O poder da oração de intercessão: orando pelos outros
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A oração de intercessão é um dos atos mais poderosos que podemos fazer como cristãos. Interceder por outros é uma maneira de mostrar amor e cuidado, e também de se envolver na obra de Deus em favor dos outros.
Na Bíblia, vemos diversos exemplos de intercessão, desde os grandes profetas até Jesus Cristo, que intercedeu por nós...
O exemplo de Jesus como intercessor
Jesus Cristo é o exemplo perfeito de intercessor. Em João 17, Ele faz uma oração profunda em favor de Seus discípulos, pedindo a Deus que os guarde e os proteja do mal. Ele também intercede por aqueles que ainda creriam n'Ele, mostrando a importância de orar pelos outros, mesmo antes que eles soubessem de suas necessidades.
Jesus, em Sua vida, ensinou que a oração não é apenas para nossos próprios interesses, mas também para o bem-estar dos outros.
Jesus prayed that God would honor him.
After Jesus said those things, he looked up toward heaven. Then he prayed, "My Father, it is now the time [MTY] for me to suffer and die. Honor me as I do that, in order that I may honor you. You gave me authority over all people, in order that I might enable all those whom you chose to come to me to live eternally. The way for people to live eternally is for them to know that you are the only true God, and to know that I, Jesus, am the Messiah, the one you have sent. I have honored you here on this earth by completing all the work that you gave me to do. My Father, now honor me when I am with you again, by causing me to have the greatness I had when I was with you before the world began."
Jesus prayed that God would protect his disciples.
"I have revealed what you are like to the people whom you brought to me from among those who do not belong to you [MTY]. Those who came to me belonged to you, and you brought them to me. Now they have obeyed your message. Now they know that everything you have given me, your message and your work, comes from you. I gave them the message that you gave me, and they have accepted it. They now know for certain that I came from you. They now believe that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for those who do not belong to you [MTY]. Instead, I am praying for those whom you have brought to me, because they belong to you. All the disciples that I have belong to you, and all those who belong to you also belong to me. They have shown how great I am. I will not be staying in the world any longer. I will be coming back to you. They, however, will be here in the world among those who are opposed to you. My Holy Father, protect them from spiritual harm by your power [MTY], the power that you gave me, in order that they may be united as we are united. While I have been with them, I have completely protected them by the power [MTY] that you gave me. As a result, only one of them will be eternally separated from you. He is the one who was doomed to be eternally separated from you. That has happened to fulfill what a prophet wrote in the Scriptures would happen.
Father, now I am about to return to you. I have said these things while I am still here in the world in order that my disciples may fully experience being joyful, as I have been joyful. I have given them your message. As a result, those who are opposed to you [MTY] have hated them, because my disciples do not belong to those who oppose you [MTY], just like I do not belong to those who oppose you [MTY]. I am asking you, not that you take them out of this world, but instead that you protect them from Satan, the evil one. They do not belong to those who are opposed to you [MTY], just like I also do not belong to them. Set my disciples apart so that they may ◄completely belong to/serve► you, by enabling them to live in accordance with what is true. Your message is true. Just like you sent me here into this world, now I surely will be sending them to other places in [MTY] the world. I dedicate myself to completely belong to you, in order that they also may truly be dedicated {dedicate themselves} completely to you."
Jesus prayed for future believers.
"I am praying not only for these eleven disciples. I am praying also for those who will believe in me as a result of hearing their message. My Father, I want all of them to be united, just like I am united with you because of my relationship with you, and as you are united with me because of your relationship with me. I also want them to be united with us. I want that to happen so that those who do not know you [MTY] may know that you sent me. I have honored my disciples just like you honored me, in order that they may be united, as we are united. I want them to be united just like they are united with me and as you are united with me. May they be completely united, in order that those who do not belong to you [MTY] may know that you sent me and that you have loved them just like you have loved me.
My Father, I want the disciples you have brought to me to some day be with me in heaven, where I will be. I want them to see my greatness. I want them to see the greatness you gave me because you loved me. You gave me that greatness before you created the world.
My righteous Father, although the people who do not belong to you [MTY] do not know what you are like, I know what you are like, and my disciples know that you sent me. I have revealed to them what you are like, and I will continue to reveal to them what you are like. I will do that in order that they may love others just like you love me, and in order that I may be in them by my Spirit."
Intercessão no Antigo Testamento
O Antigo Testamento também traz exemplos poderosos de intercessão. Moisés intercedeu pelo povo de Israel quando eles pecaram contra Deus, e Deus ouviu sua oração e poupou a nação (Êxodo 32:11-14). Da mesma forma, Abraão intercedeu por Sodoma e Gomorra, buscando que Deus poupasse as cidades se houvesse pelo menos dez justos (Gênesis 18:23-33).
Esses exemplos nos ensinam que podemos ir diante de Deus em favor dos outros, pedindo Sua misericórdia e intervenção em suas vidas.
A importância da intercessão na vida cristã
Interceder pelos outros é um reflexo do nosso amor e preocupação com eles. A Bíblia nos ensina a orar uns pelos outros (Tiago 5:16), e a oração de intercessão é uma maneira de demonstrar esse amor. Além disso, a intercessão fortalece nossa própria fé, pois nos permite ver como Deus atua na vida das pessoas de maneiras que muitas vezes não conseguimos compreender.
Quando oramos pelos outros, também estamos colaborando com Deus em Sua obra redentora no mundo.
Versículos que incentivam a oração de intercessão:
1. 1 Timóteo 2:1: "Antes de tudo, exorto que se façam deprecações, orações, intercessões e ações de graças por todos os homens."
2. Romanos 8:34: "Quem os condenará? Foi Cristo Jesus quem morreu, e mais, quem ressuscitou, está à direita de Deus e também intercede por nós."
3. Efésios 6:18: "Com toda oração e súplica, orando em todo o tempo no Espírito, e para isso vigiando com toda a perseverança e súplica por todos os santos."
O impacto da oração de intercessão
Quando oramos pelos outros, Deus pode agir de maneiras que não conseguimos prever, trazendo cura, proteção, e direção a quem precisa. A oração de intercessão tem um grande poder, pois nos conecta diretamente com o coração de Deus para os outros, e Ele honra nossas orações.
Lembre-se, não importa se a pessoa está perto ou distante, a oração pode atravessar qualquer barreira. Se este artigo te ajudou, compartilhe e espalhe a Palavra de Deus.
