Intercession: The Faith Jesus Hears

In Mark 7:24-30 we meet a woman who won the heart of Jesus. This is the Gentile woman in the region of Tyre who came to Jesus on behalf of her demon-tortured daughter, begging for her deliverance. She is a tremendous example to us of an INTERCESSOR, someone who comes to Christ on behalf of another. Jesus made much of her FAITH, saying in Matthew 15:28, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire."

What was it about her faith and her intercession that won a hearing and healing from the Lord Jesus?

• She was motivated by a CLEAR NEED. Her daughter was "severely oppressed by a demon" v.22. We can easily imagine how such continual torture endured by her daughter motivated her to do WHATEVER it took to obtain her freedom. Do you see the needs of those around you clearly? Every man or woman you see will spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. There is no other option. And the only way to Heaven and out of Hell is through saving faith in Jesus. All men are held captives of Satan (Ephesians 2:1-3) and can only be freed by Jesus. If we see their need clearly, we will pray for them and not give up until either they are saved or they are dead. How about believers? The purpose of every believer and therefore their need for prayer is to bring glory to God and to reflect His Son and to serve the interests of His Kingdom. That is true for EVERY believer you know. Are you intercedeing for them? Do you see their needs? Study Jesus' prayer for believers in John 17.
• Her faith was FOCUSED ON JESUS. She had heard that this Jesus was in the area, v.25. Jesus always responds to faith that trusts His ability and His character. She comes begging to Jesus. Jesus does not respond. She keeps on begging, and Jesus speaks, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs" v.27. This strange sounding response was to let the woman know of his priority mission: the Jews. But the woman is not deterred. She responds, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs" v.28. What is she saying? She believes that even the smallest part of Jesus' compassion and power ("crumbs") is enough to overpower the demon that tortures her daughter. What GREAT FAITH! What do YOU believe about Jesus as you pray for others? Do you believe that He is so powerful that even the crumbs of His power can save the worst sinner you know? Do you believe that even the crumbs of Jesus' power can set any believer free from habits or past trauma that keeps them from growing into Christ's likeness today? Jesus is won over by such faith.
• Jesus responds to PERSISTENT faith. This woman would not give up. She kept begging (i.e. interceding) through: the cultural barriers (Jews normally hated Gentiles and vice versa), the silence of Jesus, the request of the disciples that Jesus send her away (Mt.15:23), and the strange response of Jesus referring to her as a "dog" (i.e. household pet is the Greek word used here). She would not give up. This is what Jesus says should be true of us, as well (Luke 18:1). Who have you given up on? Who have you stopped interceding for? There is only one thing to do if we have given up in our intercession: START AGAIN!! Be reminded of their need, lost or saved, and start going to Jesus, the powerful to save and sanctify, once again.
• The woman's faith was both BOLD and HUMBLE. To dare to come to a Jewish Rabbi as a pagan woman was bold indeed! Pharisees would not be seen talking to a woman in public, especially a Gentile woman. To keep begging when all signs told her to go away was bold. But she was also humble. She agreed that she was a Gentile "dog." She came and "fell down at His feet" v.25 in humility. And she was heard. We are to come "boldly to the throne of grace" in asking for help and mercy because of WHO our High Priest is (Hebrews 4:16). The throne of grace, which was so foreign to us before Christ is NOW WHERE WE BELONG!! Yet we are also to come humbly, remembering that we belong in God's presence ONLY because of Jesus. He is sovereign Lord...He does as He pleases. We should NEVER get to the place where we think our prayers force God's hand. Rather, we should remember that "if we ask anything according to HIS WILL, He hears us" 1John 5:14.

And so...let us keep going to God through Christ on the behalf of others, lost and saved...with a clear vision of their need, with a faith that even the crumbs of Jesus' power can set the Satan-captive free, with persistence, and with a bold humility.

We will be heard!