And again, I saw Him praying within me and I was as if I were inside my own body, and I heard Him above me - that is, over my inner person - and He was praying hard with groanings. And all the while I was dumfounded and astonished, wondering Who it could be that was praying within me.

  - Patrick, Confession (British, 5th century)

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

  - Hebrews 7.25

Who's praying for you and your mission today?

Patrick's account of the vision of Jesus praying in/over him is most remarkable. It is important to recall that Patrick did not have a copy of the Bible to read on a regular basis. Indeed, he probably would have struggled to read it even if he did. The Lord had a mission for Patrick, and it would take four visions to get him on to the field.

The quote above is from the third vision which came to him after he had returned home. He had already received the first vision to go to Ireland for the sake of the Gospel but he seems not to have gone right away. Would you? Another vision came in the night - the voice of the Lord assuring Patrick that He was with Him.

Still He delayed. This next vision (ours) was of the Lord laboring in/over him in prayer. It was as if Jesus was interceding mightily on Patrick's behalf, and Patrick saw himself right there with Him. Whether His prayer was to get Patrick moving or to clear the way for him - since there were obstacles - is not clear. When he awoke, Patrick remembered the Scriptures which teach that the Lord and the Spirit intercede for us. The Spirit intercedes from within us; Jesus intercedes over us at the right hand of God.

Finally, after a fourth vision it became clear to Patrick that it was time to depart, and he did. But the turning point seems to have been the vision of Jesus and the Spirit interceding for him. Something about that dream/vision must have moved him to act, for immediately he was opposed by his church. Only after the fourth vision did he defy his pastors and leave for Ireland.

The Lord interceded for Patrick - to prepare his soul, clear the way for his mission, and bolster his courage in the face of opposition. Patrick showed courage beyond merely human. He went to Ireland - where he was a fugitive slave - with no support except the money from his inheritance. He had no training. He had no degree. He had no friends.

All he had was the Lord interceding in/over him.

We have that same intercession. You have it today - Jesus and the Spirit striving mightily for you to take up your mission and reach out to the people around you with the Good News of the King and His Kingdom. Do you know them interceding for you? Do you join your prayers with theirs? Can you trust in them to give you the courage you need for this day's calling?

Jesus has sent us to the world with the eternal Gospel. We are not alone. He is with us; He is in us. He is interceding for us. But we must take the step of faith each day requires in order to go beyond our own experience, our own strength, our own courage into the realm of faith where, as we depend on the Lord, He Who prays for us shows Himself faithful to do exceeding abundantly beyond all we have ever dared to ask or think.

When you live this way, you are no longer living in the flesh. You are living in the Spirit and in the Lord.

And this is how we're meant to live.

T. M. Moore, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.