Standing in the Prayer Gap
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Intro:
We lost a giant this last week…
Many of us, right here in these pews are hurting badly this morning…
Asking “why”…
I don’t have the answer to all our wondering this week. I wish I could just open my mouth and out of it would flow the answer to why God has allowed all this to happen… but I can’t…
A. Faith - Hebrews 11:1, 6
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
1. Faith is believing that God is.
2. Faith is being committed to doing what He says.
3. Faith is leaving the results to Him.
Our faith is being tested… at the bottom of all our questioning and asking “why” is the reality that our faith is being tested…
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
B. Prayer
1. Commanded to pray
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
2. Taught to pray
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
3. Examples of prayer
Moses interceding for children of Israel
Abraham interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah
Job asked why and God responded with 40 questions causing Job to be humbled.
Jesus in the Garden - not my will but thine be done.
God didn’t answer the most human prayer Jesus ever prayed.
C. Action - Ezekiel 22
And this is what we see in verse 30…God is seeking for a man..a person to stand in the gap and intercede for the sinful people…
30 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.
31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God.
In this chapter we see where the nation is full of sin.
1. Their princes/government
2. Their families
3. Their places of worship
Mike Holsapple stood in the gap.
Kenny Burton stood in the gap.
Dan Collins stood in the gap.
Steve Stetler stood in the gap.
We could go on and on about those who have stood in the gap and interceded between God and sinful people…
The tendency is to look to others, those “more qualified” to stand in the gap… surrendering your limitations to God…
The reality is, no one is guaranteed tomorrow.
Your spiritual hero is not guaranteed tomorrow.
The one carrying the burden for your unsaved loved ones in your family is not guaranteed tomorrow.
The one carrying the burden for this church is not guaranteed tomorrow.
We cannot rely on others to stand in the gap between God and sinful people…WE must stand in the gap!
You must stand in the gap!
Conclusion:
We’ve seen what faith is.
We’ve been reminded about prayer.
We’ve heard the challenge to stand in the gap.
This is what I want us to do…
I want us to stand…
If this morning you are stirred to stand in the Gap and make up the hedge and fill in the places where our heroes once stood…if this morning you are willing to step up to the challenge of interceding between a holy God and sinful people… I want to have a time of prayer together….
Who will come?