“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one." Ezekiel 22:30 NIV
Today, I read a book where the author used Ezekiel 22:30 as a verse which exemplifies the need for prayer in our Christian walk. However, after reading this verse, I couldn't continue reading. It stayed in my mind even as my eyes glazed over the words that followed. God was speaking. I read the verse multiple times after and each time I heard the Lord speaking these words to me, "I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one." Then I heard, "I am looking for YOU to build the wall AND stand before ME in the gap on behalf of the land, interceding for the people so that I would not do what I have the power to do." At that moment, I paused because I didn't want to hear what followed. I don't ever want to give God cause to say, "I wanted you for this assignment, but you were not there."
I am reminded of Genesis 18 when Abraham pleaded with God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah because he had family who lived there. Verse 23 says, "The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord." In Ezekiel, the Lord was looking for someone to do just as Abraham had done before. He remained standing before the Lord even as the men left him and went towards Sodom. He could've easily followed the men and pleaded with them but Abraham knew who had the power to change the course of things. He began pleading, "what if you find fifty righteous people, will you destroy the land?" And God replied, "if I find fifty, I will spare the whole city." Then Abraham asked about forty-five righteous people. Then forty, thirty, twenty and finally ten. If you read the rest of the story, you know that Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed because the sin there was too great and the Lord didn't find even ten righteous people there but what He did find was Abraham's family. I firmly believe that Lot's family was given the chance to run because Abraham interceded. What would've happened if he didn't step in?
I feel the call to deep intercession in this season. God is looking for those who would stand in the gap before Him and pray. There is a storm brewing in the spirit even as I hear the rain and thunder in the natural right now. A fresh wave of the Holy Spirit is coming forth and we need to pray like never before. Pray for wisdom and courage. Pray for freedom and breakthrough. Pray for the miraculous and the powerful. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING (1Thessalonians 5:17). I don't have all of the answers nor do I know exactly what God is doing, but I do know that He has called us for such a time as this.
My friends, if you haven't prayed before or if your prayer life has been inconsistent, now is a good time to change it. God is calling looking for someone to build the wall and stand before Him. Is there ONE?
Let us pray...
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