Learning to pray for others marks an important step in your spiritual journey. God loves interceders-those who intervene on behalf of others. There are many scriptures that speak of interceding, but the one that caught my attention is Ezekiel 22:30 - "I looked for a man 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 none."
Ezekiel lived in a dark day historically speaking. The people of God had rebelled and turned from the Lord. The result was judgement at the hands of Israel's enemies. But God did not give up hope, nor did he utterly abandon his people. Instead, he looked for someone who would "stand in the gap."
Learning to pray for others is learning to stand in the gap on behalf of your family, your church, or your community. You haven't really prayed until you have learned to pray for others.
See you Sunday as we continue our "Connecting with God" series on prayer. Tom Ragsdell
I find that I stand in that gap more than I pray for myself.I am familiar with this passage, but remain confused when people go forth to be prayed over while "standing in the gap". I understand the passage to mean they are to be praying too. I understand that as interceders we do require prayer also, but as a ritual should it not be a gathering of prayer warriors praying for one common cause/person?
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