diligent seeking to know more of God and of Jesus everyday. Look up Philippians 3:10.

Reflection: How can we acquire the knowledge of God that brings about multiplication of grace?Read Acts 20:32.

3. Grace Empowers For Daily Living- 2Peter 1:3.

▪︎ Grace is not just for salvatian. It’s what carries us on in our daily chistian living. Salvation is the entry point, not the endpoint. See Romans 5:1-2.

▪︎ Grace is not just power but divine enablement. See 2Corinthians 12:9.

“…his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness….”- 2Peter 1:3

▪︎ God has already given us everything we need to live a a life that pleases Him. Check Philippians 2:13.

▪︎ This is possible through our knowledge of Him (Relationship and intimacy is the key). See Galatians 2:20.

▪︎ Knowledge of God and faith in Him are the channel whereby all spiritual supports and comforts are conveyed to us.

4. Grace Conveys Unto Us The Promises That Sustain Us- 2Peter 1:4a.

▪︎ God’s Word is filled with promises to guide, empower, and sustain us.

▪︎ These promises are our spiritual resources that sustain us through life. We must believe, claim and live by them.

5. Grace Leads Us To a Transformed Life- 2Peter 1:4b.

▪︎ Grace doesn’t leave us the same. It transforms us. See 2Corinthians 5:17.

▪︎ We are called to participate in the divine nature- to reflect the character of Christ. Check Romans 12:1-2; Colossians 3:10; Galatians 5:16, 22-25.

Grace enables us to escape the corruption that is in the world.

▪︎ The dominion that sin has over us is according to the desire (lust) and the delight (pleaure) we have in it. But our renewed mind is free from all sinful thoughts and desires.

CONCLUSION

The Christian life is a grace-filled life, from start to finish. Grace saves, empowers, transforms, and sustains us. Let us therefore draw closer to Christ daily, living not in our strength, but in the sufficiency of His grace.

May the Lord help us so to do in Jesus’ name.

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” — Acts 3:19 (KJV)

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What is “Times of Refreshing”?

A time of refreshing is a divine moment where Heaven meets Earth with restoration, renewal, and a revival of strength. It is a season where the dry places become fruitful again, where brokenness gives way to wholeness, and where the past is overshadowed by the glory of what is new.

Just as Psalm 23:2 says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters,” this time is symbolic of green pastures, divine restoration, and a shining moment when God turns mourning into dancing and ashes into beauty (Isaiah 61:3).

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Emblems of Refreshing:

Each symbol is a divine tool used by God to bring us into His freshness:

1. Water for Cleansing – “…with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:26); Heb. 10:22
2. Blood for Purification – “…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7; Heb. 9:14, Rev.1:5
3. Rain for Supply – “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain…” (Zechariah 10:1; Leviticus 26:4; Isaiah 55:10-11
4. Spirit for Renewal – “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength…” Isaiah 40:31; Romans 8:11; II Corinthians 4:16

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Biblical Examples of Refreshing:

Throughout Scripture, God brought refreshing to lives and situations long deemed hopeless:

• Naaman – from leprosy to restoration (2 Kings 5:14)
• The Bent-over Woman – 18 years of bondage ended in one encounter (Luke 13:11-13)
• The Woman with the Issue of Blood – 12 years healed by a touch (Mark 5:25-34)
• The Man Born Blind – saw for the first time (John 9:1-7)
• Elijah and the End of Drought – rain restored after 3.5 years (1 Kings 18:41-45)
• The Lame at the Gate Beautiful – leapt for joy after years of begging (Acts 3:1-10)
• Sarah – aged womb refreshed to bear a nation (Genesis 21:12)
• The Prodigal Son – From rebellion to restoration- (Luke 15:24)

Characteristics of Times of Refreshing:

1. It is Visible to All – “And all the people saw him walking and praising God.” (Acts 3:9)
2. It Is Better and More Glorious – “The glory of this latter house shall be greater…” (Haggai 2:9; Psalm 126:1-3
3. It Comes with New Strength – “Your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:5)
4. It Terminates Old Stories – “Behold, I will do a new thing…” (Isaiah 43:18 -19)

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Magnitude & Dimension of Refreshing:

• Perfect Refreshing – God completes whatever He starts (Philippians 1:6)
• Full Refreshing – Nothing missing, nothing broken (Joel 2:25-26)
• Lasting Refreshing – Like rivers that never run dry (John 4:14)

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PRAYER UPROAR: Let the River Flow!

“Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” — Psalm 81:10

1. Father, I declare this is my season of refreshing – “The set time to favour her has come.” (Psalm 102:13)
2. I receive the full dimensions of divine refreshing – “That you might be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19)
3. Let the Living Water flow into every dry area of my life – “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38)
4. By the Blood of Jesus, cleanse me—body, mind, and soul—for a fresh start – “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.” (Psalm 51:7)
5. Holy Spirit, renew my strength, empower me for righteousness and purpose – “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
6. Let AyoBello Memorial Baptist Church, Ilorin, testify of continuous refreshing – “The Lord shall guide you continually… and you shall be like a watered garden.” (Isaiah 58:11)

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Conclusion:

Beloved, “Times of Refreshing” are not just seasonal—they are spiritual. They come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19). As we align our hearts, lift our voices, and yield to the Holy Spirit, rivers will flow, glory will fall, and new stories will be written. Let us step boldly into the stream of God’s refreshing! “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground…” — Isaiah 44:3

Introduction

• Beloved of the Lord, over the last two weeks, God has opened our spiritual eyes and blessed our understanding with powerful revelations on Renewed Beginnings—a divine journey into new heights and new glory. We’ve come to recognize that in Christ, we are never stuck, never finished, never without a future.

But today, the Lord is shifting the dimension of our revelation. He is bringing us into a new horizon: a renewed beginning for a New Hope in Christ.

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

• These are not mere motivations—they are the living manifestations of divine hope.
• It’s a spiritual promise—a covenant reality.
• New hope in Christ brings fresh strength,

soaring grace, and the power to overcome weariness and faintness, even in the face of overwhelming opposition.

• Hope in God never dies. Hope in God refocuses us. It revives the hopeless heart and transforms it into a womb of divine opportunity.

A. Understanding New Hope in Christ

1. Hope is the Blueprint of Faith

• Hope is not inferior to faith—it is foundational to it. As Hebrews 11:1 says:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

• Hope gives form and aim to faith. When hope is absent, faith loses its target—it becomes scattered, like arrows without a bullseye. But when hope is alive, faith becomes sharp, intentional, and fruitful.
• Hope builds the image of God’s promises in your heart so that faith can go to work and bring it to pass.

2. Hope is Supernatural Expectancy

• Biblical hope is not worldly “wishing.” It is not a shallow desire or emotional optimism.
• The hope that the Word of God talks about is rooted in your covenant with God and the anointing He has released to fulfill it in your life.
• It’s not based on your conditions—it’s based on God’s unchanging will.

“…remember that at that time you were separate from Christ…without hope and without God in the world.” – Ephesians 2:12

• But now, by the blood of Jesus, we have a living hope (1 Peter 1:3), and a supernatural expectancy that what God has promised, He is well able to perform.
• In Philippians 1:19, Paul uses two powerful Greek words that are translated as hope. One means “happy anticipation of good”; the other means “eager longing, strained expectancy, watching with an outstretched head.”
• That’s the image of someone looking beyond their natural limitations, fully absorbed in what God is about to do.
• When you walk in this kind of hope, distractions lose their grip. The trials of life cannot weigh

you down, because your heart is locked on the certainty of God’s movement.

B. How to Obtain New Hope in God

1. New Hope Comes from God’s Word Revealed

• Hope rises when God’s children discover His Word and cling to it until it reshapes their inner image.

“In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures…” – Daniel 9:2

• When Daniel discovered God’s prophetic promise in Jeremiah 29:10–11, hope ignited in his heart and led to intercession and fulfillment.
• The same way, Isaiah 55:10–12 reveals that God’s Word brings joy, peace, and productivity when it enters our hearts.
• Hope comes when you take those promises and keep them before your eyes and ears, until they begin to build an image inside you. You stop seeing yourself without it—and start seeing yourself possessing it.
• Go to the Word—God’s will is His Word. It is His will for you to be healed, whole, fruitful, victorious, and full of divine purpose.
• Stay in the Word until your hope becomes crisply defined, until your spirit stretches with expectation.
• Meditate until you’re so full of divine vision that your morning starts with declarations of healing, joy, and power! 

2. New Hope Comes Through Absolute Trust in God-  Psalm 20:7; Isaiah 26:3

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not  Proverbs 3:5-6

• When your hope is grounded in God, unbelief has no entrance. Your heart becomes immovable, your mind unshakable.
• The fiery darts of the enemy bounce off you because your soul is anchored in divine expectation.

3. New Hope Comes to Those Who Wait on the Lord

• Hope is born in the secret place—where we wait on God in worship, in quietness, and in faith.

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…” – Isaiah 40:31

“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” – Proverbs 23:18

• Waiting is not wasting. It is a spiritual posture of expectation. You may look still, but your spirit is soaring. Your faith is preparing to catch what God is about to release!

4. New Hope is Strengthened by Bold and Unwavering Faith

“Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace…to the seed of Abraham.” – Romans 4:16

• Like Abraham, you must hope against hope. The Bible says Abraham did not waver through unbelief but was fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He had promised (Romans 4:20–21).
• The lame man at the gate (Acts 3:5) looked at Peter and John expecting to receive something. That kind of hope is magnetic—it pulls the supernatural into the natural.

“We having the same spirit of faith…we also believe, and therefore speak.” – 2 Corinthians 4:13

• When hope matures, it opens your mouth. The spirit of faith begins to speak—not out of formula, but from overflowing expectation. It calls things that be not as though they were, because it has already seen them in the spirit.

Conclusion: What New Hope Does in the Life of God’s Children

Hope is not an emotional cushion—it is a spiritual force.

Hope keeps you intensely focused on God’s promise. It paints the image of the future God has prepared for you—even when your circumstances show the opposite.

When you have hope:

• The devil cannot beat you down.
• Trials cannot rob your joy.
• Setbacks become setups.
• You develop a divine stubbornness—refusing to quit, rising stronger every time you fall.

“At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail.” – Job 14:7

• Let your hope be fierce, focused, and full of fire. Let it stir your faith into action. Let it birth prophetic vision and victorious living.

“And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit…” – Romans 5:5

This is your season for New Hope. And by the Spirit of the Living God, your hope shall not be cut off.

Introduction / Preamble

Beloved, we gather today under a divine declaration — not of mere encouragement, but of prophetic reassurance. The passage before us is a word in season.

It is God’s word to a weary people, a word to revive the faint-hearted, restore lost glory, and initiate a renewed beginning filled with New Glory.

Haggai 2:6–9 reveals God’s heart toward His covenant people in a time of disarray, dejection, and devastation.

These were people who had known glory — seen it with their eyes — and watched it depart. But the God of all seasons and situations had not forgotten them. And beloved, He has not forgotten us.

Contextual Background

In Haggai’s time, the Israelites were at their lowest ebb:

• The glorious Solomonic Temple had been destroyed (cf. 2 Kings 25:9).
• The Ark was gone, the lampstand extinguished — Ichabod, “the glory has departed” (cf. 1 Samuel 4:21).
• Many had returned from exile in Babylon, but they came home to ruins and rubble.
• Worship felt restricted, and the passion of their devotion was clouded with despair (Haggai 2:3).

They had memory without manifestation… hope without substance.

Yet in the middle of that darkness, God speaks.

God’s Fourfold Response in Haggai 2:6–9

1. God Sends His Word (vs. 6)

“This is what the Lord Almighty says…”

Before God moves, He speaks — His Word always precedes His work.

• The Word is not bound by circumstance. (Isaiah

55:10–11)

• The Word is the seed of transformation, the catalyst for change. (Psalm 107:20)
• In your chaos, God still speaks. Are you listening?

His voice shakes the heavens and the earth — because sometimes things must be shaken before they are rearranged.

🔥 God’s Word is the shaking that precedes the shifting!

2. God Demonstrates His Sovereignty (vs. 6b–7)

“I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations…”

God reminds Israel that He is Lord over all realms — heaven, earth, sea, and dry land.

• Nothing is outside His reach — not your wilderness, not your broken altar.
• He is the One who causes nations to tremble so His purposes can emerge. (Daniel 2:21)
• He shakes structures and systems to reveal what cannot be shaken. (Hebrews 12:26–27)

No matter where you’ve been — be it exile, barrenness, betrayal, or bondage — God is not

confined by geography or history. His sovereignty extends into your personal wilderness.

3. God Proves His All-Sufficiency (vs. 8)

“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine…”

This is God’s divine declaration of total ownership and limitless provision.

• You don’t need to see the provision — just trust the Provider. (Philippians 4:19)
• Every resource required to fulfill God’s purpose already exists in His hand.
• He is Jehovah Jireh — not just a provider, but The Provision Himself. (Genesis 22:14)

The Israelites worried about the cost of rebuilding — but God said, “I own the supply chain.”

🕊️ The One who gives the vision also owns the provision.

4. God Promises New Glory (vs. 7b, 9)

“I will fill this house with glory…”

“The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former…”

This is the crescendo — the divine announcement of a New Glory.

What is God’s Glory?

• His Presence (Exodus 33:14)
• His Weightiness – the kabod – the heaviness of His nature and influence
• His intervention in the affairs of men

When glory comes:

• The ordinary becomes extraordinary
• The natural is overtaken by the supernatural
• The temporal becomes a stage for the eternal

Dimensions of New Glory in Verse 9:

• 🌅 New Horizon – A new dawn breaks over your life. (Isaiah 43:19)
• 🌿 Greater Restoration – More than what was lost will be restored. (Joel 2:25)
• 💖 Divine Comfort – Peace, not as the world gives. (John 14:27)
• 🔁 Transformation – A change of story and status. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

🎇 This isn’t a recycled past — it’s a brand new future.

Life Application: God’s Glory in Our Midst

What does this mean for us today at AyoBello Memorial Baptist Church?

1. God’s Work in the Midst of the Year Is Mighty

“In a little while…” – God doesn’t need forever. He can shift things suddenly.

God is shaking things, not to destroy, but to reconstruct your future. (Habakkuk 3:2)

2. God Can Turn Around Any Situation

From exile to rebuilding, from tears to triumph — nothing is too far gone.

3. God’s Intervention Is the Gateway to Glory

When God steps in, beginnings are renewed — the end is better than the beginning. (Ecclesiastes 7:8)

4. Peace Is a Signature of God’s Glory

“In this place I will grant peace…” (vs. 9)

Not just absence of trouble, but shalom – fullness,

harmony, health, and wellbeing.

Conclusion:

God is not finished with you.

• He is a restorer of ruined places (Isaiah 58:12).
• He is the lifter of those bowed down in discouragement (Psalm 145:14).
• He gives new beginnings, not by erasing the past, but by redeeming it.

No matter your age or stage — whether you are elderly remembering former glory, an adult in the struggle of rebuilding, or a young adult looking toward the future — God is calling you into a New Glory that exceeds what was.

INTRODUCTION

Prayer is not just a personal discipline — it is a powerful, communal act where believers support each other before God.

God invites His people to stand in the gap for others through intercession. Such prayers are powerful and effective (James 5:14–16).

The aim of this teaching is to encourage us as believers to take seriously the call to intercede for others — with compassion, boldness, and alignment with God’s purposes.

UNDERSTANDING INTERCESSION

Intercession is standing in the gap between God and others — appealing to God’s mercy on their behalf.

▪︎ It is one of the most selfless expressions of love and spiritual maturity.

MOSES: A MODEL INTERCESSOR

Moses is described as the meekest man on earth (Numbers 12:3). His meekness and compassion are reflected in the way he constantly interceded for Israel (Numbers 12:13).

In Exodus 32, when the people made a golden calf and provoked God’s wrath (vv. 9–10), Moses stepped in — not to excuse their sin, but to plead for mercy.

FOUR TRUTHS ABOUT POWERFUL INTERCESSORY PRAYER:

1.  Intercession is Rooted in a Heart of Compassion

Exodus 32:11 – “But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God…”

Moses didn’t stand back in judgment — he stepped forward in mercy.

▪︎ His prayer flowed from deep love for the people, even in their rebellion. He reflected God’s own heart, which hates sin but still loves the sinner (John 3:16).

▪︎ To pray effectively for others, we must cultivate the heart of God — one that weeps over sin, yet pleads for mercy.

▪︎ When a brother or sister falls, we should respond in love by interceding for them — not condemning them (Galatians 6:1–2).

2. Intercession Appeals to God’s Character and Promises –  Exodus 32:12–13

Moses reminded God of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Israel.

▪︎ He didn’t try to manipulate God, but appealed to His unchanging character — His faithfulness, mercy, and promises (Hebrews 10:23).

▪︎ Intercessory prayer is most powerful when rooted in Scripture.

Moses prayed God’s Word back to Him — just like Jehoshaphat did (2 Chronicles 20:6–9).

▪︎ Learn to pray Scripture — invoking God’s mercy, grace, and covenant promises (Isaiah 55:11).

3. Intercession Can Change Outcomes

Exodus 32:14 – “Then the Lord relented…” (KJV: “repented”)

▪︎ God responded to Moses’ prayer.

▪︎ God did not change His nature — but His response to their sin shifted due to Moses’ intercession.

▪︎ True intercession can change outcomes — even when judgment appears certain.

▪︎ Abraham interceded for Sodom (Genesis 18:22–33).

▪︎ The church interceded for Peter (Acts 12:5–11).

▪︎ James 5:16 – “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

4. Intercession Reflects Christ’s Ministry

Moses was a type of Christ — a mediator between God and the people.

▪︎ Jesus is our ultimate intercessor:

▪︎ Hebrews 7:25 – “He ever lives to make intercession for them.”

▪︎ Romans 8:34 – “Christ Jesus… is at the right hand of God interceding for us.”

▪︎ When we intercede, we participate in Jesus’ ongoing ministry.

▪︎ If Christ intercedes for us, shouldn’t we follow His example and intercede for others? (1 Timothy 2:1–3)

CONCLUSION

Intercession is not optional — it is a divine calling.

Ezekiel 22:30 – “I sought for a man among them to stand in the gap…”

▪︎ God is still searching for people who will stand in the gap today.

CALL TO ACTION

▪︎ Will you stand in the gap?

▪︎ Who are you praying for today?

A lost family member? A struggling friend? Your church? Your nation? (2Chroniccles 714; 1 Timothy 2:2)

Start today:

▪︎ Commit to daily intercession.

▪︎ List 3–5 people you will pray for this week.

▪︎ Join a prayer group or prayer chain — make intercession a lifestyle.

🙏 FINAL ENCOURAGEMENT

When you pray for others, you are partnering with the heart of God and the ministry of Christ. Your prayers can change lives, families, churches, and nations.