Gap Standers: The Call To Intercede Series

Gap Standers: The Call to Intercede

Text: Ezekiel 22:30 (KJV)

“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”

Introduction: The Need for Gap Standers

Church, I came with a question today: Where are the Gap Standers?

Where are the ones who will cry out when others are silent? Where are the ones who will hold the line when the enemy is pressing in?

We live in a time where division is everywhere. Families are broken, young people are lost, and the enemy is raging like never before. But God is still searching for Gap Standers—those who will pray, intercede, and hold back the attack of the enemy.

Somebody shout, “Lord, make me a Gap Stander!”

I. What Does It Mean to Stand in the Gap?

Standing in the gap means interceding for others when they can’t pray for themselves. It means fighting spiritual battles on your knees. It means pleading the blood of Jesus over situations that look impossible.

   •   Moses stood in the gap for Israel when they turned away from God (Exodus 32:11-14).

   •   Abraham stood in the gap for Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:23-33).

   •   Jesus stood in the gap for us on the cross!

When God looks down today, will He find a church full of Gap Standers? Will He find some men and women who won’t let the enemy have their children, their homes, or their communities?

II. Somebody Stood in the Gap for You!

Let’s be real—many of us are only here today because somebody stood in the gap for us.

   •   A grandmother who woke up at 5 AM calling on the Lord.

   •   A wife who anointed your head while you slept.

   •   A Church Mother and who fasted until God turned the situation around.

   •   A pastor who labored in prayer over your soul.

How many of you can think back to the times when you should’ve been lost, but somebody stood in the gap! Times when you were reckless, but somebody interceded! When you were broken, but somebody prayed!

If you know someone who stood in the gap for you, give God a praise right now!

My Pastor used to always tell us this story about a man named “Praying Hyde” I know because he carried his book in his back pocket all the time. My Pastor was a man of God who knew the power of Prayer. Anyways John Hyde, famously known as Praying Hyde, was a missionary to India in the late 1800s and early 1900s. His phrase, “Give me souls, O God, or I die,” wasn’t just poetic; it was the cry of a man consumed by intercessory prayer and a deep burden for the lost.

He would spend hours—sometimes entire nights—in prayer, pleading for the salvation of souls. His intense spiritual life earned him the nickname “Praying Hyde,” and many accounts credit remarkable revivals and conversions to his prayers.

When someone says, “Give me souls or I die,” they’re essentially saying, “Let me be spent for others, let me burn out for the sake of Christ’s kingdom—just don’t let me be fruitless.”

III. It’s Your Turn to Stand in the Gap!

But now, church, I’ve got to challenge you—who are YOU standing in the gap for?

   •   Are you covering your children in prayer?

   •   Are you interceding for your family?

   •   Are you pleading for this nation?

   •   Are you crying out for the lost souls around you?

God is looking for watchmen on the wall (Isaiah 62:6). He is calling for a generation of intercessors who will stand between the enemy and their loved ones, saying, “Not today, Satan! You can’t have my family! You can’t have my city! You can’t have this nation!”

Somebody shout, “I’ll stand in the gap!”

Conclusion: The Power of Gap Standers

When Gap Standers rise up, things begin to change:

   •   Prisons shake (Acts 16:25-26)

   •   Families are restored

   •   Hearts are transformed

   •   Healing breaks forth

If you’re ready to be a Gap Stander, lift your hands and declare, “Lord, use me!”

If you know someone who needs breakthrough, begin to call their name right now. Stand in the gap for them!

Because when the saints rise up and stand in the gap—hell trembles, chains break, and revival comes!

Standing in the gap speaks to intercession, spiritual warfare, and communal responsibility. It echoes the call to be a bridge between God and humanity, and between each other. Let's explore who might be standing in the gap for you, beyond the ever-present grace of Jesus.

First, consider the elders and seasoned saints in your life. These are the prayer warriors, the mothers and fathers of the church, who have weathered storms and emerged stronger in their faith. They carry a unique anointing to intercede, drawing on years of experience and a deep connection with the Holy Spirit to lift you up in prayer when you are weak or facing trials. They see your potential and believe in you, even when you doubt yourself.