“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. (Ez 22:30)

This popular verse used by many believers as a call to intercession is not simply about the need to pray. As much as prayer is needed, this call to STAND is much more about our acts of righteousness and not just our words of intercession.

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Even as we intercede for our communities and for this nation, we must remember that unless our prayers are backed up by our actions and engagement with our culture, our words will mean little. In the fifth chapter of Jeremiah, we find the Lord lamenting over the state of His people. They have forsaken His ways and turned against heaven. He is crying out to His people to repent from their rebellion. He tells the prophet that He will come and intervene IF He finds what He’s looking for:

Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, look and take note! Search her squares to see if you can find a man, one who does justice and seeks truth, that I may pardon her. (Jer 5:1 ESV)

In order for heaven to respond to the impending destruction of the nation, God wasn’t looking for people who merely prayed. He was looking for just one person to do justice and seek the truth. He was looking for someone to take action in order to establish righteousness in the land. He was looking for someone who was willing to pursue the truth at all costs. The gap in the wall was there because God’s people did not remain faithful to His ways, thus creating an opening for the enemy to come in like a flood. A breach requires someone to take a stand by demonstrating justice and truth.

This call to take a stand also requires that we build up the wall. This isn’t just a wall of prayer. It’s a wall of righteousness. It must be built upon the foundation of God’s Word and fortified by just deeds and righteous laws. The reality is that if the wall is built right, there will be no breach and no need for someone to stand in the gap! Just think what our intercession could accomplish if we weren’t preoccupied with filling in the breaches! This is why it is so important to remember our ultimate goal.

Even as we continue in fervent prayer, we must be sure to build up the wall by calling for just laws, righteous decisions, and God-fearing leaders to fortify heaven’s protection and blessing on our nation. As we pray, we must ask the Lord how to demonstrate the Kingdom through taking action in the public square. We need to prayerfully assist those called to legislate the laws and policies in the land and support those in influential positions, both in our government and in the Church.

Our call to stand in the gap must go beyond crying out to God for help and looking to see how our lives can demonstrate godly rule and authority. As we faithfully steward our call as Kingdom ambassadors in the land, the wall can be established and righteous rule secured and celebrated.

Therefore thus says the Lord: “If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them. And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you,” declares the Lord. (Jer 15:19-20 ESV)

• CLICK HERE to learn more about IFA’s 24/7 Wall of Prayer and join other intercessors, real time, in praying for the nation.