Mastering Intercession: The Seven Steps to Pleading Your Case
By Gregory Toussaint | December 10th, 2025
What is the believer's role in this heavenly legal system? If Jesus is our Advocate, how do we, as intercessors, engage with the court? The act of prayer is far more than a simple conversation; it is a structured, authoritative proceeding where we learn to plead our case before God. Now that we know Jesus is our advocate, we must master the strategy of intercession. Here is a clear, seven-step process for approaching the throne of grace with confidence and authority. This strategy requires both raw honesty and a deep understanding of the highest law in the universe, the Word of God.
The Foundation: Honesty in the Courtroom
Before any legal argument can begin, the facts must be established. In the courtroom of heaven, the first and most crucial step is to present the Facts of your case with absolute honesty. This is where many believers falter, attempting to mask their pain or doubt with "spiritual clichés" or a facade of strength.
The biblical narrative shows that God honors honesty, not hypocrisy. We are called to be real with God, not to engage in "spiritual acting" or "theater." The perfect illustration of this is Psalm 13, a powerful psalm of lament written by King David. David penned this psalm while being relentlessly pursued by King Saul for approximately nine years, hiding in the wilderness. He did not pretend to be strong; he poured out his heart in a prayer of raw, open vulnerability.
David’s prayer in Psalm 13 reveals three major categories of facts he laid before God:
Spiritual: "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?" (Psalms 13:1)
David confessed the feeling of abandonment, the impression that God had turned His back on him. This is a profound example of being honest about one's spiritual state, even when it feels pessimistic.
Emotional: "How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?" (Psalms 13:2)
David admitted to being anxious, stressed, and mentally exhausted from wrestling with unanswerable questions. He lamented the daily sorrow, refusing to pretend he was joyful when he was bleeding inside. It is an unfortunate tendency in contemporary Christianity to "do away with lament," expecting perpetual happiness when the human experience includes valleys and pain.
Relational: "How long will my enemy be exalted over me?" (Psalms 13:2)
David laid out the external threat, the fact that his adversary was prevailing, and that his troubles were a source of rejoicing for his enemies.
This foundational step teaches us that the power of our prayer begins not with faith-filled declarations, but with a clear, unvarnished presentation of the current reality. God already knows what is in our hearts; our honesty is for our own alignment and for the integrity of the case we are about to present.
The Seven-Step Strategy for Intercession
Once the facts are established, we can move into the structured process of pleading our case. This process is a powerful progression from presenting the problem to declaring the solution.
Step 1: Facts - Present the situation clearly and honestly, including internal feelings and external circumstances, as we just saw David do in Psalm 13:1-2
Step 2: The Law - Identify the relevant scripture (the Word of God).
The law in the heavenly court is the Word of God. It is the highest law that exists, and an intercessor’s power is directly proportional to their knowledge of it. For a negative medical diagnosis (the fact), the intercessor counters with the law: "By His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). The case is not built on personal desire, but on divine precedent.
Step 3: The Argument - Based on the Law, argue against the negative facts and refuse to accept the adverse outcome.
This is the refusal to accept the facts based on the law. "Father, I received this diagnosis, but your Word says I am healed. Therefore, I refuse to accept that sickness. That diagnosis cannot stand." The argument is a logical, faith-based conclusion drawn from the supremacy of God’s Word over earthly circumstances.
Step 4: The Petition - Make a direct, specific request for God’s intervention based on the Law and the Argument.
This is the direct request for relief. Having established the facts, cited the law, and made the argument, the intercessor now calls upon God to act: "I am calling upon you to stretch out your healing hand and heal my body." The petition is the formal request for the court to enforce the law in the petitioner's favor.
Step 5: The Verdict - Declare the desired outcome by faith, releasing the verdict in the spiritual realm.
This is the declaration of the desired outcome by faith. Citing the principle that "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven" (Matthew 18:18), the intercessor speaks the verdict they want heaven to release. "I decree and declare in the name of Jesus, I am healed. I am delivered. Let this verdict be my portion." This is a critical moment where the believer moves from hoping for a change to declaring a change.
Step 6: Warfare - Engage in spiritual warfare, acting on the authority of the verdict, knowing the "government of heaven" is now backing the decree.
Once the verdict is released, the authority of heaven is backing you. The intercessor is no longer alone; the government of heaven stands with you. This authority is then used to engage in spiritual warfare. The intercessor commands the spirit of infirmity or lack to leave, not in their own strength, but with the full power of the heavenly court. We must understand that we pray not so God can do things for us, but so He can empower us to act. The mountain is not removed by prayer, but by the believer's command after they pray. That’s why the Bible says, "If you say to this mountain, move..." (Mark 11:23).
Step 7: Thanksgiving - Offer thanks and praise for the answer, even before the physical manifestation, as an act of pre-emptive faith.
The final step is an act of radical faith. The intercessor gives thanks for the answer before it manifests physically. "Father, thank you for doing it. Thank you for healing me. Thank you for your power." This pre-emptive thanksgiving closes the case in faith, anticipating the mighty testimony that is to come.
The Mysterious Victory
The most profound insight from the study of Psalm 13 is the transformation that occurs within the intercessor. David began the psalm with the words "How long?" and a spirit of pessimism, feeling forgotten and sorrowful. He ends the psalm with a declaration of faith: "But I have trusted in your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me" (Psalms 13:5-6)
What caused this shift? Did Saul stop pursuing him? Was he suddenly sitting in a palace? No. The change happened while he was praying. This leads to the powerful conclusion that sometimes God doesn't change your situation; He changes YOU in the midst of the situation.
Prayer is not always for our problems; it is often for our perspective. If the time has not yet come for God to change the external circumstances, He will change the internal man. He will give joy in the wilderness and peace in the desert.
This internal transformation is a "mysterious victory" in the eyes of the enemy. The enemy understands rejoicing when a person is healed or promoted. But when a person is still sick, still waiting, and still in the wilderness, yet they are joyful and singing, the enemy is "out of balance." There is confusion in the kingdom of hell when God changes the believer's attitude and perspective in the midst of their trial.
When God changes you instead of the situation, some things can no longer get to you. Some people can no longer get on your nerves. The old anxieties lose their power because your spiritual eyes have been enlightened. Like Elisha’s servant, whose eyes were opened to see the army of the Lord surrounding them, the intercessor’s perspective shifts from the visible problem to the provision.
This is the outcome of pleading your case in the courtroom of heaven: whether the external facts change immediately or not, the internal verdict of peace, joy, and faith is released. The intercessor walks away from the throne room not just with a request, but with a new attitude, a new authority, and the assurance that the government of heaven is on their side.
Discussion Questions
The teaching notes the unfortunate tendency to "do away with lament." What is the value of lament in a believer's life, and how can we make space for honest sorrow and anxiety in our prayer lives?
The second step is citing The Law (the Word of God). How does a lack of knowledge of scripture weaken a believer's ability to "argue their case" before God?
Why is Thanksgiving (Step 7) a necessary component of the prayer process, especially when the physical manifestation of the answer has not yet occurred?
The most profound lesson is that "Sometimes God doesn't change your situation; He changes you in the situation." Describe a time in your life when God changed your perspective or attitude, rather than immediately removing the problem.
