Standing In The Gap Series

Topic: Standing in the gap

Objective: standing in the gap by getting in synq with our co-intercessors - the Risen and Living Christ and the Holy Spirit.

In Isaiah 59:16, God looked, but couldn’t find any intercessors for the people. Nobody stood in the gap for them. He was ready to hear and answer prayers according to His Word (Jer. 33:3), but no prayers were being offered.

There are 2 major qualities that must characterize intercessors

1– love for the people being prayed for – i.e., a heart that is willing to stand in the gap.

Standing in the gap also means that we’re taking risks for others.

Standing in the gap is an investment in the lives of others –

Standing in the gap is a priceless investment, worth more than anything you could give to the other person.

2- Faith is essential. Without faith, how can you put your own needs aside and pray for others’ needs?

You have to believe God for/on behalf of the people you pray for. Sometimes the Lord calls you to get on your knees for others, and each time you try adding your own topics, He steers you right back to the needs of others. Luke 5:17

And as you do so, he will still answer your personal prayers about your needs that you put aside. Job 42:10

When we intercede, we are filling the breach in the wall (Ezek 22:30). A breach in any wall means a covering or protection has been broken

outsiders can see what’s going on within the confines of the wall. When we pray, we place ourselves in that breach - we become part of the wall or covering for the people we intercede for.

Being part of the wall has implications – it means serving as a covering.

Examples: When Moses and Abraham interceded, they stood in the gap and served as a covering for Lot and for the Israelites.

That covering shielded them from God’s judgment, and the blessings that God poured into Moses and Abraham’s lives became theirs too.

Lot lived/walked under the covering of his uncle. Minus that covering, who knows what would have become of him?

Being part of the wall also means being positioned to receive attacks. You’re like part of the wall of Jericho – attacks will come from outside, so you have to be prepared for those attacks.

One image that comes to mind is the ancient castles where the top was open, designed with gaps in the wall for soldiers to hide in and look out from there, or launch arrows from there.

Being part of the wall is an advantage – you not only protect, but you can launch attacks from there.

Intercession is a high and sacred honor – you are getting in sync with the resurrected Christ and the Holy Spirit – joining them in their prayer ministry.

Rom 8:26 tells us that the Spirit intercedes on our behalf in groans that words cannot express.

Heb 7:25 also says that Christ lives forever to plead for us. God rules through the prayers that rise like incense to Him and cause Him to move on behalf of men.

Jesus’ work as a priest covers the past, present and future. He lives on forever to intercede – that’s His purpose forever – to intercede for those who come to Him and are called by His name.

Christ’s intercession is deeply personal. He interceded for Peter before the betrayal. His intercession is what caused Peter to indeed become the rock on which the church was built.

He knew Peter’s weaknesses well enough o say a personal prayer for him. The best person to pray for me is Christ Himself because He tailors His pleadings to cover my weaknesses, and since He sees into the future and knows all things, His prayers will cover my past, present and future.

Isaiah 62 talks about watchmen who are called to pray – as sentries set on the wall. Intercessors are not only gap/breach fillers, but they also serve as sentries.

What does a sentry or watchman do? A watchman protects – he goes on the offensive when threats come near. It’s the watchman who will first spot the danger that is approaching.

In oder to stand in the gap effectively, the watchman must learn how to get in synq with Jesus and the holyspirit.

Come up higher

1. The watchman must have spiritual eyes first of all, so that he can see the enemy approaching. My life as a watchman means that I must be spiritually alert/sensitive so that I will be able to see and identify threats. This will make the work easier – prevention is easier and better than cure.

The more I see, the better I can strategize and counterattack. Ever heard of a blind watchman? How will he ‘watch’ if he can’t see? Without spiritual eyes, it is impossible to be an effective watchman. You could rely on other senses – hearing, smell etc., but you’ll be severely handicapped in carrying out your work.