Standing in the Gap

As Christians, we know and often exercise our privilege to walk right into God’s presence and petition His help to meet our needs. We recognize, appreciate, and marvel at the power of God to work in our situations to bring about blessings for our benefit and His glory and honour. However, for many of us, petitioning or crying out to God for the needs of those outside of our immediate circle is not really on our radar.

And yet, God’s word makes it clear that as followers of Christ, we are to be as concerned for others as we are for ourselves (Philippians 2:4). We are to diligently, and persistently, stand in the gap before God for those around us, just as Abraham did for the people of Sodom. As God’s holy priests (1 Peter 2:5), we are to intercede before God for others, lifting up their needs with the very same fervour, intentionality, persistence, and expectancy, as when we pray for our own needs. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, puts it this way: Pray in the spirit – respond to what God is showing or saying to you ...Stay alert – be sensitive to and aware of the needs around you ...And be persistent – pray continually, not one and done.

Our God is looking for someone to stand in the gap for someone else, for cities, for broken families, and more (Ezekiel 22:30). When we pray earnestly to God for others, we invite Him to unleash His omnipotent power to break down every stronghold, break every destructive cycle, draw the lost and broken to Himself, thwart His wrath, and releash His grace and mercy (2 Chronicles 7:14-15).

Today, ask God to show you who or what He wants you to intercede for. May He find you to be a willing servant.