I have a friend who found himself being sued for the fulfillment of a contract his company had signed. The company had agreed to pay this person a salary of $42,000. The problem was that the company that had been started, floundered and went out of business. This person, who is demanding payment, had been the person responsible for making the startup company a success. He obviously didn’t do his job but was still demanding payment. As the day of the court date approached the judge in the matter ordered that both parties had to go before a mediator to see if something could be worked out before they appeared in his courtroom. This was done and a solution was agreed upon by both parties. They then appeared before the judge for him simply to put his stamp on it and authorize it as legal.
The purpose of a mediator is to bring the parties together into a place of agreement. Mediators and mediation is a legal function. The Bible says in Hebrews that we have mediator of the new covenant.
Hebrews 12:24 – two Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, into the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of able.
We have come to Jesus as the mediator of the new covenant. Jesus is the one who is standing in the courts of heaven as the heavenly mediator bringing God the father and man together in agreement. Scripture says the man, Jesus, is the mediator. First Timothy 2:5 says that Jesus and his humanity and his godhood stands as the mediator between God and us.
First Timothy 2:5 – for there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.
The thing that makes one a mediator is that he or she is fair with both parties. A mediator has to be able to see where each party stands. As God, Jesus understands the demands of holiness, purity and righteousness. These standards cannot be compromised and are nonnegotiable. God is God can never allow his righteousness to be compromised. The demand of God upon man is to be holy as I am holy. First Peter 1:1 – 16 shows us this demand.
First Peter 1:1 – that is he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, be holy, for I am holy.
God is never lessened his demands on man. He just answered them in and through Jesus Christ. In addition, he grants us the grace that empowers us to live holy lives as he is holy. If and when we fail, there is forgiveness for us through Jesus Christ. First John 2:1 tells us that we are to strive not to sin, but should we sin, which Jesus accomplished on the cross grants God the legal right to forgive us.
First John 2:1 – my little children, these things are right to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone since, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Jesus is in the courts of heaven as our mediator bringing God and us together so what legally needs to happen can. Not only does Jesus as mediator stand for the demands of God in holiness, but he also stands as man understanding our frailty. He lived as a man and understands the pressures and temptations of our humanity. Scripture says, Jesus was tempted yet did not sin. Hebrews 4:15 – 16 encourages us with the fact that Jesus understands where we live and what we war against.
Hebrews 4:15 – for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
When the Bible says Jesus was tempted this means she felt the pull an enticement of sin. It was real. It from the power of the Holy Spirit in the grace he supplied, Jesus said no to sin every time. Because of this he is one a place in the courts of heaven greater than any other place. It also means he understands the limits on our humanity. Because of this he is qualified to stand as our mediator with God and as God’s mediator with us.
Notice the reason for Jesus is mediation is concerning the new covenant. He is the mediator of the new covenant. The term covenant is a legal term as well. Any time God made covenant with man, he came into a legal agreement. He was promising on the basis of covenant that he would fulfill his word and promises connected to their covenant. Jesus as our mediator and God’s mediator is working to remove every hindrance from our getting the promises of the new covenant. There are many promises connected to the new covenant. This covenant is based on better promises and a better sacrifice. Hebrews 8:6 says that the covenant Jesus is mediating is based on better promises.
Hebrews 8:6 – but now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as he is also mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
Jesus is here to mediate into place everything that is legally ours by virtue of his cross and sacrifice. God made promises based on Jesus’s blood and sacrifice. These promises are ours in Jesus. They belong to us. But our own weakness and humanity work against us from getting these promises.
The accuser will resist us from getting the promises contained in the new covenant. Jesus by his blood and sacrifice as our mediator is working to answer every accusation so we can legally have what was legally bought and paid for at the cross. Anything that we have yet to get from the sacrifice of the Cross is because something legal is being used by the devil to resist it. Jesus, as mediator, is working to remove this so we can have all the Jesus paid for us to have. If we have prayed and have yet to get what is legally ours from the cross, we must operate in discernment before the courts of heaven to remove what hinders us. Our mediator is operating on our behalf as well.
Our mediator, Jesus, is presenting before the courts of heaven are legal claims based on what he accomplished on the cross. The accuser of the brethren is playing out in the courts why God cannot legally grant what Jesus bought and paid for. The accuser basis is accusation out of the holiness of the Lord. Before God can legally grant what Jesus purchased for us and is ours by covenant, the mediator must answer these accusations in the courts. This usually requires our repentance and a putting into place of the blood of Jesus for our sins. Remember the devil has no answer for the blood. When we truly repent of our sins the blood cleanses them away and also takes away the right of the devil to resist us. We are now free to receive of the promises of the new covenant.
One of the ways to mediator operates in the courts of heaven in our behalf is through his testimony. Revelation 19:10 gives us a very interesting insight into Jesus releasing testimony as our mediator.
Revelation 19:10 – and I felt his feet to worship him. But he said to me, see that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
John the apostle makes a mistake in worshiping someone sent with the message. This was not an Angel because he says he is his fellow servant in of his brothers. This one was of the great cloud of witnesses I assume. We will touch this later. This man then grants John Revelation. He says the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. When Jesus as mediator is testifying in the courts of heaven, it can become prophecy in the mouth of us here on earth. As we prophesy, we are agreeing and releasing the same testimony that Jesus is releasing in the courts of heaven.
Prophecy isn’t just information in the earth realm. Prophecy is agreeing with the testimony of Jesus in the courts of heaven. This is why every word will be established in the mouth of two or three witnesses. Second Corinthians 13:1 says that things are established and considered to be true where more than one witness has said the same thing.
Second Corinthians 13:1 – this Abita third time I’m coming to you. By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.
This Scripture refers to court proceedings. When we prophesy we should be speaking what Jesus is testifying. Our voice in the courts agreeing with the voice of the mediator Grant Scott evidence to release verdicts in our behalf. The promises of the new covenant are then free to come into the earth realm.
To understand Jesus as the mediator we need to know that mediator is an all-inclusive term of Jesus’s function in the courts of heaven. I have briefly explain want to mediator is. There are other terms associated with this term of mediator. Jesus is called high priest, intercessor and advocate as our mediator.
Jesus the high priest
As high priest, it is Jesus’s responsibility to present and offering they grants God the legal right to show mercy and not judgment. This is the basic function of the high priest. This is what Aaron did as high priest. Through the offerings he presented, God was then free to be merciful to a people who would otherwise have had to judge. The good news is that not only is Jesus the high priest, he is also the offering that he as high priest offers. His sacrifice and offering is sufficient for God legally to forgive, save and redeem us into our destinies. Hebrews 9:11 – 12 shows us that Jesus is sacrifice gave him something as high priest offer.
Hebrews 9:11 – but Christ came as high priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Now with the bloods of goats and calves, but with his own blood he entered the most holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
Jesus as high priest offered his own blood in the most holy place to grant God the legal right to bless us, save us and redeem us into our destinies. This is the function of the high priest. Even though Jesus as high priest operates here, we have to appropriate this activity as believers. This requires faith and repentance in what Jesus has, and is, doing. We must understand the Jesus has finished the work of redemption but is still active in the courts of heaven into all he has done becomes reality in our lives. Jesus, from a place of rest, is now waiting until week, the church, embrace and activate all he has done. Hebrews 10:12 – 13 show us that Jesus present activity is from a place of rest.
Hebrews 10:12 – but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till his enemies are made his footstool.
When Scripture says that Jesus has sat down, it doesn’t imply inactivity. City down speaks of a place of absolute dominion and rulership. From this place he is waiting for his people, the church to work with him to put into place all that he legally purchased and paid for. He is still active from this place of dominion. When the Bible speaks of rest it is not speaking just of peace. It is speaking of a position of dominion and rulership. This is what Hebrews 4:9 says that – there remains therefore a rest for the people of God, even though it has been spoken of since creation. God is not waiting on a people just to have peace. He is waiting on a people to and are his position of dominion and rule from that place. He is waiting on us to discover and find a place of rulership with him that he always desired.
When God made Adam and the six-day, Adam arose on the seventh day and said to God, what are we going to do today? God responded, nothing. When you to learn immediately that everything we are going to do, we are going to do from rest.
We do not accomplish the will of God from striving. We accomplished love God through resting in him. Remember rest is not inactivity. Rest is working from a position of dominion and absolute authority. This is what Jesus is doing. He is still operating as mediator, high priest, intercessor and advocate. All these things he is doing from a position of rest and rulership.
Jesus – the intercessor
As our high priest, Jesus is functioning in the courts of heaven as our intercessor. Hebrews 7:25 shows that Jesus is interceding for us.
Hebrews 7:25 – therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us. Intercession is a legal activity. When we intercede, we are granting God the legal right to intervene in a situation. Through our intercession we are putting things legally into place for God to win. If God loses, it is because something legal has not been dealt with by us. Intercession is always made on the basis of an offering. If there is no offering then there is no basis for intercession. But where there is an offering, God remembers us. Psalm 20:1 – four shows us that God blessed and remember them on the basis of their offerings.
Psalm 20:1 – May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; me the name of the God of Jacob defend you; may send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion; may remember all your offerings, and except your burnt sacrifice. Selah may grant you according to your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your purpose.
Psalmist is speaking of how God will defend, help and strengthen us. Then he says, may he remember all your offerings in burnt sacrifices. It is offerings that create the basis by which we are heard.
Jesus as our intercessor also needs and offering to form the basis on which is per is heard. His body and his blood which he offered on the cross are his offering. If Jesus didn’t give his body and blood is an offering, he cannot be our intercessor. Hebrews 7:25 – 27 shows us that Jesus is function as intercessor is connected to the offering of himself that he made. Because of the sacrifice that is on the altar, his intercession has power and is legally accepted.
Hebrews 7:25 – therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For such a high priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priest, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for the peoples, for this he did once for all when he offered up himself.
This is good news for us. We should also have gifts on the altar. Our financial giving, sacrifices and offerings of ourselves create a basis for us to pray and intercede. Even if all that we have is the offering of Jesus blood and body, we have legal right to stand in the courts of the Lord. The truth is that Jesus as intercessor has a right to be heard in heaven because of his offering. This is true for us as well. Able was heard and accepted because of his offering. Hebrews 11:4 says that God testified of Abel’s offering.
Hebrews 11:4 – by faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice and Kane, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
God gave witness that Abel was righteous because he testified of his gifts. In other words, the Lord from his throne, deemed able righteous based on the face gifts he brought to the Lord. The Scripture goes on to say that he is still speaking today. I personally believe that his extravagant giving and offerings granted him a place of intercession still being heard today.
Jesus as our intercessor is interceding on the basis of his sacrifice for us. His intercession is in agreement with what his blood is speaking. It is great power in the courts of heaven as we agree.
Jesus – our advocate
Last thing that Jesus being our mediator means is he is our advocate. First John 2:1 – to show us that we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
First John 2:1 – my little children, these things are right to you, so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have and Abigail with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he himself is the proposition for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
As our advocate, Jesus is our intercessor, comforter and counselor. From his righteous position in the courts of heaven, we have imputed righteousness. When we fail our sin, God will forgive us for Jesus’s sake and impute his righteousness to us so we can stand legally in the courts of heaven. This only occurs if we repent. We must really repent and turn away from her sin. Once this is done, we are positioned in the courts of heaven to be a part of the process. This is what second Corinthians 5:21 says.
Second Corinthians 5:21 – for he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. We, by faith, repent and receive the imputed righteousness that comes from the Lord Jesus Christ and his sacrifice. This is what allows us to stand in the courts of the Lord. Again, the accuser has no answer for the blood.
Jesus is our advocate and will comfort and console us when we fail. He will also chasten us in press us to greater holiness. His grace doesn’t just forgive us; his grace empowers us to overcome sin.
To illustrate this, let me share an event from my own personal life. Several years ago Mary and I took her six children on a vacation to a resort in Mexico. It was one of the resorts where you paid a price and then all the food, lodging in some activities were then available to you. This was a big thing for our family of eight. We didn’t have a lot of money and felt privileged to be able to do this as a family. I think it was the second night that I had a dream. In my dream Jesus came to me. They didn’t look like Jesus. In fact he looked like a well-known actor, yet I knew it was Jesus without question. Jesus said to me, you have grieved the father. Mom and he said this I knew exactly what I had been doing that had grieved the Lord. I began to weep in the dream. Jesus turned to go back to the father and I reached out to touch him as he was leaving. He stopped and turned back to me. I then said to him, is this going to cause me to lose my destiny. I was very broken over what I had been told. Jesus then looked at me and said, I did not come to tell you this so you would be overcome, I came to tell you this so you would overcome. I then awoke.
When I woke up everything in me wanted to discuss this dream as not being the Lord because of who Jesus looked like. I didn’t want to hear the message Jesus had brought to me. But I knew it was the Lord. I believe the reason Jesus chose to look like someone that I didn’t think he would look like, was to see if I would tear truth from him in whatever form he brought it. March 16: 12 says Jesus appeared to them in another form. They went recognize him except by the spirit. We have to be able to hear him and receive from him even when we would like to disregard the message. I did however embrace the message he brought. I knew this was in agreement with the word of God. Jesus was acting as my ever get with the father. He came to tell me what the fathers posture was towards me at that present moment, but also how to correct it. I did get past the pain of the chastisement in overcome what could have destroyed my future and destiny. It was because of Jesus operation and function as my Advocate that empowered me to do this. As advocate, he not only brought comfort, but also pressed me to overcome and go to new realms of holiness. Longer we walk with Jesus, and the more we learn to say no to sin. Even on our best days walking before him and with him, I still need his righteousness imputed to me. This is what grants me authority in place in the courts of heaven. I do not come on my own merit, but on the merit of who he is and what he has done for me. The father will receive us for Jesus say, if we repent and grab hold of his provisions for forgiveness and its power to walk in holiness. We cannot excuse our sin. Everything that is necessary for us to overcome has been provided. May we not grieve the father, but please him and his heart. Our advocate waits to help us into this life of empowerment and overcoming.
Jesus’s voices mediator is speaking in the courts of heaven. From this voice in agreement with this voice there is testimony released a grants God the legal right to fulfill his passion. When we understand this, we do not have to pull back and Shane. We walk forward into repentance receiving the forgiveness of the Lord, taking her place before his throne of grace. When we do, judicial activity comes from the court that grants God the legal right to invade the planet. May we be a part of this process.