Standing in the Gap

 "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16)

Even though brought up under the teaching of God's Word, the youngster messed up over and over. The pattern continued into adulthood; life is unstable. Does this sound familiar? What are we to do? The answer is: Pray.

Prayer should never be the last resort but the first reaction when we notice a need in someone’s life (or ours). This someone desperately needs help, someone to care. If God put a needy—discouraged, weary, and feels lost without hope of seeing the sunshine again— person in your spiritual path, He wants to use you. The "pray" referred to is not just a prayer or two for a week or month—unless God settles the issue within your spirit, and you rest in His answer. Otherwise, this type of praying is about intercession, a "standing-in-the-gap" kind of prayer; praying on behalf of someone until God grants you release.

Intercessory prayer takes commitment, requires time, sometimes financial aid, or other resources you have available. It may call for sacrifice, such as fasting. Intercession also requires you to pray to the Father to do whatever is necessary, not what you want. Be willing to accept God's answer. Whether they are aware of their dire circumstances or just unconcerned, if God put them on your heart, intercede on their behalf. Intercession is our duty as Christians. But for the grace of God, we would also need an intercessor (Galatians 6:1).

You may know someone with a life-breach, a person with a gaping hole who thinks life will never be any better; nothing will ever change. God is the Breach-Repairer. Are you willing to stand in the gap at His bidding; the one to intercede, to carry a message of hope to that desperate someone? A hurting world is waiting.