Stand in the Gap: A Call

Recently, in the place of prayer, God emphasised to me that He is a prayer-answering God, not a prayer-storing God. As the scripture says in Isaiah 45:19, God has not asked us to seek Him in vain. In fact, Jesus promises that the Father will bring justice for those who cry out to Him day and night. However, He goes on to say, “But when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? (Luke 17:7-8).” Dear friend, when God shows up, will He find you waiting, praying in faith? In the time of Ezekiel, God said, “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one (Ezekiel 22:30).”

In this new covenant dispensation, we must stand in the gap and cry out in faith until we see His Kingdom come and His will done in our lives and nation. Standing is a posture we’re all familiar with. Therefore, I pray that His understanding will unfold as you read further on preparing to stand, where to stand, and what to do when you stand.

Prepare to Stand

If you’ve ever watched endurance athletes train, you’ll see them do many things (besides their main sport) to strengthen their muscles and improve their ability to withstand extreme conditions. So, while an untrained or poorly trained person may not be able to run more than a kilometre, a trained marathoner can run for 42km. Similarly, a Christian who desires to stand in the gap must prepare. We train on our knees, so we must learn to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). 

Your prayer closet is where you birth strength. That’s where God reveals the strategies and secrets of things to come so that you may withstand the demands of standing. It is also where God removes the encumbrances that hinder you from standing or sustaining your stand. Therefore, cultivate a sustained prayer life, seeking His face and binding hindrances. Only after developing strength in training can you rise, stand, and declare the mind of God.

Where to Stand

In Ezekiel 22:30, God sought someone who would make a wall and stand in the gap before Him on behalf of the nation. So, while the location of our stand is clear—“in the gap”— we must understand what/where the gap is. Ancient cities had walls that served as their primary protection against invasion. Whenever there was a gap in the wall, it meant the nation/city was exposed and could be invaded by enemies. Thus, gaps had to be manned and repaired quickly. God used this physical concept, which was clearly understood by the people, to explain what was required of them spiritually.

He sought righteous people who would build spiritual walls to protect their nation and stand in the gaps unrighteousness opened for the enemy. Spiritual walls are built in the place of prayer, and spiritual gaps are filled and repaired by fervent, alert believers.

The Bible shows us examples of people who stood in the gap and prevented the destruction of lives and nations. In Exodus 32, Moses stood in the gap for the children of Israel after they turned to idol worship. In 2 Samuel 24, David stood before the Lord and stemmed a wave of destruction, and in Acts 12, the church prayed and staved off Peter’s execution.

Brethren, we are not merely called to point out the gaps in our nations’ walls—even unbelievers do that. Our job is to use our prayers to build a wall of protection and stand in the gaps caused by unrighteousness. In our generation, our job is to make sure that Ezekiel 22:30 is not the reality!

When You Stand

Now that you understand how to prepare and where to stand, let’s talk about what to know when you stand. Friend, God desires selfless people who will be concerned about every vice of the enemy in this generation. He desires people whose prayers will be bigger than their personal desires. People whose prayers will stave off the destruction of communities and nations. In the place of prayer, you will receive the Mind of God; therefore, what bothers Him will bother you. 

When you stand, stand in the gap for our generation and push through those genuine burdens for nations and your sphere of influence. Cry out unto Him for revival. Plead the blood of Jesus for mercy upon this generation—for every nation, tribe and tongue. Repent on behalf of our nation(s) as Daniel did, that mercy may prevail over judgment. If Abraham could contend with God for the salvation of Sodom and Gomorrah under the old covenant, then we can contend even harder for nations under the new covenant that gives us authority in the name of Jesus.

When you stand, use the authority given to you in Matthew 28 to uproot and destroy every infrastructure of the enemy over this generation and over our nations. Boldly cast down powers and principalities erected over the minds of all people—politicians, teenagers, children, and even religious leaders. Stand in the gap and pull down unrighteousness with the power of the Holy Ghost.

And, finally, when you stand, withstand! Just as endurance athletes perpetually train to stay fit and capable, you must continue training in prayer. Time cannot constrain God; He can birth a nation in a day, so do not be weary. As Paul admonishes, “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:10-18). Stay empowered by faith, truth, righteousness, the Spirit, and the Gospel.

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your faithful mercies upon our generation. We thank You for the nations and the blood of Jesus that speaks for us, even as we lay aside our personal desires and cry out to You for our generation. We repent on behalf of our generation, so let Your mercy prevail over judgment. Lord, in the name of Jesus, we pull down every stronghold and cast down imaginations, arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. We declare that You are the Only Living God. We will have no other gods before You, and we pull down every idol the enemy has set in place in this generation. Amen.

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