Book Review: Rees Howells, Intercessor
This book so influenced me when I first read it in 1983, that I named my second son Rees Howells Slade. The name Rees is a Welsh name that means "hero." That is the primary character trait of this great prayer missionary, as well as my son, who lives in Calgary, and just became an official City of Calgary fireman (A genuine hero). Way to go, Rees! We are proud of you!
Back to the Welsh Rees Howells. Rees was influenced by the Welsh revival and was led by the Spirit into a calling and lifestyle of intercession. The idea of having a calling to pray is not new to Christians. But the concept of entering into a lifestyle of intercession is challenging. Although there are numerous lessons and revelations one can take from his walk in intercession, I will outline a few thoughts that may be new to you.
Prayer is Different Than Intercession
In one of the prayer challenges that the Spirit gave him, the Lord declared to him, "Prayer has failed. You must enter into intercession." That idea sounds disturbing to us theologically and in our Christian devotional life. The lesson God showed Rees is that Jesus became our intercessor through his lifestyle, even in obedience to the Father's will on the cross.
An intercessor enters into the sufferings and feelings of the people he is called to serve. You cannot just pray from afar for the person or issue without participating and tasting the need in your personal life. Distant prayer from a safe place is not the calling of an intercessor. God will call you and arrange circumstances in your life to touch and sense the need. This is what Jesus did on the cross for us:
Isaiah 53:12 says, “Because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and MADE INTERCESSION for the transgressors.”
Intercession is Incarnational
There is only one incarnation in that God became flesh. But Jesus did not just pray for us. He was weak, hungry, tired, poor, betrayed, and rejected. He entered incarnationally into every human experience, including becoming sin for us. Rees Howells teaches us that the spirit of the incarnation goes on in us when we identify with the weak and broken with the goal of making them whole. An intercessor must be willing to be the answer to his own prayers, no matter the cost to him. Disturbing thought.
Authority is gained in prayer through the identification with the object of the prayer. Rees entered into Christ's authority over a situation when he was willing to be identified with the need.
Christ showed us the path to this in Hebrews 2:9. It says, “He by the grace of God might TASTE death for everyone.” Verse 10 continues (paraphrased), “He made the CAPTAIN, the one with authority, perfect through sufferings.” Jesus tasted the need and became Captain over the need. That is the lesson of intercession and authority.
These were tough lessons for Rees. It affected his food, his free time, family expectations, social status, and even his health. All this was in preparation for him to lead a prayer and intercession gathering at his Bible School in Wales through the horror of WW2. Almost every night, the intercessory group, led by Rees, would wait on the Lord to ask Him what to pray for regarding the war. Rees eventually raised finances to help Jewish orphans escape to the U.K. He identified with the Jewish people and gained authority from heaven to release help upon them. People who would join those meetings would testify to the sense of Heaven's authority present.
This book will disturb you. It cuts to the core of our "your best life now" Western Christian worldview. You will see the ways of God through a different lens as He led Moses, Daniel, Paul, and Peter into true intercession and authority with God and man.
Enjoy,
Dan Slade
