1. THE GREAT JUDGMENT

And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
— Rev 20:12-15.

How often have you, dear reader, heard church elders (pastors, general overseers, teachers, etc) and the so-called televangelists speak about The Great Judgment? If you have not heard, how often have you read and pondered on the import of that day? 

Followers of Christ know what will befall those who failed to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior while they were on earth (John 3:18). However, it is not a stretch to say that only few followers of Christ brood over what will be the state of mind of the Saved (i.e., those inheriting eternal life in Christ Jesus) when they see their loved ones cast into the lake of fire (eternal death).

Please take a moment to imagine this scene: Your loved ones being cast into eternal death!! Your first thought is to say never, in Jesus Name. Then, you begin to feel chills all over your body. Obviously nobody wishes that, I know for sure. But, I want you to imagine that scene from now till the day you breathe your last to be with Christ. The more you imagine it, the stronger your resolve to make sure that none of your loved ones ends up in the lake of fire.

2.0 REASONS FOR INTERCESSION (PRAYERS FROM THE HEART)

Most parents would willingly give their lives to protect their children from harm. And many people will do the same for those they truly love. Yet, most are unwilling to do whatever it takes to have their loved ones inherit eternal life. Going to heaven or hell is a choice every individual makes. There will be no "unwilling campers" in heaven because God will not force anyone to obey and love Him.

So you are asking, how can we help to save a loved one since God will never force an "unwilling camper" to stay in heaven? 

When God hears "prayers with tears" from any of His children for the salvation of an unbelieving loved one, He pays a visit to the heart of that loved one and knocks (Rev 3:20). The more persistent the prayer, the more the visits and the more the knocks on the door of the heart. In addition, God sends other labourers in the vineyard to preach the gospel to that loved one. Sometimes, He will use circumstances to get the attention of that loved one. Oftentimes, as a result of intercession, the Holy Spirit brings into that loved one's consciousness teachings and verses of Scripture he or she had heard from you and others. 

In the end, not all loved ones that have been interceded for will repent and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Children of God will be very sad on that last day when they see loved ones cast into the lake of fire. But they and God will know that they did all they could for them.

3.0 WHO CAN INTERCEDE?

You know the saying if a blind person leads another blind person, both will fall into a ditch. If you are just a churchgoer, you are of no use to yourself and your family. If you claim you are a Christian but do not know what it means to be "born again," you are of no use to yourself and your loved ones. If you say you are "born again" but do not understand what radical commitment to God means, you are of no use to your family. If you say you are a follower of Christ (you know what it means to be "born again" and you are indeed "born again" but have refused to break from the world), you are in danger of losing your salvation (Remember the fate of those seeds that fell among the thorns in the Parable of the Soils) but more importantly you are of no use to your loved ones.

4.0 QUALIFICATIONS OF A FAITHFUL INTERCESSOR

Do you really love those you claim you love? If the answer is yes, please go through the checklist below and make changes to your life if you find out that you are not in right standing with God. It is in your own hands to do the needful. However, if you are in right standing with God, continue to hold onto the hem of His garment and never let go. Remember it is not over until it is over, i.e., until the race ends (Phil 3:12-14).

• YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN (John 3:3)
  How do you know that you are born again?
  You are born again when you confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour with your mouth and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead (Rom 10:9). It is that "confessing and believing" that made you a child of God i.e., born again into the family of God (John 1:12).
  
  
• YOU HAVE MADE A U-TURN FROM SIN AND EVERY APPEARANCE OF SIN
  You purposed in your heart never to sin again against your Lord and Saviour on that day you became born again. On your own, you knew that you would fail but that with God's enablement, you will succeed in breaking off sinful relationships and habits. You have continued to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
  
  "Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear." — Phil 2:12b (NLT).
  
  
• YOU HAVE MADE A RADICAL COMMITMENT TO GOD
  You have radically committed yourself to God i.e., you have yielded your will to God just as Christ did while on earth. Just like Abraham, who obeyed God and separated himself from his world (Gen 12), you have cut the umbilical cord with the world (2Cor 6: 14-18). Just as God heard Abraham's intercessory prayer and would have spared Sodom had there been 10 God-fearing persons in that city, God will listen to you when you make intercessory prayers.
  
  
• YOU HAVE THE ASSURANCE THAT GOD HAS SET YOU APART (SANCTIFIED OR MADE YOU HOLY)
  
  "Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again." — 1 Th 5:23 (NLT).

5.0 EXAMINE YOURSELF

Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!
— 2 Cor 13:5 (NRSV).

Did you qualify as a faithful intercessor? You know what to do if you have not measured up. For the sloppy or slumbering child of God, go to God in prayers and the Holy Spirit will guide you as you renew your covenant with God. For backslidden children of God, confess your sins and purpose in your heart never to go back on your commitment again. For churchgoers and anyone who has never made that confession of faith, confess Christ as Lord and Savior now and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.

6.0  PRAYERS

I pray that God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, will give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of Him and that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope God has given to those He called—His holy people who are His rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for those who believe Him—The same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honour at God's right hand in the heavenly realms (Eph. 1:17-20 NLT Paraphrase).