Mercy Intercessors: God's stethoscopes!


Mercy Intercessor's are amazing. They are just as able to weep for their enemies as they are for their friends, because they have a Cross centered view of all God's creation. They see the need for forgiveness rather than judgement and they are often chided or corrected for ministering to the 'wrong people'. Mercy intercessors often identify with the hurts of both those who have been beaten and those who have done the beating.

Mercy intercessors make the choice to identify with the hurts and needs of others. They will often surrender they own needs in prayer to cry out on behalf of the hurting. They are the ones who are most often seen weeping – and men who are mercy intercessors often struggle with their inability to restrain their tears!
Mercy Intercessors are usually the first to sign up to go on hospital visitation programs, because they can't stand to think of people lonely, or suffering, without wanting to cry out for their healing.

Let me say this about tears: When you let tears flow, you are releasing something on three levels: spiritual, emotional and physical.
tears unleash the heart of God – they show our spiritual dependence upon the heavenly Father. They are an outward sign of our inward brokenness and need for Him. ( Ps. 34:18, 51:7,8)
tears unleash a spirit of identification. They demonstrate a heart that is connected with others. Rom 12:15 gives us the key to friendships “ rejoice with those that rejoice and weep with those who weep'...Jesus tears representing His identity with the hurts of people
tears unleash physical acts of healing: the medical profession states that there is a physical change in our bodies when we cry – causing healing hormones to be released and some of the physical stress that is trapped within is able to be alleviated.

Pitfalls of Mercy Intercessors:
While identifying with a person can be a strength, it can also become an hindrance. Don't get so deep into identifying with the pain of others, that the burden takes you out personally and spiritually. Here are some other pitfalls to watch out for:

-Rescuing: wanting so desperately to save others from pain, that you prevent God's hand of corrective discipline form accomplishing His purposes.
-you can feel judged, mocked or quenched by others who feel uncomfortable with tears.
-You refuse to deliver a 'hard word' b/c it might hurt some one's feelings
-you get involved where God has not called you to go
-you grieve to the point of giving up your lives in despair rather than laying down your lives in prayer, to plant seeds of hope and change
-feeling lonely, unappreciated and hurt when others don't hear a call to meet the needs of others
identifying to the point of depression
-refusing to let go when God's season for helping someone is over.

Are you a Mercy Intercessor?
Do you grieve over issues you know are breaking God's heart?
Do you struggle with or judge others who don't seem sensitive to the pain going on in the hearts of others?
Are you accused of being sensitive to the wrong people?
Do people find it easy to share their hurts with you?
When people share their pain with you, do you have difficulty letting it go?

Remember: mercy intercessors need to hope in God...not in people! Don't be despart for answer; rather surrender to God's wisdom for the the people and the situation. Surrender your right to control the outcome of another person's choice – even if you want them to chose the RIGHT way! Refuse to judge the motives of others and don't take it personally if not everyone sees the needs you do.