Our study of intercession needs to be balanced with a chapter on perilous intercession. The Bible has a lot to say on this important matter.

Israel gives us a sad example of self-willed intercession. It resulted in Israel obtaining the permissive will of God, and missing the primary will of God. When we compare the two accounts in Deuteronomy 1:20-22, and Numbers 13:1-2, of the sending of the spies, we see that Israel's self-will cost them 39 years of wandering. Moses, recalling the matter of sending the spies, said in Deuteronomy:

Deuteronomy 1:20-22 "And I said to you, 'You have come to the mountains of the Amorites, which the LORD our God is giving us. Look, the LORD your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the LORD God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.' And everyone of you came near to me and said, 'Let us send men before us, and let them search out the land for us, and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up, and of the cities into which we shall come.'"

The important thing to notice is that the Lord did not plan the sending of the spies. It was the idea of the people, and even Moses thought it was a "good" idea (Deuteronomy 1:23). Reading the account of the incident in Numbers, we see God permitting the will of the people, and commanding the sending of the spies.

Numbers 13:1-2 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, "Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them." And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel."

The consequence of being allowed to carry out their self-will was disastrous. Ten of the twelve spies brought back a faint-hearted report, and fear and unbelief spread among the people. It led to rebellion against God's command to "go up and possess it" (Deuteronomy 1:21 NKJV). Their rebellion and unbelief resulted in that whole generation perishing in the wilderness wanderings.

Hebrews 3:16-17 "For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?"

Now let us see how the Psalmist refers to the conduct of these self-willed Israelites.

Psalm 106:13-15 "They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul."

The peril of self-will, in resisting God's perfect will, brings wasting and disaster in the permissive will of God. There are self-willed intercessors who insist that God spoke to them and showed them certain things, that when honestly examined, proved to be God permitting them to reap the result of their insistent self-will.

A pastor, after months of seeking God's will, was shown how he was to move his congregation out of their small premises, into a large church that was up for sale. He took the matter to the people and they agreed to follow the plan, and commence the necessary negotiations. A week later, while the pastor was away preaching at a conference, certain of the leading brethren called a special church meeting. They informed the people that after a time of intercession on the matter of purchasing and moving to the new church building, God had shown them that they would be incurring a financial burden they would not be able to meet. They insisted that God had told them: "Be content with such things as you have."

After spreading much fear, they got a majority vote to stay where they were, and should the pastor object, to ask for his resignation. They pointed out that there was a number of pastors whom they could call, who would be quite happy to serve the church just as it was. The pastor, on his return, was faced with the ultimatum. He told them that they were motivated by fear, not by faith, and that even if the leaders were right in saying they had heard from God, what they had heard was not God's perfect will, but His permissive will. His words were to no avail. The pastor left. In the next few years pastors came and went. After six years the church closed; it had wasted away, its lamp stand removed. Did that really happen? Yes, it did. I was the pastor who tried to get the church to move.

True intercession seeks out the primary or perfect will of God, and holds on until it is obtained. A Biblical example of self-willed intercession is to be found in the account of the healing of Hezekiah, and the very sad consequences.

2 Kings 20:1-3 "In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.'" Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, saying, "Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly."

Now let us read on at verses 5 and 6.

2 Kings 20:5 "Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. And I will add to your days fifteen years ..."

Two sad things happened in consequence of that extra 15 years of Hezekiah's life that God permitted. The first was the coming of messengers from the king of Babylon, when Hezekiah foolishly showed all his treasures to them. The LORD revealed that all would be taken to Babylon in the future, along with some of his descendants. Hezekiah comforted himself that it would not be in his lifetime (2 Kings 20:12-20 ). The second consequence was the birth of his son, Manasseh, who succeeded him, and proved to be the most wicked, occult king that ever ruled Judah (2 Kings 20:21, 21:1-6 ).

How dangerous it is to impose our self-will on our intercession, instead of wholeheartedly seeking God's will.

Hear the strong words of James:

James 4:3 "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. "

It is possible for the intercessor to be self-deceived and wrongly motivated. Mercifully, God does not always answer such petitions. God wants to bless us in natural things as well as spiritual. We are not likely to succeed in getting financial prosperity if the motivation is merely personal luxury and for showing off. Neither are we likely to be blessed in further spiritual gifts if pride is the motivation. Our motivation must be to bring praise to our heavenly Father, and to show our love for others.