By Colin Kerr

Philippians 2:9-12

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth:
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Verse 10 says that there are definitely 3 worlds that give God their attention.

Things in Heaven, things in the earth, and things under the earth.

Three worlds are mentioned here… Heaven, Earth, and Hell.

And I’ve come to tell you this morning that there are prayers that have been lifted up on your behalf out of those three worlds.

First of all, Hell is praying for you today.

If you think that prayer ends at the grave, you are terribly mistaken.

If this morning you think that a person’s power to pray ends with death, I must disagree with you.

In Luke chapter 16, you’ll find a parable that Jesus taught about a rich man and a poor beggar by the name of Lazarus.

This is the only parable where Jesus ever used names… he usually just identified characters in His parable as “there was a certain man” or “there was a woman.”

But this parable for some reason Jesus chose to use the name of Lazarus for one of the characters in His parable.

Theologians and Bible scholars believe that He used real names because it was more than just a parable, it was a true story.

I believe that this was a true story… I believe Jesus was telling about a real man who lived a plush life and about a real beggar whose name was Lazarus who sat at the rich man’s gate every day trying to get some crumbs to eat.

Jesus says that the beggar died and immediately found himself in a place of peace and comfort in Abraham’s bosom.

But the rich man found himself being tormented in hell.

What takes place next in this story is very astounding to me.

24 And he CRIED and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

But please listen to this next verse…

27 Then he said, “I PRAY thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

A man who’s entire life was wrapped up in his own pleasures is not concerned about himself any longer but now but now he has come face to face with the reality of Hell and the first thoughts that enter his mind is “I’ve got to pray for my brothers… so they won’t do what I did and mess their lives up and find themselves in this terrible place of torture and torment.”

There was a prayer meeting going on in hell!

The bible said “HE CRIED.”

I don’t think these were tears of pain… I believe these were screams of torment and pain.

Illustration: As just a child I recall coming home to Louisiana from Dallas, TX. The traffic was backed up for miles on our side of Interstate Hwy 20. A small pickup truck had run beneath the rear end of an 18 wheeler flatbed truck. The small truck was smashed to a size one fourth its original size. One man was already removed from the wreck. He was screaming in pain. The other man was still in the vehicle when we arrived at the scene. The engine of the truck was sitting in his lap. He was screaming and cursing in severe pain.

In Hell, they’re not praying “lay me down to sleep” prayers… they’re screaming and howling and pleading and interceding in Hell!

Every friend, every family member, who has died in sin and were not saved, who are in hell… they’re calling your name in prayer!

This scripture tells us that somehow, those in hell are able to see those in Heaven and they are crying out prayers on the behalf of those still on this earth.

Someone who was just a casual acquaintance with you, becomes an intercessor for you in Hell.

When they face the reality of hell, when there is not rest from the most intense pain, when there is no relief or rest or release from the torment, they turn their attention toward you.

You may not have meant much to them on earth, but from hell they began calling your name in prayer because nobody should be tormented like that!

Please God, save my friend.
Please God, save my son.
Please God, save my brother.
Please God save my niece.
Please God save my co-worker.
Don’t let them come to this horrible place!

Every face they can ever remember, they pray “Please God send someone to tell them the truth… don’t let them come to this place!”

You’re greatest intercessors are in hell!

The most fervant prayer ever prayed and the most intense prayer meeting ever held comes out of Hell everyday!

Hell is praying for you!

II Earth is praying for you.

If you have a mother who loves God and serves the Lord then you can rest assured, someone on this earth is praying for you.

I’m not taking anything away from Godly dads, but there is no perseverance and there is not persistence in prayer for a child like that of a mother.

There is one main concern with your mother:

Yes she wants you to make good grades.
Yes she wants you to do well in your career.
Yes she wants you to eat right and get your rest.

But if you ask any Godly mother what is their greatest concern, they would tell you “I want my child to be saved!”

Illustration: I can remember my two brothers leaving the church and leaving home to go live in the city of Houston. They were young and walked away from God. They broke into the drug scene and went about as far away from God as anyone can get. But I remember every night after I went to bed as small child, my mother closing the door to her bedroom and kneeling beside her bed and the last thing I could hear from her room across the hallway was her prayers for her two lost sons. Not a night went by that she didn’t intercede with tears and moans for her children. And today they are back in church and strong for God.

There’s a mother who cries at night and calls your name in prayer when they see you make wrong decisions and when they see no sign in you that you love the Lord.

But I can assure you, after you’ve been in bed and long been asleep, in the wee hours of the morning, there’s a mother who gets up and because of the sorrow and disappointment she feels, with tears running down her face, she can only say 4 words… “God save my child!”

I think oft times as the night draws nigh
Of an old house on the hill,
Of a yard all wide and blossom-starred
Where the children played at will,
And when the night at last came down,
Hushing the merry din,
Mother would look around and ask,
“Are all the children in?”

‘Tis many and many a year since then,
And the old house on the hill
No longer echoes to childish feet,
And the yard is still, so still.
But I see it all, as the shadows creep,
And though many the years have been
Since then, I can hear my mother ask,
“Are all the children in?”

I wonder if when the shadows fall
On the last short, earthly day,
When we say good-bye to the world outside,
All tired with our childish play,
When we step out into that Other Land
Where Mother so long has been,
Will we hear her ask, just as of old,
“Are all the children in?”

Not only is hell praying for you but Earth is praying for you!

You may say, my mother and my father aren’t saved… they don’t serve God.

Well then I want you to know there’s another lady praying for you.

She’s been praying for you ever since you’ve taken your first breath.

She didn’t even know your name but she has brought you to the Lord hundreds and even thousands of times!

She is the church!

This church has prayed for your salvation.
This church has prayed for your deliverance.
This church has prayed that God would lead us to you or you to us.

This church, every Tuesday night intercedes for you and this week they fasted for you.

You may not have a family member or a friend who has called your name in prayer, but you can count on it… there’s a church at 1237 Eraste Landry Road that said, “God, if there’s someone hungry for you, if there’s someone who doesn’t know you and hasn’t experienced this truth, if there’s someone who’s hurting and confused, somehow lead them to this church!”

You’ve got a church praying for you!

Whether your family’s saved or not you’ve got a church who’s been praying for you!

You’re not hear by coincidence… you’re not here by accident… a church has been calling you out before the Lord and God hears her cry!

Earth is praying for you.

III Heaven is praying for you.

I cannot find any account where angels ever pray for men.

I have yet to read in God’s word where saints who have already gone on to glory ever pray for those on earth.

But I do know one who never misses a day… in fact every second in Heaven… He prays for you.

Hebrews 7:25

25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he always lives to make intercession for them.”

I want you to know that Jesus is praying for you!

And I don’t understand if you fully realize how powerful that is.

It’s wonderful for a mother to pray for you.
It’s great for a church to pray for you.

But when you get God to praying for you, you will have every opportunity to be saved!

Right now on your behalf. Jesus Christ is on his knees calling out your name.

You’re probably thinking, “If God prays, who answers?”

He answers His own prayers!

And He prays on your behalf every second of every minute of every hour of every day…

God, have mercy on them.
God, shine your grace on them.
God, forgive them.
God, save their soul.
God, open their eyes.

Illustration: The story is told of a man who was brought into court for trial and found guilty. The judge happened to be a close boyhood friend of the accused, although they had not seen each other for many years. Remaining impartial, the judge sentenced the man and levied a penalty appropriate to his case. It was a fine so large that the accused could not pay it. So a jail sentence seemed to be the only alternative. The judge then did a very unusual thing. Leaving the bench he approached the convicted man, embraced him, and said, “I’m paying the fine for you.”

That’s the only way I can explain how God prays for you.

The same judge who is judging your actions and your life and will issue your sentence is the same one who also went to Calvary’s Hill.

He took the rejection of his own people.
He endured a beating on His back that brought unmeasurable pain.
He was spit on and had his beard pulled out.
They tore into His head to the skull with a makeshift crown of thorns.
They hammered spikes through His hands and feet.

He endured pain that none of us will ever feel.
He died a death of a criminal.
He who knew no sin… became sin for us.
He never committed a crime.
He never harmed a soul.
He did nothing but help and cure and save.

But through the blood and through the spittle, He peers out into the crowd and He does one thing… He prays, “Father forgive them.”

He’s on a mission to take your place and take your sin and pay the price so you don’t have to.

So when you face Him in Judgement and you deserve to hear guilty, He takes the judge’s robe off and says but I’ve paid the price for you!

And right now he’s praying for you that you’ll make a decision to serve him… and you’ll repent of your sins and give your life to him.

We shouldn’t have a choice in the matter, we did the crime, we have the sin.

And to think that God almighty came and died for me, and right now is praying that make the right decision; I can’t comprehend a love like that!

I wish you could only listen in on Heavens prayer room right now!

You would hear a God with a passionate love for you crying for your soul and praying for your salvation!

Three worlds are praying for you today!

Sermon “Three Worlds Are Praying For You” is taken from an unknown author and from an unknown source.

This article may not be written by an Apostolic author, but it contains many excellent principles and concepts that can be adapted to most churches. As the old saying goes, “Eat the meat. Throw away the bones.”